Media Monitoring in the Campaign for New Local Elections on 20 May 2018 Report no. 3 5–11 May 2018 This report is part of the project "Media in Support for Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability in Moldova" (MEDIA-M), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Internews in Moldova, aimed at promoting the development of independent and professional media and at creating a media sector that is more resilient to political and economic pressure. The content of this material is the responsibility of the Independent Journalism Center and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or of the United States government. 1. General data Purpose and objectives of the project: Monitor and inform the public about media behavior during the election campaign and the access of the candidates to the media. The aim of monitoring is to analyze reporting trends that may affect the performance of media outlets and compromise their ability to provide accurate, unbiased and pluralistic information to the public. Monitoring period: 20 April–19 May 2018 Criteria for selecting the media outlets to be monitored: • audience/impact—national, regional; • media type—audiovisual; • form of ownership—public, private; • broadcasting language—Romanian, Russian. Media outlets and programs monitored: Moldova 1 at 19:00: public TV station, national coverage, broadcasts in Romanian and Russian; Prime TV at 19:00: private TV station, national coverage, broadcasts in Romanian and Russian; Canal 2 at 19:00: private TV station, national coverage, broadcasts in Romanian; Publika TV online version: private TV station, national coverage, broadcasts in Romanian and Russian; Jurnal TV at 19.00: private TV station, regional coverage, broadcasts in Romanian; NTV Moldova at 19.00: private TV station, regional coverage, broadcasts in Romanian and Russian; RTR Moldova at 19.30: private TV station, regional coverage, broadcasts in Russian and Romanian; TV 8 at 19.00: private TV station, regional coverage, broadcasts in Romanian and Russian; Pro TV at 20.00: private TV station, regional coverage, broadcasts in Romanian; Accent TV at 20.00: private TV station, regional coverage; broadcasts in Romanian and Russian. 2. Methodological framework The full content of the main daily newscasts on each TV station was monitored, and any items with a direct or an indirect electoral character were analyzed by content and context to determine whether they were favorable or unfavorable to a party or political entity. In addition, the items were analyzed according to the following criteria. Impartiality and objectivity/political partisanship. According to the Journalist's Code of Ethics, news must be impartial and objective and not favor certain parties/groups/persons to the detriment of others. The presence of discriminatory elements in reports and news items is a primary criterion for subjective reporting. News screening and a minimal analysis of background and context also contribute to presenting the interests of certain actors and not of the public at large. Fairness and balance of sources/pluralism of opinion. In order to be fair and balanced, news items must present the perspectives of all parties concerned, especially when it comes to controversial subjects, and must treat opponents equally. In addition, the media must 2 provide access to a variety of opinions to help viewers create their own opinions about what has happened. Language and images used. Deliberate exaggerations and obscene language such as pejoratives or labeling as well as images manipulated so that certain parties appear in a negative light raise serious questions about compliance with ethical and professional standards. The ethical behavior of journalists is most often questioned when images display aspects that do not correspond to reality, when they are simulated, and also when news stories are illustrated with images unrelated to the text. Acronyms used in the report: Action and Solidarity Party – PAS Dignity and Truth Party – PPDA Democratic Party – PD Democracy At Home Party – DA Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova – PLDM Liberal Party of Moldova – PL Our Party – PN National Liberal Party – PNL People’s Party – PP Russian Slavic Party – PRS Socialists Party of Moldova – PSRM Progressive Society Party – PSP National Unity Party – PUN 2. Monitoring data Moldova 1 Involvement in the election campaign From 5 to 11 May, public TV station Moldova 1 broadcast 29 news items on the election campaign in its main news program of the day “Mesager.” Six of them covered subjects about the organization of the elections—accreditation of observers, Central Election Commission (CEC) warning to the candidates not to use administrative resources in the campaign, civil society appeals to the candidates, survey results, monitoring by NGOs etc. The remaining 23 stories covered the campaign activities of Chișinău–based candidates. Most of those who had campaign events duirng this period appeared on “Mesager.” Impartiality and objectivity/political partisanship In general, Moldova 1 preferred not to report on the campaign information/promises of the candidates and not to ask how feasible they were or whether they contravened statements and promises made earlier by the candidates or by their parties. In other words, the journalists did not apply a critical approach limiting themselves instead to transmitting candidates’ messages in brief. The items on election promises were in a positive-neutral tone for all the candidates: Ion Ceban, PSRM about his plans in relation to doctors, social workers, and persons with disabilities; Andrei Năstase, PPDA/PAS/PLDM about the pollution of the Nistru River, real estate schemes, and doctors; Valeriu Munteanu, PL about continuing the projects started by Dorin Chirtoacă and so on. The direct activities of the candidates and statements made in their support usually were covered in short items of circa one minute that included both text and an extract from the 3 politician’s speech or from the statements made by their supporters during campaign events. The station also broadcast some news items based on the candidates’ pictures or Facebook posts, such as what independent candidate Silvia Radu did on 9 May or what Andrei Năstase said in a meeting with medical students. Reporters produced longer and more complex stories on controversial subjects. Candidates Andrei Năstase and Ion Ceban appeared the most frequently in Moldova 1 news. Independent candidate Silvia Radu was covered in two stories; PPDA/PAS/PLDM candidate Andrei Năstase in five; PSRM candidate Ion Ceban in five; PL candidate Valeriu Munteanu in two; PUN candidate Constantin Codreanu in two; PNL candidate Alexandra Can in one; and Șor Party candidate Reghina Apostolova in one (except for the ones with controversial content). The only candidate who appeared in a negative context was Reghina Apostolova, taking into account the allegations brought against her by Valeriu Munteanu (use of money from outside and promotion through concerts) and by PUN leader Anatol Șalaru (use of money from outside). The station did not cover candidates for Chișinău mayor Vasile Costiuc DA, Alexandru Roșco Moldova Our House Party, Victor Strătilă PVEM, Maxim Brăila PP, or Alexandru Mâțu Russian- Slavic Party at all in its news items which may be interpreted as this station’s lack of interest in these candidates due to their low rankings in opinion polls or to their reduced campaign activities. In covering the candidates, the public TV station had an impartial approach and did not display political partisanship. Fairness and balance of sources/pluralism of opinion In all five stories on conflicts—Valeriu Munteanu’s request to have Reghina Apostolova removed from the campaign and to declare the Russian singer Iosif Cobzon as persona non- grata; the request of PUN leader Anatol Șalaru to have Reghina Apostolova excluded from the campaign; Andrei Năstase’s notifications to a number of authorities; CEC approval of Anatol Șalaru’s request; Reghina Apostolova’s removal from the campaign—the reporters observed a balance of sources and presented the reactions of all parties involved. Language and videos No improper expressions or labeling were found in the language on campaign items. The videos used corresponded to the text; no editing tricks were used. Prime TV Involvement in the election campaign On 5 April, General Media Grup Corp. S.R.L., the holder of the broadcast license for station Prime TV, notified the Broadcast Coordinating Council (BCC) that the TV station, “…will not cover the campaign for the new location elections of mayors in some localities on 20 May 2018.” In its statement registered by the BCC on 6 April, the broadcaster also announced that it would not organize campaign debates and would not broadcast free or paid election publicity. Between 5 and 11 April 2018, there was a reduction in the number of relevant news items compared with the first two weeks of the election campaign. The station broadcast 16 items in total with direct or indirect election content in its daily newscasts. The news concerned the allegations launched by some candidates against others and the exclusion of one candidate from the election. Prime TV did not follow and did not report on the campaign events and election platforms of the candidates, except for those of independent candidate Silvia Radu. 4 We noted that many of the news items with election content were similar to the ones aired by Canal 2 with minor differences in the expressions/wording used. Prime TV also broadcast four items with indirect election content that favored candidate Silvia Radu, e.g., the ones about the lighting in the park in Râșcani District, about the repair of streets in Chișinău, and about the removal of kiosks in Chișinău. Impartiality and objectivity/political partisanship The majority of the items with Silvia Radu as protagonist were biased because information was selected to present her advantages over the other candidates. Some news stories covered Silvia Radu’s activities and statements related to her campaign while others presented her as the favorite, subtly promoting the idea of her victory in the elections.