Newspapers avoid topics concerning daily life

The newspapers cover mainly general subjects like the Transnistrian dispute, the foreign relations and the European integration to the detriment of topics about daily life like the quality of life, the economic situation and unemployment. They also include mainly articles involving experts in different areas, while the ordinary people appear rarely and only as sources and protagonists of thematic stories. These are the conclusions of the fourth monitoring report compiled by the Independent Journalism Center within the Strengthening the Moldovan Media Capacity to Cover Issues of Public Interest Project. It covered 15 media outlets, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communiqué from the Center. According to the report, during a year Moldova 1, Tv Gagauzia, Radio Moldova, Radio Gagauzia, Prime FM and Vocea Basarabiei made progress as regards the observance of the professional norms, first of all of the principle of impartiality. The number of news items with the biased position of the author has decreased considerably. Another two channels - NIT and Tv PMR – did not ensure a balance of sources in the conflict materials and continued to commit irregularities. Tv PMR, Radio Moldova and Prime FM focused mainly on experts and ordinary people as protagonists of their materials, devoting less attention to the functionaries, which contributed to increasing the credibility of the disseminated information. Most of the channels significantly reduced the number of analytical materials. The number of materials where the source of information is not indicated increased at Moldova 1, TSV, Radio Moldova, and Prime FM. None of the monitored papers made visible progress in ensuring the observance of such deontological principles like impartiality of the presented information and ensuring of balance of sources and opinions. “Nezavisimaya Moldova” and “Pridnestrovie” committed most of the deviations from the ethical and professional norms.