Moldova 3 controversy sparks media debate
Dinu Plîngău, leader of the Dignity and Truth Platform, declared that the protest targets what he describes as "deviations" in the operations of public television.
Members of the "Împreună" Political Bloc held a flash mob today, April 3, in front of the Teleradio-Moldova headquarters. They accused the public TV station of favoring the government while neglecting the opposition, and they opposed launching a public TV channel exclusively in Russian, known as Moldova 3. According to Plîngău, public television—a service funded by every Moldovan citizen—should ensure that its editorial policy meets the people's expectation of being accurately informed.
Plîngău further argued that Moldova 3, potentially initiated by the governing party and currently under public review, would breach constitutional provisions and lack a transparent financial plan. Protesters also complained that opposition parties are seldom invited to programs on Moldova 1. In response, Vlad Țurcanu, General Director of Teleradio-Moldova, dismissed the accusations of political bias within the institution, citing independent monitoring reports that demonstrate an improvement in political balance. The latest report from the Center for Independent Journalism indicates that Moldova 1 largely presented neutral information in its main news bulletins and analytical programs, with fewer political topics, suggesting a potential start to the "depoliticization" of public TV news and a shift toward prioritizing the public interest.
The launch of a new public TV channel, Moldova 3, broadcasting exclusively in Russian, is outlined in a bill recently approved by the Government of the Republic of Moldova. The new channel would be managed by Teleradio-Moldova, serving as the national provider of public media services. The executive clarifies that launching the channel entails budgetary expenses that have not yet been estimated and recommends securing external funding, including from development partners. It also proposes consulting the Audiovisual Council and the Competition Council to ensure adherence to fair competition principles.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
