The IJC has released a new study on the media market in the Republic of Moldova. Realities and trends in 2025
Audiovisual media in the Republic of Moldova will continue to develop as long as it remains the most reliable source of information for citizens, but given that social networks have taken over as the main source of information for the public, television stations that manage to adapt more quickly to the new realities and do not ignore the new paradigm of journalism will remain on the market. This is one of the conclusions of the study “The media market in the Republic of Moldova: realities and trends in 2025,” launched by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) on Tuesday, July 22. The research is a comprehensive overview of the media situation in the Republic of Moldova, providing reference data on the audiovisual sector, print media, online media, and social networks.
The study shows that the audiovisual sector has undergone fundamental changes and has become healthier, including through the efforts of the Audiovisual Council to implement legal regulations. “The dismantling and elimination of politically affiliated media holdings as part of the process of ‘de-oligarchization of the country’ has boosted pluralism in the audiovisual sector, improved the legal regime for ownership, and provided real opportunities for fair competition in the field. However, these opportunities are often missed due to periodic attempts to revitalize old media holdings or create new ones. These attempts are felt more intensely around election time, and Moldova has held elections three years in a row,” according to the research.
The study highlights that most media service providers are facing tight budgets, citing the never-ending economic crisis. “At the same time, some of them complained about money shortages even when there were no crises, while others have grown and are still growing their businesses even during the crisis. Media service providers that are open to innovation and those that manage to widely use artificial intelligence tools to streamline difficult and costly activities will remain and grow,” the analysis shows.
Meanwhile, the print media segment continues to shrink as a result of the development of information technologies, which offer former subscribers other opportunities and shape new information consumption habits. Nevertheless, the print media still maintains its position in the Republic of Moldova and, at least in the short term, will maintain its presence, partly because in 2024 the state subsidized press distribution costs from the public budget for the first time.
On the other hand, online media is the only type of media that is not in danger of disappearing, but its biggest challenge—economic sustainability—will remain in the coming years. At the same time, online media will probably continue to develop, with a focus on niche content, although there is still room for news portals, including in rural areas.
The research also mentions that social networks are so popular that they have become the main source of information for most users. “They will clearly remain the preferred communication medium for most users. This is a warning sign for the press, but also a signal for action. For the media, it doesn’t matter if there are changes in the top social networks. What really matters is that the media picks up on any preferences of social network users early on and adapts to them in time,” the media market study also shows.
Because the transformations that media institutions are undergoing cannot be separated from the dynamics of the advertising market, which directly influences the economic sustainability of media institutions, the research devotes a separate chapter to this area.
Thus, in the coming years, the advertising market could be directly affected by the results of the 2025 parliamentary elections and whether or not politicians adopt a law on foreign agents in the media. Also, the effects of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) stopping funding are and will be felt throughout 2025, and it’s not clear what impact this will have on the advertising market. At the same time, a stable European path could boost the market and create new opportunities and players in each segment of the advertising market.
“Through this research, we set out to analyze the context in which the press operates in the Republic of Moldova in 2025, the realities it faces, and the trends emerging in the field. The IJC launched a similar study in early 2022, but in the meantime, the media landscape has changed significantly. Like other sectors, the press has been marked by two major crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Added to this is the constant pressure of election campaigns, given that there have been three consecutive years of elections, as well as the challenges and opportunities brought about by digital transformation,” explained Anastasia Nani, deputy director of the IJC.
In 2022, a similar study launched by the IJC was a novelty in the media research segment in the Republic of Moldova.
The research is part of the project “Media Literacy Advancement Media Literacy Advancement and Support to Moldovan Media,” supported by Sweden and implemented by Internews. The program aims to contribute to the growth of a diverse media sector.
Photo: IJC, images from the launch event, July 22, 2025, Chisinau
