Document:TV8 Moldova list of activities
| upgrade requirements and price for Moldovan NGO channel |
funding requirements for NGO TV Channel by Integrity Initiative dated 26 December 2018Subjects: Moldova, TV, NGO, funding
Example of: Integrity Initiative/Leak/4
Source: Anonymous (Link)
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TV8 channel - Moldova requests support for increasing its online presence, enhancing its
crowdfunding effort, expanding Russian speaking audience and for its digital broadcasting
TV8 channel - Moldova requests support for increasing its online presence, enhancing its crowdfunding effort, expanding Russian speaking audience and for its digital broadcasting
(page 1)
(November 2018 – March 2019)
1. In order to increase its online presence, TV8 needs to comply with the new algorithms introduced by social media giants, and namely to boost posts and sponsored contents. For this, TV would need an amount of at least 400 euros per month. Total: 2000 euros.
2. At the end of July 2018, TV8 launched a crowd-funding campaign on PayPal and Patreon. Still, resources are needed for a dedicated person to manage the process and ensure transparency of funding collected and allocations, including timing reporting to audiences. A salary of 600 euros per month would allow us to enhance the effort. Our goal for the initial stage is to attract monthly up to 3000 euro from on Patreon, in order to achieve a higher trust and loyalty of our audience. Total: 3000 euros.
3. To expand Russian audience, TV8 is seeking partnerships for content-sharing, and stands ready to serve as a platform for factual contents produced by media groups in the region. Costs covering translation and subtitling will need to be covered – an average of 400 euro per month. Total: 2000 euros.
4. TV8 is the last station in Moldova still on analogue broadcasting instead of High Definition (HD) standard. A big part of the equipment, which is rented at present, is obsolete (from 2006) and not suitable for HD broadcast. As a consequence, the quality of video images is not competitive, as compared to other channels. TV8 would be mostly grateful for support of modernization efforts, in order to make the production cycle more efficient and cost effective, improve the quality of programs and attract, as a result, new and bigger audiences. For this, financial resources that will allow the purchase of storage software/equipment are kindly requested. Total: 9270 euros.
Please, see file attached for a justification description of the equipment. By supporting the above described activities as of November 2018, ahead of parliamentary elections in February and local general elections later in 2019, TV8 will strengthen its role as a significant platform of independent voices in Moldova.
Background
TV8 Moldova belongs to the “Media Alternativa” NGO that holds channel’s broadcasting license until March 2024. A group of independent journalists and activists with the mission for impartial factbased content registered the NGO1.
TV8 brings together professionals well respected in the media industry for their journalistic integrity and devotion to the job, representing one of the few remaining non-affiliated voices in Moldova’s media field. At present, TV8 serves as a platform for fifteen representatives of media and civil society and is in the top of outlets with a balanced coverage of events, as assessed by the regulator – Broadcasting Coordination Council[1] – and by the Independent Journalism Centre[2].
The channel is the only TV media outlet in Moldova which is a non-profit organisation, governed by an independent body of observers2. TV8 is supported by international and diplomatic missions, which is a hallmark to institution’s credibility and professionalism.
Footnote 1: The NGO was founded on 13 March 2017 by Igor Boțan, executive director of Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, Mariana Rata, head of TV8 newsroom, Cristina Gutu, former general producer, Veaceslav Negruta, expert at Transparency International Moldova, Ion Terguta, former journalist, deputy-chairman of Liberal-Democratic Party, and Natalia Morari, host of the most popular talk-show “Politica”.
Footnote 2: Cornelia Cozonac, Centre of Investigative Journalism, Ion Bunduchi, Association of Electronic Media APEL, Arcadie Barbarosie, Institute of Public Policies, and Ludmila Andronic, National Press Council.
(page 2)
Still, since its existence TV8 was subject to a number of pressures from the authorities related to channels’ independent/critical editorial stance. The main attack occurred at the end of 2017 in the form of heavy concentration by two ruling parties of media outlets and advertising/sales market, the main consequence being that no advertising was allocated to non-affiliated independent media. Other examples include almost six months of blocking the transfer of TV8’s current license to “Media Alternativa” NGO by the Broadcasting Coordination Council (request submitted in August 2017 was resolved only in January 2018) and a unilateral increase of office rent by Government with 35 percent at the beginning of the year.
Despite all the pressure and attacks that it was subject to, TV8 took a number of actions to develop as
a multimedia cost-efficient operation. With support of a number of diplomatic missions, is now in the
process of acquiring a new production software, lights for a new studio and a graphic design station,
as well as mobile journalism sets. More is needed to complete the transition from analogue to digital;
immediate and urgent needs are: studio and outdoor cameras, live production switcher and live video
streamers, broadcast server, lights and microphones as well as network storage system and a set
designed to switch multiple serial digital video signals with embedded audio, as detailed in annexed
list.
