Television
There are 57 television broadcasters in the Audiovisual Council's Register of Television Media Service Providers. Only 41 are currently active, including regional and thematic channels (music, children's programming). Between 2022-2024, several channels had their broadcasting licenses suspended by the Commission for Exceptional Situations or the Council for Promotion of Investment Projects of National Importance.
In addition to the private TV stations, there is also a public (state-owned) broadcaster in Moldova - Teleradio Moldova (TRM), which owns the TV stations Moldova 1 and Moldova 2. Romanian Television Company (SRTv) - the Romanian public television institution owns the Moldovan subsidiary of TVR, TVR Moldova.
Until 2022, Moldova's broadcasting landscape was dominated by Russian TV stations with local offices and media holdings affiliated with politicians and political parties. Notable among these were three major groups:
The TV group was linked to oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, ex-president of the former ruling Democratic Party in power from 2009 to 2019. Plahotniuc left Moldova in June 2019 after losing power. Another media holding company was affiliated to the Party of Socialists of former pro-Russian President of Moldova, Igor Dodon. XXX a media conglomerate was established by oligarch Ilan Shor, who controls several political parties in Moldova and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2023, but did not serve his sentence, having left the country in 2019. He is currently based in Moscow, from where he continues to influence the political processes in Moldova through pro-Russian politicians and political parties. Both Plahotniuc and Shor are under Western sanctions, and their TV stations' licenses have been suspended or cancelled.
According to first-half 2024 data, Moldova's most-watched channels were Cinema 1, Mega-CTC (license suspended), Pro TV, Jurnal TV, Canal 5 (license suspended), TV 8, Moldova 1, One TV, Star TV, N4, Exclusiv TV, 7 TV, Moldova 2, RLive TV, and Global 24.
The August 2023 Public Opinion Barometer showed that 56.5% of respondents watch TV daily, 11.5% several times weekly, and 4.7% several times monthly. Television remains an important information source for 30.1% of respondents, with 20.3% considering it their most trusted source.
Viewers can access TV channels through service distributors (major operators including Moldtelecom, Starnet, Orange), Multiplex A (allowing free antenna reception of certain channels), and some channels' websites (such as Jurnal TV and Moldova 1).
