„The explanation is ridiculously simple. Russian stations, due to their rather large financial capacities, buy the copyrights for American or European content for the entire ex-Soviet space, thus becoming rights holders, but also their broadcasters...”
---
The former Soviet republics are experiencing a strong influence of Russian media in their media landscapes. Russian media institutions, having considerable financial resources, have the ability to easily push their products into any market of the former USSR. This dominant presence of Russian radio and TV stations affects local markets (with few exceptions), keeping them underdeveloped and exerting pressure on national languages and the psyche of the population.
This article explores the impact of the penetration of Russian media on the media markets of Ukraine, Georgia, the Baltic States and the Republic of Moldova, as well as possible solutions to support the development of their own media industries.
Penetration of Russian media on the media market of the Republic of Moldova
Before the war, the advertising market of the Russian Federation was valued at approximately 4 billion US dollars, which demonstrates the size and financial power of Russian media outlets. Approximately 80% of the audiovisual space of the Republic of Moldova is dominated by Russian radio and TV stations, and this overwhelming presence is facilitated by a series of political and economic factors.
This dominance of Russian media in the audiovisual landscape of the Republic of Moldova creates several challenges and negative effects. First of all, numerous Russian stations, without necessarily being propagandistic, exert a subtle pressure on the Romanian language and the psyche of the population. These can contribute to the perceived superiority of the Russian language over the Romanian language, having an impact on the linguistic identity of the population.
Secondly, the monopoly of the Russian media prevents the development of the own media industry in the Republic of Moldova. Western audiovisual products, such as Discovery, National Geographic or BBC World, are broadcast in Russian, which limits access to them for Romanian-speaking audiences. Thus, a significant need is created for own media productions in the Romanian language, which can satisfy the requirements of the Moldovan audience.
In the context of the discussion regarding the penetration of Russian media in the Republic of Moldova and its impact on the local media market, it is important to analyze the situation in other countries of the former Soviet Union. Thus, let us explore how Russian media managed to penetrate the media markets of Ukraine, the Baltic States and Georgia, and how these states managed this influence, compared to the Republic of Moldova.
The situation of the media market in Ukraine
In Ukraine, the influence of the Russian media has been a hotly debated topic, especially in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Before the war, the Ukrainian media market was open and diverse, with numerous local, national and international TV and radio stations. However, the annexation of Crimea and the conflicts in the east of the country, impacted the relations with the Russian media.
Moreover, Ukraine decided to limit the access of Russian media to its territory, including by restricting broadcasts and news programs from Russia. In 2014, Ukrainian authorities closed numerous TV and radio stations with direct or indirect ties to Russia, accusing them of propaganda and incitement to hatred. Sanctions and restrictions were also imposed on the distribution of media content from the Russian Federation.
These measures generated strong reactions from Russia, which accused Ukraine of censorship and violation of press freedom. Still, the situation remains controversial and delicate, and the barriers between the Russian and Ukrainian environments persist.
The state of the media market in the Baltic States
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, known as the Baltic States, were also exposed to the influence of Russian media due to their geographical and historical position. In the past, these countries were under Soviet rule, and the Russian language is still spoken in Russian minority communities.
Despite the challenges, the three Baltic states have managed to maintain their media independence and have adopted measures to protect their cultural and linguistic identity. Their efforts included promoting their language and culture in the media and imposing strict regulations on media content coming from outside the borders.
The Baltic States have also encouraged domestic production of media content, supporting the development of local productions in Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian. This has contributed to increased diversity within the media market and ensured more balanced access to information and cultural content.
State of media market in Georgia
In Georgia, Russian media had a considerable presence, especially in regions with Russian minorities. During the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia, tensions between the two countries further influenced the Georgian media landscape.
In response to Russian media influence, Georgia has taken steps to protect its cultural and linguistic identity. Regulations have been passed to control media content, including sanctions for programs and broadcasts that promote hate speech or propaganda.
Georgia has also invested in promoting Georgian culture and language, supporting the production of local media content and attracting investment in the national media industry. Thus, Georgia managed to strengthen its cultural identity and limit Russian media influence.
In Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the pressure exerted by the Russian media was approached differently. Ukraine has chosen to impose restrictions and sanctions on Russian content, causing political tensions. In the Baltic States, special attention has been paid to protecting cultural and linguistic identity, supporting local media productions and limiting Russian influence. In Georgia, regulations were applied to control media content and efforts were made to promote Georgian culture and language.
In the Republic of Moldova, the media market was strongly dominated by Russian radio and TV stations, and this influence generated concerns about the cultural and linguistic identity of the population. In the context of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova has suspended the broadcast of 6 Russian propaganda TV stations, but the problem will reappear as soon as the Moldovan authorities removed the emergency state of affairs, which has been maintained since the beginning of the war.
Why are Russian stations able to penetrate so easily?
The explanation is ridiculously simple. Russian stations, due to their rather large financial capacities, buy the copyrights for the American or European continent for the entire ex-Soviet space, thus becoming rights holders, but also their broadcasters. Along with the export of foreign content, including cinema, these stations also export the Russian language, but also create the environment and circumstances necessary for better penetration of federal propaganda stations.
In the context of the sanctions imposed by the European Parliament on the Russian Federation, it would be a solution for producers of American or European content, as well as their intermediaries, regardless of nationality, to limit copyright sales for audiovisual or cinema products only to the borders of the Russian Federation. This measure would allow the Republic of Moldova and other ex-Soviet states to develop their own media and film industries.
The effects of this decision would be significant. The broadcasting of at least 90% of Russian TV stations broadcasting in the Republic of Moldova and other former Soviet republics should be stopped.
The benefits of implementing such a measure for the Republic of Moldova
Limiting the sale of copyrights only to the borders of the Russian Federation would lead to an increase in media productions in the Romanian language, stimulating the development of the local media industry. This would lead to a greater diversity of content and strengthen the cultural and linguistic identity of the Republic of Moldova.
In addition to the cultural and identity benefits, a strong development of the media industry in the Republic of Moldova would also have positive economic implications. The growth of local media productions would attract investment, increase jobs in the field of media creation and support innovation and creativity among professionals in this sector.
Limiting copyrights for audiovisual or cinema products only at the borders of the Russian Federation would pave the way for the acquisition of copyrights for American and European content through production or partner companies in Bucharest. Thus, the premises are created for the development of a common audiovisual space between the Republic of Moldova and Romania.
Conclusion
The penetration of Russian media into the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Georgia has had significant implications for local media markets and cultural identity. Each country has chosen to address this influence in a specific way, with different measures to protect their cultural and linguistic values. The implementation of a common strategy adapted to the specifics of each country can contribute to strengthening the independence of national environments and protecting their unique cultural identity.
The strong penetration of Russian media in the media market of the Republic of Moldova represents a major challenge for cultural and linguistic identity. Limiting the sale of copyrights for audiovisual or cinema products, American or European, exclusively at the borders of the Russian Federation, could be an effective solution to support the development of its own media industry and to strengthen the linguistic identity of the Republic of Moldova.
Through concrete measures supported by the European Parliament, we can create a favorable framework for a sustainable and autonomous development of the media sector in the Republic of Moldova and other post-Soviet states.
