GRT Was Rebroadcasting Programs by Primul in Moldova Deprived of Its License. Reaction of the Public Company’s Administration
Gagauziya Radio Televizionu (GRT) Public Company aired newscasts and analytical shows by Primul in Moldova, the channel previously suspended during the state of emergency and deprived of its broadcasting license. This fact was revealed by the Nokta.md portal journalists. The two channels’ representatives reject this information. In the meantime, the Broadcasting Council ordered to conduct a control regarding this case.
Nokta.md journalists wrote about program “migration” from Primul in Moldova to GRT after they noticed that several newscasts and programs produced by the private channel were aired with the logo of the public broadcaster from Gagauzia. In December 2022, Primul in Moldova and Accent TV, both of which were owned by the Telesistem TV Company, were suspended during the state of emergency “for protecting the national information space and preventing the risk of disinformation by spreading fake information or attempts to manipulate public opinion,” and their affiliation with Ilan Sor served as a motivation for this decision. The Telesistem TV company is managed by Arina Corsicova, who, according to the press, allegedly was connected with Ilan Sor.
Last year, in October, the Broadcasting Council (BC) decided not to prolong the broadcasting license for Primul in Moldova, after several violations, including those of the channel’s own program concepts. The authority specified that, according to a monitoring conducted in September, the channel’s main newscasts and shows could be found in the grid of the ITV channel at that time.
REACTION FROM GRT AND PRIMUL IN MOLDOVA
“In its activity, GRT is guided by the legislation and regulations drafted by the central authorities,” Vasile Dermenji, the company’s executive director, told Media Azi, referring to the official statement published on January 15. According to it, “all the TV content produced and aired by GRT is created by the newsroom independently or in partnership with other independent journalists, pursuant to the legislation. This practice has been implemented by the TV channel for many years for providing high-quality diversified content in the official language, the Gagauz language, and the Russian language, according to the legal requirements.” Still, it remains unclear pursuant to which provisions GRT airs programs by Primul in Moldova and whether it purchases them for a fee.
On the other hand, journalist Ludmila Belcencova who works for Primul in Moldova and Accent TV describes the information in the press as “nonsense.” “Formulating such unprofessional headlines requires special skills. First of all, nobody has moved anywhere. Second, those few persons who produce content for our Gagauz colleagues are just a drop in the ocean of the staff realities at that channel,” she mentions in a post on her Facebook page.
Meanwhile, on December 21, 2023, the BC decided to issue an order for monitoring TV Gagauzia’s compliance with the General Concept of the audiovisual media service according to the application filed by its member Ruslan Mihalevschi. “Publications in the public space and in the press regarding the changes in the grid of some TV media services operating on the audiovisual media market have appeared. I would like to suggest initiating a control for compliance with the general concept,” Mihalevschi declared at the authority’s meeting. The control is currently being conducted, and Liliana Vitu, BC President, has specified for Media Azi she cannot express any opinions on the subject until the checkup is completed.
