The tendencies of political bias persist and even became more accentuated in the online press. During October 11-17, most of the articles on political or electoral themes broadcast by 12 portals had only one source of information. The editorial offices published unbalanced articles without the reply of those who were accused. The candidates were presented selectively and some of the portals overlooked the existence of some of electoral competitors and oriented themselves to the preferred candidates or discredited the main opponent of this candidate. Some of the portals are nothing else but the mouthpiece of independent candidate Igor Dodon, who is supported by the Party of Socialists, shows the third report on the monitoring of the online media during the electoral period and the campaign prior to the presidential elections produced by the Association of Independent Press (API) as part of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections.
In a news conference at IPN, the Coalition’s secretary Elena Prohnitski said that even if the election campaign at the beginning was rather anemic, it later became more lively, but also dirtier. “The electoral contenders lay emphasis on attacks on person, either direct or veiled, and we do not really witness a confrontation of ideas, a discussion of the serious problems that are now faced by our society,” stated Elena Prohnitski.
API executive director Petru Macovei said that only two portals of the 12 monitored pursued a relatively balanced editorial policy and presented the campaign and the candidates more or less in a neutral way. These are Agora.md and Newsmaker.md. “As to the other portals, these showed professional deficiencies and deficiencies in covering the election campaign in a balanced and equidistant way,” explained Petru Macovei.
Actualitati.md, Aif.md and Kp.md in the period had a similar editorial behavior, with pronounced elements of bias and with the violation of the journalistic deontological norms. The three publications massively favored and openly promoted Igor Dodon and evidently disfavored PAS candidate Maia Sandu. The other candidates were presented in an unbalanced way in terms of quantity and were in most of the cases disfavored, ridiculed by frequently using qualifiers and criticism, without them being offered the right of reply.
Noi.md, Sputnik.md and Vedomosti.md continued to favor Igor Dodon by the tone of the article and by the presentation in a positive light. Maia Sandu was most often disfavored by the three online publications.
Gagauzinfo.md continued to devote less attention to the election campaign, while its news articles referred mostly to the electoral process in general, with emphasis on the organization of the elections in ATU Gagauz Yeri.
Unimedia.info covered the electoral process and candidates’ activities, presenting candidates Igor Dodon and Andrei Năstase and also Violeta Ivanov in a favorable light most often.
Realitatea.md presented the candidates in a neutral context and also in a positive or negative context, with Igor Dodon being most of the times disfavored.
Timpul.md presented the candidates selectively, disfavoring primarily Igor Dodon and favoring Maia Sandu.
