In 2023, there was a marginal improvement in the state of the press in the Republic of Moldova compared to previous years. However, serious challenges persist, as revealed by the Index of the State of the Press in Moldova (ISPM) for 2023, unveiled by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) on Monday, February 5th.
This marks the eighth year of the ISPM’s calculation, aiming to diagnose the overall media landscape and identify specific issues and key developments in Moldova’s media sector. The evaluation involved 14 assessors who concluded that media legislation lacked sufficiency and effectiveness, economic conditions were unfavorable for the press, and journalists did not operate in a completely safe environment.
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Among the key findings, the report underscores significant challenges faced by the media in the economic sphere, informational security, and the political landscape.
The analysis acknowledges amendments to laws governing media activity, introducing necessary and timely provisions. However, it emphasizes the persisting issue of flawed application, especially concerning access to information of public interest. The study also illuminates the impact of the tense political, social, and economic contexts throughout 2023 on the media’s functionality.
The ISPM methodology evaluates seven indicators of media realities in Moldova, including the regulatory legal framework, political context, economic environment, professional environment, quality of journalism, information security from a media perspective, and journalists’ safety. This approach offers a comprehensive “X-ray” of the media, both as a whole and in individual aspects, identifying areas that require intervention to enhance conditions for the press to fulfill its commitments. The annual publication of this index allows for tracking progress or the lack thereof over time.