The mix of facts and opinions, the most common manipulation technique used by the media
According to the most recent monitoring report made by the Independent Journalism Center of the Republic of Moldova, the mix of facts and opinions is the most frequent irregularity admitted by the media institutions.
The report includes five case studies that show how the monitored media institutions have reflected topical issues, such as raising taxes for the HoReCa sector, reforming justice, Igor Dodon’s visits to Moscow and Brussels, lifting parliamentary immunity, detentions of deputies Tauber and Apostolova, 100 days of activity of the Sandu Government.
According to the report, the most used manipulation techniques admitted by the media institutions, were the internal enemy, as well as that of selective information. The cases of generalizations also intensified, and the tendentious and ironic titles are most common irregularities, for several media institutions. At the same time, even if the labels and the negative image transfer have disappeared, the cases of forgeries and, more and more frequently, those of referring to sources impossible to verify have returned.
In this regard, the CJI urges the publishers of the TV stations to supervise the editorial content so that it corresponds to the press mission to inform the public correctly, disseminating neutral, equidistant and truthful information, while respecting the balance of sources.
We mention that, between July 1 – September 29, 2019, 12 media institutions in the country were monitored: three online portals (Sputnik.md, Kp.md, Unimedia.info) and nine TV stations (TV Moldova 1, Prime TV, Canal 3, Accent TV, NTV Moldova, Central Television (Orhei), Jurnal TV, TV8, PRO TV Chisinau). They were selected on the basis of the audience, language and national coverage criteria
