Broadcasting watchdog slaps NIT with 5-day ban

NIT channel on Friday, June 24, was sanctioned by the Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC) with a 5-day ban. BCC chairman Marian Pocaznoi has told Info-Prim Neo that the penalty was imposed on the channel for its gross violations of the Broadcasting Code and electoral regulations in covering the recent local elections. NIT will be out of the air for five days from the date when BCC's decision is published in the Official Gazette. The BCC noted in its monitoring report of the election campaign that NIT overtly showed bias toward the Communist Party and its candidate for Chisinau Mayor, Igor Dodon, while presenting Liberal Dorin Chirtoaca and the parties of the Eurointegration Alliance in a bad light, without offering them the right of reply. The BCC further noted that NIT promoted an aggressive journalistic language and used fabricated images, running afoul of professional standards and ethic rules. The ban decision was endorsed by 6 out of 8 BCC members attending. The BCC also penalized Jurnal TV with a 1,800 lei fine for electoral agitation on election day.