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Back Ten National Regulatory Authorities discussed in Chisinau key issues pertaining to media pluralism and efficient regulation

Olesea MOGHILDA

Modified 3 Months ago.

Representatives of ten audiovisual national regulatory authorities have gathered, on 4th and 5th of September, in the Republic of Moldova, to discuss a series of key issues relevant to media freedom and pluralism. The workshop took place in the framework of a Regional Peer Support Workshop on Aligning regulatory practices for a robust media ecosystem, organised by the Council of Europe Project Support for Media Pluralism and Freedom of Expression in the Republic of Moldova, in cooperation with the Moldovan Audiovisual Council.

Participants of the Regional Peer Support Workshop on Aligning regulatory practices for a robust media ecosystem, a group photo

The participants - from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Northern Macedonia, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom - spoke at length and shared their experiences from a regulatory standpoint on combating disinformation, media literacy, transparency of media ownership, adjusting national legislation to the EU legal framework, regulating content created by bloggers and influencers, and artificial intelligence.

„During these two days, the topics discussed provided a plethora of experiences and insights into the challenges we face in aligning regulatory audiovisual practices. The balance between regulation and freedom of expression is delicate. Overregulation can stifle free expression, while under-regulation can lead to the unchecked spread of harmful content and hinder media pluralism. Striking the right balance is key to ensuring that the media can fulfil its role in society without compromising on ethical standards,” said Alina Tatarenko, Head of the Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression, Council of Europe.

„This event, as well as all the interventions carried out by the Council of Europe to support the media field and the Audiovisual Council in particular, are significant. The Russian full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has brought challenges and significant shifts for Moldova. The Moldovan government has taken steps to counter disinformation and is working to increase media literacy among the population. The government has also sought support from the Council of Europe to strengthen its capacity to identify and counter disinformation, and I am happy that we have been a steadfast partner in this respect”, said Falk Lange, Head of Council of Europe Office in Chisinau.

The workshop organised by the Council of Europe is the culmination of a two-years’ activity carried out to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Audiovisual Council of Moldova through the Peer-Review Activity, which has been accomplished with the support of the UK Regulatory Body, Office of Communications (Ofcom).