Media of Transnistria

The mass media of Transnistria, the breakaway territory within the borders of Moldova, features both state-owned or supported outlets and opposition media. Publications are in Russian, with a single newspaper in each of the other two official languages, Moldovan (Romanian), and Ukrainian.

Media outlets

Print media

Transnistria has 14 newspapers, including several daily papers. Some print media does not have a large circulation, and only appears on a weekly or monthly basis. The oldest newspaper is the '' Dnestrovskaya Pravda'', founded in 1941 in Tiraspol.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development claims that the media climate in Transnistria is restrictive and that authorities of both banks of Dniester engage in efforts to silence their respective opposition.

In 2005, according to the U.S. Department of State, authorities harassed independent newspapers when they criticized the Transnistrian government. Most Moldovan newspapers did not circulate widely in Transnistria, although they were available in Tiraspol.

However, several opposition newspapers exist in Transnistria. They include Rîbnița-based ''Dobry Den'', ''Chelovek i ego prava'' (''Man and His Rights''), ''Novaya Gazeta'' from Bender, '' Russian Proriv!'', ''Profsoyuznye Vesti'' and ''Glas Naroda''.

The '' Tiraspol Times'' was an English-language website. Article from it were always featured in the official website Pridnestrovie.net.

Newspapers published by the government or in favour of the government include '' Trudovoi Tiraspol'', ''Pridnestrovye'', ''Novy Dnestrovskiy Kuryer'', ''Gomin'' (in Ukrainian), ''Adevărul Nistrean'' (in Moldovan, but written in the Cyrillic alphabet).

Radio broadcasting

A state owned radio station, "Radio PMR", broadcasts both via FM and on frequency 7290 kHz shortwave, 41 meter band, as well as via the Internet. Four privately owned commercial radio stations broadcast on FM from Transnistria. They are: "Inter FM", "Dynamite FM", "EnergyRadio.FM", "Frequence3". The owners of opposition newspaper "Novaia Gazeta" plan to establish an independent radio station.

Television broadcasting

There are four TV channels in Transnistria. Two of them are local (to Tiraspol and Tighina/Bender), while two of them cover all of Transnistria.

Television in Transnistria was for a long time dominated by the public service company TV PMR. In 1998, Transnistria's first commercial channel, TSV (''Television of Free Choice'') was started. Cable network operator "MultiTV" carries 24 television channels for its "premium" package and 5 channels for "social" package. Moldovan TV stations from outside Transnistria are not available through cable but can be seen via an aerial. However ProTV and NIT, two private channels based in Chişinău, was introduced to on most cable networks in Transnistria from September 2009 and 1 November 2007 respectively.

Telecommunications

Internet

Internet media is both stateowned and privately operated. In Russian, the websites includ
Dniester.Ru
(news agency),
Olvia Press
(official state news agency)
Tiraspol Info
(news aggregator)
Pridnestrovie.info
Many political organizations and government departments also have their own news services and online news pages, not listed here.

''dniester.ru'' has been blocked by Transnistrian authorities since November 8, 2012 according to the website.

In August 2014, Yevgeny Shevchuk issued a decree on combating extremism that empowered the Transnistrian KGB to request the prosecutor's office to block internet content. Authorities would take such a determination following a review by a panel appointed by the KGB.

Media freedom and pluralism

Transnistrian media environment is restrictive, and is dominated numerically by state-owned media (e.g. ''Pridnestrovie'' and ''Dnestrovskaya Pravda'', which are the region major newspapers), or by media controlled through public institutions, such as State Tele-radio Company and State Service media. They are subsidized, heavily politicized, and do not criticize the authorities.

Sheriff company dominates the private media market, including private broadcasting, cable television, and internet service. Sheriff represents a "so-called opposition" according to IPRE. According to an IREX report they serve the interest of the company.

There are some independent newspapers or magazines, with small circulation and little advertising, but they have been able to create a space of freedom of expression. They receive threats from the authorities, that sometimes even take direct control.

The government hinders critical media and journalists are intimidated. Since 2014 government agencies, private organizations, and citizens are required to report instances of "extremist" material online. Journalists expressing opinions different from those of the media owners are easily dismissed. Self-censorship is practised, with local press avoiding subjects questioning the Transnistrian goal of independence or criticizing the pro-Russian foreign policy.

Media of Moldova have little presence in Transnistria, being available mainly in Tiraspol. Moldovan channels are blocked. Moldovan journalists need accreditation to enter the country, and they are sometimes denied entrance or detained.

In 2015 activist and journalist Serghei Ilcenko was detained for four months. The Transnistrian KGB then warned other activists who were accused of having posted "extremist messages" on the internet and, in general, warned internet users to trust only official sources, and not to contest Transnistrian independence.

On September 1, 2014 Transnistrian “police” detained a television crew from Publika TV

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