Moldova’s Media Crisis Deepens After U.S. Aid Cut in 2025
For years, Moldovan media operated under pressure from oligarchs who controlled TV stations and shaped political coverage. Some outlets turned to foreign donors for survival, with the U.S. providing nearly $200 million in 2024 alone—including $4.5 million specifically for media support. This funding helped expose Russian influence campaigns, such as Ziarul de Gardă’s 2025 investigation, which uncovered networks paying people to protest and vote against pro-European politicians. The report later won the European Press Prize.
Moldova has long been a key target for Russian disinformation, with the Pravda network spreading propaganda through dozens of outlets across the region. Despite these challenges, the country ranked 35th in the 2024 Press Freedom Index—a position that no longer reflects the current reality. The suspension of U.S. aid has left many newsrooms in dire straits, relying on small, infrequent grants while battling economic instability and labour shortages.
Outlets like Moldova.org, which depended on grants for 80 percent of its budget, have been forced to downsize. SP, a media company in northern Moldova, cut staff and abandoned its Romanian edition after losing U.S. funding. The rise of AI in journalism adds another layer of uncertainty, making it harder for traditional newsrooms to compete.
The collapse of U.S. funding has put Moldova’s independent media at risk, raising doubts about the long-term viability of donor-dependent journalism in fragile democracies. Potential support from the EU, UNESCO, or Western nations like Germany and the UK could help fill the gap. Without intervention, the country’s ability to counter disinformation and maintain press freedom remains uncertain.
