GRT is the leading television news source in Gagauzia, according to a Promo-LEX election observation report
Mihaela Ciobanu
The regional public broadcaster Gagauziya Radio Televizionu (GRT) is most frequently cited by residents of the Gagauz autonomous region as their first choice for television news and information, according to a survey referenced in the first report of the Promo-LEX Election Observation Mission for the regional elections scheduled for November 15, 2026. The report, published on Thursday, October 15, also highlights the repeated sanctions imposed on the regional public broadcaster by the Broadcasting Council (BC), including for violations identified during the 2025 parliamentary election campaign.
According to the report, political information consumption in Gagauzia differs from patterns observed at the national level. Data from the Promo-LEX survey show that the main platforms used by residents of the autonomous region to obtain political information are TikTok (61.4%), YouTube (59.2%), Facebook (58.4%), Instagram (57.4%), and Telegram (50.2%). By comparison, at the national level, Facebook is used by 80.1% of respondents, while TikTok is used by 51.3%.
When it comes to television, respondents in the region most frequently identify the regional public broadcaster GRT as their first choice. Other audiovisual media service providers mentioned include Russia’s 1TV, ATV, and Moldova 1.
GRT, an institution established and funded by the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, has repeatedly been sanctioned by the Broadcasting Council in recent years, according to the Promo-LEX report.
During the 2025 parliamentary election campaign, the regulatory authority identified violations of the principles of fairness, balance, and impartiality, as well as the broadcasting of messages that could constitute disinformation and messages of a discriminatory nature. For these violations, the BC issued a public warning and imposed fines on the broadcaster.
At the same time, Promo-LEX notes that the regional media landscape also includes independent media platforms that have developed in recent years and diversified the local media offering. These include Nokta, GagauzMedia, LAF, and NTS.
The findings are included in the first report of the Promo-LEX Election Observation Mission for the regional elections, covering the period from July 3 to October 13, 2026. Elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia and for the position of bashkan of Gagauzia are scheduled for November 15, 2026.
Media Azi has previously reported on the draft amendments to the Audiovisual Media Services Code, which were adopted by Parliament in the second reading on October 8. For the first time, the amendments establish a legal framework governing the structure and operation of the regional public broadcaster GRT. The provisions include rules concerning the appointment of the institution’s director, the responsibilities of the management committee, and the composition and role of the Regional Supervisory Council.
Media Azi has also reported extensively on the regional public broadcaster’s breaches of ethical and professional standards, including the Press Council’s decision in October 2025 to remove GRT from the Register of Signatories to the Code of Ethics for Journalists of the Republic of Moldova.
READ ALSO:
AC to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia: GRT should not be used to promote political interests
