Media Outlets Unite to Combat Disinformation

In Moldova’s Media Landscape, a Battle Between Russian Influence and European Aspirations

Media outlets across the Republic of Moldova are navigating a precarious path between competing geopolitical forces, with Russian influence on one side and pro-European sentiments on the other. This tension shapes the daily reality for journalists working throughout the small Eastern European nation.

“We are already in a war. A war of information,” explains Mihail Sirkeli, director of Nokta.md, a media platform operating in the southern region of Gagausia. His assessment reflects the challenges facing independent journalism in a country directly bordering Ukraine, where Russia’s ongoing military aggression has heightened regional tensions.

Not all media professionals share the same outlook, however. Renata Lupăcescu, editor-in-chief at Studio L in Moldova’s southeast, maintains a more optimistic perspective: “Right now, under a pro-European government, we are moving in a good direction. We are staying positive.”

The contrast in these viewpoints illustrates the complex media environment in Moldova, where outlets must contend with disinformation campaigns, financial instability, and sometimes direct threats against journalists. Despite these obstacles, press freedom has shown improvement in recent years, particularly for smaller, community-focused media organizations.

To bolster independent media, Deutsche Welle Akademie has partnered with the Association for Independent Press (API) to launch the TRIMEDIA project. This initiative provides grants to five media houses, each receiving €30,000 to produce quality content on underreported topics of public interest. The selected media focus on social cohesion, human and minority rights, and anti-corruption efforts.

“The media that we selected for this program are all very different. Some of them are the only media in their region, some are facing strong local competition. Others have to deal with a great diversity of languages or are regularly fighting disinformation campaigns. But they all have the aim to build up democracy and strengthen social coherence,” says Cristina Bobîrcă, head of training and organizational development at API.

Studio L, one of the program participants, operates just 60 kilometers from Ukraine and in close proximity to Transnistria, a predominantly Russian-speaking breakaway region. This geographic positioning places Studio L at the frontlines of information warfare. In response, the station launched a campaign to combat disinformation in 2022, organizing monthly expert discussions about resilience strategies.

“There are several villages which are so close that they can easily catch Russian channels from Transnistria. People are exposed to a lot of their content,” Lupăcescu notes. Her team uses social media to help audiences identify misinformation, particularly during electoral campaigns.

Like many independent media outlets in Moldova, Studio L struggles with financial sustainability. “Our greatest challenge is to get more people into our newsroom, to develop ourselves and to grow,” says Lupăcescu. The organization relies heavily on European grants and projects, as the local advertising market is insufficient to sustain their operations.

Nokta.md faces similar challenges. The platform, which produces content in Russian and reaches an audience of 1.2 million through their website, relies on international donors for 90 percent of its funding. “It’s a human resource problem but also a financial one. Right now, there is a great dependence on foreign donors and we cannot ensure sustainability from any other sources of income,” explains Sirkeli.

For Nokta, the response to Russian disinformation is straightforward: “Our way to react is to portray things as they are, to tell the truth. We believe in positive change through storytelling.” What distinguishes Nokta is its explicit pro-European stance. “People here know and trust us,” says Sirkeli. “In our media, we are quite clear about our political position. That makes us special and defines our audience.”

Nordinfo, another TRIMEDIA participant operating in northern Moldova, produces content primarily in Romanian but is expanding its Russian-language offerings to reach neighboring regions. The outlet faces direct challenges from authorities when pursuing investigative reporting. “Sometimes responses take very long or we even face direct threats or attacks from local authorities,” says journalist Natalia Burduja. “One journalist was even kicked out of a mayor’s office when asking investigative questions.”

Despite these obstacles, Moldova’s independent media continue their critical work, developing strategies to counter disinformation and build audience trust. Their persistence reflects a deeper commitment to democratic values at a time when the country finds itself at a geopolitical crossroads between East and West.