“Mass media must be treated as an independent partner, with the freedom to serve the public interest.” The message was delivered by Dumitru Tira, founder of Realitatea Media Group, at the Media Literacy Conference 2026, held in Belgrade, Serbia.
The conference featured four panels dedicated to the challenges facing the media. Topics included media literacy in an era when algorithms and social networks are the main sources of information, the impact of artificial intelligence on the creation of and fight against disinformation, and the balance between institutional efforts to combat manipulation and the preservation of editorial independence.
“From the discussions, I concluded that the Republic of Moldova is more advanced in the field of regulation and that, in several respects, our media enjoys better conditions than those described by colleagues from these countries. We openly shared Moldova’s experiences and invited them to visit us to learn about good practices and the solutions through which we have overcome some of the challenges they are still facing. I was particularly pleased to contribute as a speaker in Session 4 to the discussion on strengthening the capacity to combat information manipulation and foreign interference while respecting media independence, presenting my experience and that of my colleagues at Realitatea Media Group,” the group’s founder said.
Dumitru Tira also spoke about communication campaigns launched by Realitatea and how the media can withstand disinformation with the support of partners and donors, strengthen its resilience, and build its capacity to operate freely in the public interest.
“Although the media landscape in Moldova remains fragile, our progress places us ahead of several countries aspiring to join the European Union in certain areas. I explained how we use communication campaign tools and why changing the communication environment must be a long-term objective in strengthening society’s resilience. Media sustainability and development are essential, and predictable support from the European Union and donors is indispensable for the press to withstand pressure and strengthen its independence. In this effort, the media must be treated as an independent partner, with the freedom to serve the public interest and maintain people’s trust,” Dumitru Tira said.
The conference brought together approximately 100 media experts, journalists and members of the academic community. An exhibition on the safety of journalists in the region is also set to open as part of the event.