The Republic of Moldova’s first news channel, Jurnal TV, launched in the Romanian language.
At 9 pm, the channel gather in its "Shadow Cabinet" program all the three ex-presidents of Moldova – Mircea Snegur, Petru Lucinschi and Vladimir Voronin, and acting president, Mihai Ghimpu. They will discuss the changes that have taken place in Moldova since the independence declaration.
The round-the-clock channel has a staff of 50 reporters, 35 cameramen, 100 technicians and about 20 editors, and will be live-casting news from Moldova and the world hourly, and in-between – analytical surveys of developments taking place at home and abroad.
On the eve of the work start, Jurnal TV was visited by Acting President Mihai Ghimpu and Prime Minister Vlad Filat, who were pleasantly surprised with the splendid office, and voiced envy for the excellent conditions the channel staff is going to work in. Filat remarked, the example of Jurnal TV and personally Jurnal Trust Media president Val Butnaru are proving that in Moldova, too, any project, even a most grandioso one, can be realized if its authors are talented enthusiasts and big optimists.
The Premier promised he would be coming to the channel "as many times as you will invite".
About 2 months ago, Editor-in-Chief of the Panorama newspaper Dmitry Chubashenko stated at the presentation of a new Russian-language publication of his, Panorama, that upon the coming of liberal-democratic forces into power in Moldova, the republic will come to have new mass media outlets and new political parties, "for these will now be in a much greater demand by the Moldovan society… Now that the Communist Party has gone from power after 8 years of ruling, a normal life is beginning in our republic".
The online Jurnal TV channel was founded de jure in 2009. Its head is Val Butnaru, the Jurnal Trust Media president. The Trust comprises also newspapers ECOnomist, Apropo Magazin, Jurnal de Chişinău, and radio station Jurnal FM. Besides the central office in Chisinau, the channel is working to open representations in Balti (northern Moldova) and Cahul (southern Moldova). Employing currently a creative staff of some 150 persons, the channel is broadcasting via the Eutelsat satellite.
The company administration says the project is financed by a group of German investors. Jurnal TV rents 957 square meters of space in the city’s expensive-most Skytower International Business Center situated in the heart of Chisinau.
Due to the lack of transparency here, the real owner of Jurnal TV is unknown to the Moldovan society. Independent experts are saying the channel project should cost 3-5 million euros. According to unofficial information, large businesses, pursuing certain political goals in Moldova, may have a relation to establishing the channel. In particular, experts are mentioning the names of Vladimir Plahotniuc and Ion Sturza, whose personal assets are said to reach US$150-200 million, according to various estimates. According to other information, Romanian businesses have direct relation to the channel.
