Eleven media outlets were enrolled by the Press Council to the first contest for the National Journalistic Ethics and Deontology Award 2015. A part of the selected institutions fielded themselves, others were proposed by consumers of information, but most of them were chosen by a group of experts that was specially created for the purpose, IPN reports.

The contenders are: the information portals www.mybusiness.md,  www.newsmaker.md ,and www.agora.md; the radio stations Radio Free Europe, Radio Chisinau, and Radio Moldova Tineret; the TV channels TVR Moldova and BAS TV (Basarabeasca), and the newspapers “Cuvantul” (Rezina), “Ziarul de Garda”, and “SP” (Balti).

By the middle of November, the 11 media outlets will be monitored by the public, groups of experts and the Press Council. Their professional conduct will be assessed in accordance with the provisions of the Journalist’s Deontological Code of Moldova.

Starting with June 22, the consumers of media products will be able to give points to the contestants on the platform www.mediaforum.md. The Press Council will validate the score of each media organization and will add or subtract points in accordance with the criteria laid down in the contest’s regulations, such as the signing by the media outlet of the Journalist’s Deontological Code, the number of complaints against the editorial staff and the way the Press Council’s decisions were respected following the examination of these complaints.

The National Journalistic Ethics and Deontology Award was instituted by the Press Council of Moldova in a move to encourage the good journalistic practices and ethical behavior of the media outlets. As the organizer, the Press Council can decide not to give the award if it reaches the decision that the contenders do not deserve it.