Media in Transnistria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1 Press
2 Television
3 Radio
4 Internet media
5 Transnistrian propaganda
6 See also
7 External links
8 References

[edit] 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” 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 Transnistria^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] 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^[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 NIT, a private channel based in Chişinău, was introduced to on most cable networks in Transnistria from 1st November 2007.

[edit] 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]

[edit] 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 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty

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.,^[12]

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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"

[edit] Tiraspol Times

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.^[13]