Media of Transnistria

The media in Transnistria, the breakaway territory within the borders of Moldova, features both state-owned or supported outlets and opposition media. The publishing languages reflect the ethnic makeup of the country, with Moldovan, Ukrainian and Russian language publications. English media is also available. Allegations of propaganda have emerged internationally.

Press

Transnistria has 14 newspapers, including several daily papers. Some print media does not have a large circulation, and only appears on a weekly or monthly basis. The oldest newspaper is the “Dnestrovskaya Pravda”, founded in 1941 in Tiraspol.

OSCE claims that the media climate in Transnistria is restrictive and that authorities of both banks of Dniester engage in efforts to silence their respective opposition.^[1]

In 2005, according U.S. Department of State, authorities harassed independent newspapers when they criticized the Transnistrian government. Most Moldovan newspapers did not circulate widely in Transnistria, although they were available in Tiraspol^[2].

However, several opposition newspapers exist in Transnistria. They include Rybnitsa-based “Dobry Den”, “Chelovek i ego prava” (Man and His Rights), “Novaya Gazeta” from Bender, “Profsoyuznye Vesti” and “Glas Naroda.”

“Tiraspol Times” was an English-language website. Article from it are always featured in the official website Pridnestrovie.net.

Newspapers published by the government or in favour of the government include “Trudovoi Tiraspol”, “Pridnestrovye”, “Novy Dnestrovskiy Kuryer”, “Gomin” (in Ukrainian), "Adevărul Nistrean” (in Moldovan, but in Cyrillic alphabet). Evet though Moldovans represents the largest ethnic group in Transnistria, "Adevărul Nistrean” is the only newspaper available in moldovan language (Romanian language) in the republic.

114 journalists currently work fulltime in Transnistria^{[citation needed]}.

Television

There are four TV channels in Transnistria. Two of them are local (to Tiraspol and Tighina/Bender), while two of them cover all of Transnistria.

Television in Transnistria was for a long time dominated by the public service company “TV-PMR” (Television of Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica, now called the First Republic Channel). In 1998, Transnistria's first commercial channel, “TSV” (Television of Free Choice) was started^[3]. Cable network operator “MultiTV” carries 24 television channels for its "premium" package and 5 channels for "social" package^[4]. Moldovan TV stations from outside Transnistria are not available through cable but can be seen via an aerial. However ProTV and NIT, two private channel based in Chişinău, was introduced to on most cable networks in Transnistria from September 2009 and 1 November 2007 respectively.

Radio

A stateowned radio station, “Radio PMR”, broadcasts both via FM and on frequency 5910 kHz shortwave, 49 meter band. Four privately owned commercial radio stations broadcast on FM from Transnistria. They are: “Inter FM”, “Dynamite FM”, “EnergyRadio.FM”, “Frequence3”. The owners of opposition newspaper “Novaia Gazeta” plan to establish an independent radio station.^[5]

Internet media

Internet media is both stateowned and privately operated. In English, the websites include Pridnestrovie.net (political and general information), VisitPMR.com (travel information) and Transdniestria.com (news aggregator). In Russian, the websites include Dniester.Ru (news agency), Lenta PMR (news agency), Olvia Press (official state news agency), Tiraspol Info (news aggregator), Pridnestrovie.info. Many political organizations and government departments also have their own news services and online news pages, not listed here.^[6].

"PMR News", part of Lenta PMR, produces an English-language version with daily news, as does the Press Service of Transnistria's parliament.

Transnistrian propaganda

In 2006, The Economist reported that an alleged propagandistic campaign, aimed at English-speaking audience had been underway. This was done through an agency entitled the "International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty" (ICDISS).^[7] It was claimed in The Economist that the ICDISS had links to a number of English-language websites that were all pro-Transnistrian but had very few details about how and where they are produced. In particular, it highlighted the Wikipedia article on the group,^[8] Pridnestrovie.net and Visitpmr.com. The latter two are both described as "propaganda sites for Transdniestria".^[9] pridnestrovie.net and visitpmr.com have acknowledged help from the ICDISS^{[10] [11]}. The ICDISS email is run by someone self-named Ms Stephenson, also interviewed in tiraspoltimes.com.

International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty

• ^[dead link]

The council is credited with producing a report in support of Transdniestrian independence. All but one of the alleged authors of the report has since denied involvement in the study. The case has provoked suspicions among Western officials like Louis O'Neill, the head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. Journalist Edward Lucas, who wrote the original "Economist" story about the organization, says he could find little information about the think tank. "What's really remarkable is that nobody's been able to produce any credible proof or verifiable proof that they have any existence," Lucas says.,^[12]

Pridnestrovie.net

• ^[dead link]

The websites quote a number of Westerners marvelling at Tiraspol's new football stadium or saying Transdniester is the French Riviera compared to Moldova proper.
Quotes from the site:
It has a free market economy, 200% growth, and a multi-party democracy with the opposition in control of parliament.

Visitpmr.com

• ^[dead link]

Quotes from the site:
Returning visitors call it "Europe's hidden jewel"
Once you have been to Pridnestrovie you will want to come back…
Compared to Moldova, this is "like the Riviera"

Tiraspol Times (tiraspoltimes.com)

Tiraspol Times was a short lived (2006-2008) English language news provider focused on Transnistria. It published an online newspaper, a free news feed service, and, according to its own site, a weekly colour magazine and a print newspaper in tabloid format available at "select locations" in Transnistria, but not abroad and with no subscription available. It professed to be "committed to the truth." and whose content was largely dedicated to effusive praise of the government or endorsing independence.

Online texts by the Tiraspol Times were licensed as freely distributable. Articles from it have been reprinted by UNPO and by the United Nations' Global Action on Aging,^[13] as well as various news organizations.

Tiraspol Times has been criticised as being strongly biased in favour of the Transnistrian authorities and Transnistrian independence.^[14] A report in the Economist described it as part of a concerted online campaign to promote Transnistria through expertly produced websites, saying that its background and funding were largely undisclosed.^[15][16].

The Radio Free Europe claims that its content was "largely dedicated to effusive praise of the government or endorsing independence".^[14], while the Economist associates them with ICDISS, which it alleges is an astroturfing attempt. Economist also names Tiraspol Times an online magazine produced "expertly, but mysteriously, in support of the authorities".^[15]

The site published few ads and its funding sources are not known. Edward Lucas, a journalist for Economist, suggested it could have received its funding either from the government, from Vladimir Antyufeyev's State Security Committee or from one of the Transnistrian companies.^[14]

Tom de Waal, a London-based journalist and author, was outraged to see an article under his name appear on the "Tiraspol Times" website. "I've certainly never been to Pridnestrovie, Transdneister, or Moldova, and I am certainly not arguing, as is written under my name, that Pridnestrovie has a better case for independence than Kosovo," de Waal says.^[17]

See also

• Communications in Transnistria
• Human rights in Transnistria

References

1. ^ OSCE - Media in Transdniestria
2. ^ U.S. Department of State report about Human Rights
3. ^ "TV and Radio: freedom of speech?"
4. ^ MultiChannel Television channel listings
5. ^ Mihai Grecu: "The Policy of Linguistic Cleansing in Transnistria", Institute of Political and Military Studies (Chisinau, Moldova - 2005)
6. ^ PMR web directory
7. ^ article in "The Economist"
8. ^ International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty Wikipedia contributors, version of 13 June 2006. The article in questions has since been deleted
9. ^ The Economist August 3rd 2006
10. ^ WHOIS on Pridnestrovie.net
11. ^ WHOIS on Visitpmr.com
12. ^ "Economist" - comments by Edward Lucas
13. ^ "Moldova: Parliament Takes on Smirnov Over Pension Reform", October 10, 2006
14. ^ ^{a b c} Radio Free Europe, "Moldova: In Cyberspace, Transdniester Doesn't Look That Bad", 15 September 2006
15. ^ ^{a b} Economist, "Disinformation: Covering tracks - How to disguise, inflate and disappear on the internet", 3 August 2006
16. ^ (same article, no subscription necessary)
17. ^ Radio Free Europe - Comments by Tom de Waal

External links

• Media Guide of the Republic of Moldova 2008 (also covers Transnistria. List of publishers, news agencies and broadcasters, in Romanian and English.)
• Transdniester in Cyberspace Radio Free Europe

Media websites

• Radio PMR - Podcast in English, German, French (German)
• Olvia Press (Russian)
• Novaia Gazeta (Russian)
• Chelovek i ego Prava (Man and his Rights) newspaper (Russian)
• DNIESTER.ru News & Articles (English) (Russian)
• PMR News (English)
• Parliamentary press service (English)
• TV PMR / First Republic Channel (Russian)