PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION & ICTs PHASE II REPORT Republic of Moldova Prepared for the University of Washington, Center for Information & Society. Institute for Polling and Marketing (IPM-Georgia); OPINIA, Independent Sociological and Information Service (Moldova) 8, Baratashvili Str., 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: +995 32 99 72 14 (ext.102) Mob: +995 93 90 01 03 Fax: +995 32 99 85 06 E-mail: [email protected] Final Report: August 15, 2008 University of Washington Center for Information & Society 4311 11th Avenue NE, Suite 400 Box354985 Seattle, WA 98195 USA www.cis.washington.edu [email protected] © 2008 University of Washington Center for Information & Society (CIS). The views expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Washington or CIS. Recommended citation: OPINIA, Independent Sociological and Information Service (2008). Public access to information & ICTs: Moldova. Public Access Landscape Study final report, presented to University of Washington Center for Information & Society (CIS), Seattle. ii Table of Contents The table of contents is generated automatically. Right-click on it and select “update field” to update page numbers. 1 Extended Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Project Overview ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Country Overview ................................................................................................................. 1 1.4 Research Rationale, Sample, and Methods............................................................................ 3 1.5 Information Needs of Underserved Communities ................................................................. 4 1.6 Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities in Key Public Access Venues ............................... 5 1.7 Salient Findings ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.8 Key Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 8 2 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Venue Selection .................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.1 Venues studied ........................................................................................................................................ 9 2.1.1 Other experiences of public access to information that are not quite “venues” .................................. 10 2.1.2 Other existing public access venues, not included in this study ............................................................ 11 2.2 Inequity Variables ............................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Socio‐economic status ........................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Educational level .................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.3 Age ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2.4 Gender ................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2.5 Location ................................................................................................................................................. 13 2.2.6 Other inequity variables ........................................................................................................................ 14 2.3 Data Gathering Techniques ................................................................................................. 14 2.3.1 Literature review ................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1.1 Most useful bibliography: ............................................................................................................. 14 2.3.2 Individual interviews .............................................................................................................................. 15 2.3.3 Group interviews and focus groups ....................................................................................................... 15 2.3.4 Site visits ................................................................................................................................................ 16 2.3.5 Surveys ................................................................................................................................................... 16 2.3.6 Other data gathering techniques ........................................................................................................... 17 2.3.7 Most useful contacts ............................................................................................................................. 17 2.4 Research Trustworthiness and Credibility ........................................................................... 18 2.4.1 Research limitations .............................................................................................................................. 18 2.4.2 Team qualifications ................................................................................................................................ 18 3 Country Assessment ....................................................................................................... 20 iii 3.1 Overall Country Assessment ............................................................................................... 20 3.2 Real Access Framework ....................................................................................................... 20 3.2.1 Access .................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.2 Capacity ................................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2.3 Environment .......................................................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Information Needs of Underserved Communities ............................................................... 22 3.3.1 Information sources ............................................................................................................................... 24 3.3.2 Key barriers to accessing the information that underserved communities need ................................. 24 3.3.3 Ways users experience different types of public access venues ........................................................... 25 3.3.4 Inequity environment in the country ..................................................................................................... 25 3.3.5 Freedom of press and expression and the right to information ............................................................ 26 3.4 Charts: Information Needs, Users, and Uses ........................................................................ 26 3.4.1.1 Users, by type of venue................................................................................................................. 27 3.4.1.2 Information People Seek, by type of venue .................................................................................. 29 3.4.1.3 Uses of ICT, by type of venue ........................................................................................................ 30 3.4.1.4 Frequency of Use for each type of venue ..................................................................................... 31 3.4.1.5 Barriers to use for each type of venue .......................................................................................... 32 3.4.2 Salient initiatives to help meet critical information needs by underserved communities .................... 33 3.4.2.1 Past initiatives: .............................................................................................................................. 33 3.4.2.2 Ongoing initiatives: ....................................................................................................................... 33 3.4.2.3 Historical trends and opportunities to serve information needs .................................................. 33 3.4.2.4 Planned initiatives: ........................................................................................................................ 34 3.5 Economic, Policy, and Regulatory Environment ................................................................... 34 3.5.1 National and local economic environment ............................................................................................ 34 3.5.2 National and local policy (legal and regulatory) environment .............................................................. 35