Media in 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. [ [http://www.osce.org/moldova/13427.html OSCE - Media in Transdniestria] ]

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 [ [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61664.htm U.S. Department of State report about Human Rights] ] .

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” is 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).

114 journalists currently work fulltime in TransnistriaFact|date=August 2007.

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, “TVS” ("Television of Free Choice") was started [ [http://www.pridnestrovie.net/tvradio.html "TV and Radio: freedom of speech?"] ] . Cable network operator “MultiTV” carries 24 television channels for its "premium" package and 5 channels for "social" package [ [http://www.tv.sheriff.md/index_e.html MultiChannel Television channel listings] ] . Moldovan TV stations from outside Transnistria are not available through cable but can be seen via an aerial. However NIT, a private channel based in Chişinău, was introduced to on most cable networks in Transnistria from 1st November 2007.

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. [Mihai Grecu: "The Policy of Linguistic Cleansing in Transnistria", Institute of Political and Military Studies (Chisinau, Moldova - 2005)]

Internet media

Internet media is both stateowned and privately operated. In English, the websites include [http://www.pridnestrovie.net/ Pridnestrovie.net] (political and general information), [http://www.visitpmr.com/ VisitPMR.com] (travel information) and [http://www.transdniestria.com/ Transdniestria.com] (news aggregator). In Russian, the websites include [http://www.tiras.ru Lenta PMR] (news agency), [http://olvia.idknet.com Olvia Press] (official state news agency), [http://www.tiraspol.info Tiraspol Info] (news aggregator), [http://www.pridnestrovie.info Pridnestrovie.info] . Many political organizations and government departments also have their own news services and online news pages, not listed here. [ [http://www.catalog.tiraspol.net PMR web directory] ] .

"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). [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7252974 article in "The Economist"] ] 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, [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Council_for_Democratic_Institutions_and_State_Sovereignty&oldid=58422550 International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty] Wikipedia contributors, version of 13 June 2006. The article in questions has since been deleted ] [http://www.pridnestrovie.net/ Pridnestrovie.net] and [http://www.visitpmr.com/ Visitpmr.com] . The latter two are both described as "propaganda sites for Transdniestria". [ [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7258534 The Economist] August 3rd 2006 ] "pridnestrovie.net" and "visitpmr.com" have acknowledged help from the ICDISS [ [https://www.srsplus.com/en-def-0a7367af863a/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?domain=pridnestrovie&tld=net&x=25&y=9 WHOIS on Pridnestrovie.net] ] [ [https://www.srsplus.com/en-def-0a7367af863a/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?domain=visitpmr&tld=com&x=0&y=0 WHOIS on Visitpmr.com] ] . The ICDISS email is run by someone self-named Ms Stephenson, also interviewed in "tiraspoltimes.com".

International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty

* [http://icdiss.org ICDISS.ORG] 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., [ [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7252974 "Economist" - comments by Edward Lucas] ]

Pridnestrovie.net

* [http://pridnestrovie.net Pridnestrovie.net] 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

* [http://visitpmr.com Visitpmr.com] 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

* [http://tiraspoltimes.com Tiraspoltimes.com] An online newspaper that professes to be "committed to the truth." and whose content is largely dedicated to effusive praise of the government or endorsing independence.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. [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/09/794DE55D-F342-4F9D-8F1A-534A6EA58B78.html Radio Free Europe - Comments by Tom de Waal] ]

References

See also

* Communications in Transnistria
* Human rights in Transnistria
* [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7252974 Disinformation] The Economist
* [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/09/794DE55D-F342-4F9D-8F1A-534A6EA58B78.html Transdniester in Cyberspace] Radio Free Europe
* [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7258534 Covering tracks] The Economist
* [http://www.olvia.idknet.com/ol37-09-05.htm 2004 Census results and comparation with 1989, by Olvia Press]
* [http://conflict.md/stiri.php?ID=1392 MOLDOVAN NGOs REGARD TRANSNISTRIAN REFERENDUM AS A FARCE]

External links

* [http://olvia.idknet.com/ Olvia Press] ru icon
* [http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/ The Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review] en icon
* [http://novaiagazeta.org.ru/modules/news/ Novaia Gazeta] ru icon
* [http://www.cip.nm.ru Chelovek i ego Prava ("Man and his Rights") newspaper] ru icon
* [http://www.tiras.ru/en/ PMR News] en icon
* [http://www.vspmr.org/?Lang=Eng Parliamentary press service] en icon
* [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/09/794DE55D-F342-4F9D-8F1A-534A6EA58B78.html Transdniester in Cyberspace] Radio Free Europe
* [http://www.tv-pmr.com/ TV PMR / First Republic Channel] ru icon