To be a journalist in my country means to be “specialist in a few fields”. Majority of newsroom do not have specialized department on politics, economics, social, health, agriculture. In this situation the reporter is obliged to produce reports on different issues/topics without a special background on this. The common problem is that media institution has no financial capacity to employ people for each or for a few departments. “Only 29% of media outlets based outside Chisinau reported having a clear division between the editorial and advertising departments. In the capital, this index stood at 52%”, the Independent Journalism Centre’s study shows.

Also, “multi tasking” is something ordinary for Moldovan journalists. Directors of local TV channels frequently work as cameramen, editor, responsible for advertising/fundraising. For example the manager of the local TV station BasTV is the same time as editor and advertising agent. Frequently in print media we can find that the manager edits the articles, writes columns, do fundraising and communicate with clients.

In the last years the mass media didn’t succeed to be independent. A lot of institutions are lead by anonymous owners or a hidden political party dictates editorial policy “from the shadow”, some publications receive subsidies from the authorities or political parties to purchase equipment, is mentioned in “A Comprehensive Assessment of Media Needs in the Republic of Moldova”. To survive, journalists “are obliged” to write more on political issues because is well paid so that they remain a tool of promoting political interests, serving the interests of those who guide them. Another report “Freedom of the Press 2008” done by Freedom house ranked Moldovan media as “not free”. According to the authors the owners of both state-run and private media continued to promote self-censorship, and the police often harassed journalists for reporting on politically embarrassing events.

Suddenly in our country we cannot say what will help mass media to become professional, independent financially and editorially. Even the mass media benefit from some grants from non profit organizations these help them just to cover a part of their needs: equipment, licensed computer software, internet. I need to mention that is some media institutions at one computer might work a few journalists.

According to the IREX study on media situation in 2006, the quality of journalism in Moldova is not improving mainly because of economic reasons. The IJC report explains this situation following “the system of journalists’ training is poor and outdated. It has developed as far as quantity is concerned rather than quality. In the last several years more journalism departments have been established (currently, there are 6 journalism departments in Moldovan Universities, including one in Transnistria). Although there are well-trained journalists, especially due to some courses, provided by non-governmental organizations or to scholarships abroad, they cannot find jobs according to their knowledge and skills that would also reward them properly. Therefore, these journalists end up working at politically-affiliated media outlets and practicing biased journalism of low quality”.

Very often in mass-media we can find news produced from various meetings, press conferences, or press releases. The method of double-checking for news and investigative journalism are not very popular. As a result the journalist ignores journalistic rules: to use multiple sources of information, to respect the balance of sources, to offer equal space for sources to express their opinions.

The separating facts from opinions started to be rule for a lot of journalists. The journalists have been started to describe facts in a neutral way. Still in Moldova rarely do we can find follow up. This is happening because the small number of journalists in institution and lack of capacity.

A Moldovan journalist is not solidary with his colleagues. If a journalist writes an investigative article on corruption in a public institution, his colleague from other media will not assume the investigation or the topic. The solidarity is noticed in case if a journalist is abused or intimidate and they sign a memorandum. As an example, there was a case in February, when a journalist from “Timpul de Dimineata” was literally removed from a facility that was being inspected by Premier Vasile Tarlev.

“The year 2007 witnessed an increase in the number of cases when the police or others representatives of power abused journalists and denied them access to public events. The cases of aggression against journalists are usually covered by the opposition media. The authorities usually do nothing to punish the perpetrators”, shows Media Sustainability Index (MSI) - Europe and Eurasia 2007, done by IREX. In March, police officers in Chisinau arrested television news crews of Pro TV and DTV and confiscated their videotapes after they videotapes police arresting peaceful protesters.

Many cases have been registered when the journalist didn’t have access to information and to public authorities. “Although lately public authorities and institutions have taken concrete measures to increase efficiency of relations with mass media we still cannot speak about a functional, systematic sharing of information with mass media. Press and PR services do not always provide journalists with timely and thorough reactions to their inquiries. In the majority of cases, journalists have physical access to institutions’ premises, but there are also quite many cases when they are denied access for different reasons, including those of accreditation. The National Bank of the Republic of Moldova did not allow access to TV journalists to an event which had been organized „for the economic press exclusively”, is mentioned in Access-info report on the evaluation of access to official information in the Republic of Moldova. The same report show that often access to certain „special events”, with participation of high officials, or individual meeting with officials is limited. There are elements of discrimination showed in the process of information sharing with journalists, depending on the type of mass media, its property, political orientation and its loyalty to the governing power. State bodies accept just a small group of journalists from certain media outlets, who are usually loyal to the authorities. For example, the president very often accepts to participate at TV shows broadcast by NIT, a TV program loyal to the authorities. Some public institutions also prefer to send their press release just some media institutions. Most of dignitaries and public officials are not responsive to the requests of journalists to communicate operatively about some events, situations and to offer information. The state institutions do not show their interest to make public official documents and current normative acts, and the press is criticized for “incompetence” and “ill-will”.

In June 2008, president Voronin had a first meeting with media editors during the 8 years presidential period. During his official speech, he divided media in Moldova between “Loyal” and “opposition”, saying that some media decided by themselves to be loyal to authorities and “opposition media” are not very good when criticizes that pro governmental press. Media editors considered that when a wrong or a rejecting attitude to role of the press comes from the very high level, other governmental institution will accept it and it will be not easy for journalists to change it.

Beside all, there are journalistic voices in my country that work hardly to show the reality, to write about what is happening around them, about people problems and challenges, to show their life , their health, education, children. It makes louder people’s voice and it brings a diversity among the media outlets.

Bibliography:
• A Comprehensive Assessment of Media Needs in the Republic of Moldova, Independent Journalism Centre, 2008;
• Media Sustainability Index (MSI) - Europe and Eurasia, IREX, 2008;
• The evaluation of access to official information in the Republic of Moldova, Acces-info, May 2008;
• Assessing Media Coverage of Corruption, Quarterly Media Monitoring Report, Independent Journalism Centre, 2008;
• Freedom of the Press 2008: A Global Survey of Media Independence, Freedom house, 2008