Four TV channels of the ten monitored by the Independent Journalism Center in the campaign preceding the presidential elections of November 1 continued to massively favor particular electoral competitors. Another two TV channels tended to slightly favor some of the candidates, says the fourth monitoring report for October 15 – 22, which is quoted by IPN.
According to the report, the public TV channel Moldova 1 offered equal access to the electoral competitors, presenting them in a primarily neutral way. Igor Dodon was most of the times presented in a neural light.
Primul în Moldova, NTV Moldova and Accent TV treated the candidates in a different way. Igor Dodon was favored massively by these channels. They broadcast together over 60 positive news articles about the activity of the Government and the local public administration, which were favorable to Igor Dodon. Igor Dodon was the only candidate who was frequently mentioned in extensive news items about his electoral objectives. The other candidates appeared in 1-2 news stories about their campaign per channel. PAS candidate Maia Sandu was mentioned rather than quoted at these channels, being presented mostly in a negative light.
Prime TV offered most of the candidates access to news items, with the candidates, political parties and state institutions being presented primarily neutrally. Igor Dodon and the Shor Party’s candidate Violeta Ivanov were advantaged by the number of their appearances and the volume of airtime allotted to them, befitting from the largest number of campaign and support news articles. Maia Sandu and the PLDM’s candidate Tudor Deliu were presented in news items that centered not on the electoral priorities of the competitors, but on other issues.
Publika TV had a relatively balanced behavior, offering access to news items to most of the electoral contenders who were covered neutrally. Igor Dodon appeared most often and enjoyed the largest volume of airtime, primarily in campaign and support news. The other candidates were featured in only one news item centering on their electoral objectives each. Maia Sandu, Tudor Deliu and Violeta Ivanov were quoted or mentioned in another type of news items than those about their electoral objectives.
Jurnal TV offered access to news articles to all the electoral contenders, without evidently favoring of disfavoring one of them. The TV channel treated the contenders equally, informing about their meetings and promises, primarily in a neutral light.
Pro TV Chisinau had a balanced behavior and offered relatively equal access to all the candidates, informing about the electoral priorities of a number of competitors, principally in a neutral light.
TV8 allotted more airtime to news items and programs that referred to the elections directly or indirectly. It didn’t inform about the electoral objectives of the contenders who were the protagonists of news stories centering on other themes. In most of the cases, the candidates, parties and the central LPA were presented neutrally.
Televiziunea Centrală offered relatively equal access to all the candidates, these being presented primarily in a neutral light. Violeta Ivanov benefitted from the largest number of appearances in a positive light.
The Independent Journalism Center recommends the Audiovisual Council to use the monitoring reports to see if the monitored TV channels respected the right to complete, objective and accurate informing.
The ten monitored TV channels were: Moldova 1, Prime TV, Publika TV, Jurnal TV, NTV Moldova, Primul în Moldova, Accent TV, Pro TV, TV8, and Televiziunea Centrală.
