Moldova media guide
- Published
A newsagents in Chisinau
Moldova's media scene has undergone major changes initiated by the pro-European government in 2021.
The government sees disinformation and propaganda as key challenges, as Russia continues efforts to disrupt Moldova's European integration, retain its influence and promote parties and figures that favour close ties with Moscow.
Moldova has prohibited rebroadcasts of Russian TV news and political shows, suspended popular pro-Russian TV channels and blocked access to more than 70 Russian and pro-Russian websites.
The media in the autonomous region of Gagauzia are largely pro-Russian.
Russia's war against neighbouring Ukraine has also affected Moldova's media economically.
Two major media groups controlled by a fugitive oligarch collapsed in 2023, but another fugitive oligarch backed by Russia controls an extensive media network which has bypassed some of the official restrictions.
The internet has become the main news source for most Moldovans, but online media, including social networks, are also the main channel for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation.
Most Moldovans speak Romanian as their mother tongue and watching TV channels based in neighbouring Romania is popular.
Most press outlets have switched to online-only, and no longer publish print editions.
There were 2.1 million internet users by February 2023, comprising 61% of the population (Datareportal.com).
Press/Online
Anticoruptie.md, external - investigative website exposing corruption
Deschide.md, external - pro-European news and analysis website
Jurnal.md, external - pro-European, investigative website
Komsomolskaya Pravda v Moldove, external - daily, Moldovan edition of Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda
NewsMaker, external - covers the media, women's and children's issues, promotes LGBT rights
Nokta.md, external - Gagauzia-based, offers balanced coverage of developments in Gagauzia and rest of Moldova
Noi.md, external - pro-Russian, critical of the US, EU and Nato
eVedomosti.md, external - website of pro-Russian Moldavskiye Vedemosti
Ziarul de Garda, external - Moldova's most popular publication, Romanian-language independent investigative weekly with balanced coverage of government and opposition
Ziarulnational.md, external - pro-European news and analysis website
Television
Jurnal TV, external - pro-European private channel, mainly broadcasts in Romanian
ProTV Chisinau, external - pro-European, Moldovan version of the Romanian private channel ProTV
TV8, external - pro-European, daily news bulletins in Romanian and Russian
Teleradio-Gagauzia (GRT), external - Gagauzia's public broadcaster, it has a TV channel, a radio station and website
Teleradio-Moldova (TRM), external - public broadcaster with two national TV channels, Moldova One, external and Moldova Two, external
TVR Moldova, external - Moldovan branch of Romanian public TVR
Vocea Basarabiei TV, external - pro-European
Radio
Jurnal FM, external - private
Radio Moldova, external - public broadcaster
Vocea Basarabiei, external - private
News agencies
Moldpres, external - state-run successor to the Soviet ATEM news agency