Terms of Reference (ToR)

Qualitative Audience Research for the TV Program “Răspunzi și Câștigi”

Project Title: TRIMEDIA – Trustworthy Reporting, Impactful Media, Engaged Communities

Location: Republic of Moldova

Assignment Period: November 2025 – January 2026

Application Deadline: 2 November 2025

1. Background

DW Akademie, in partnership with Teleradio-Moldova (TRM), has produced a new season of the MIL-focused TV program “Răspunzi și Câștigi” (Answer and Win). The show blends entertainment and education to promote media and information literacy (MIL) among Moldovan audiences, especially seniors in rural and semi-rural communities.

To ensure the program resonates with its target audience, DW Akademie seeks a local expert or research team to conduct qualitative audience research. This research will inform content development, engagement strategies, and future outreach efforts.

2. Objectives

- Assess audience understanding, recall, and perception of the “Răspunzi și Câștigi” format and of the MIL messages conveyed through the TV quiz magazine.

- Identify viewer motivations, preferences, and barriers to engagement.

- Explore cultural relevance, accessibility, and emotional resonance of the show.

3. Scope of Work

The selected expert/team will:

- Design and conduct qualitative research (e.g., focus groups, in-depth interviews) with members of the primary and secondary target audiences.

- Analyze findings related to media habits, MIL understanding, and reactions to the show’s format.

- Collaborate with DW Akademie and TRM to align research with production needs.

- Deliver a final report with insights and recommendations.

Suggested areas of exploration: 

• Recall and recognition: What key messages participants remember from the episodes. 
• Interpretation: How they understand and relate these messages to their everyday media use. 
• Trust and credibility: Perceptions of the program, experts, and TRM as messengers. 
• Personal relevance and impact: Any influence on participants’ attitudes or behavior. 
• Engagement with the format: Reactions to the quiz and expert inserts as a way to communicate information. 
• Gaps and suggestions: What participants missed, didn’t fully understand, or would like to see added or improved in future episodes. 

4. Target Groups

- Primary Audience: Adults aged 45–65 and over 65 in rural and semi-rural Moldova.

- Secondary Audience: Younger viewers and families who co-watch with older relatives.

5. Deliverables

- Research design and methodology proposal.

- Transcripts or summaries of interviews/focus groups.

- Final analytical report (max. 20 pages incl. graphs) with findings and patterns, illustrative quotes and practical recommendations to strengthen the clarity and impact of MIL messages. 

- Presentation of findings to DW Akademie and TRM teams.

6. Required Qualifications

- Proven experience in qualitative research, preferably in media or education.

- Familiarity with Moldovan cultural and media landscape.

- Fluency in Romanian; Russian is an asset.

- Ability to synthesize findings into clear, actionable insights.

7. Submission of Offer

Interested candidates should submit the offers to Ms. Cristina Leva (email: cristina.leva@dw.com) by the deadline of 2 November, including:

- A short CV or bio highlighting relevant experience.

- A budget proposal, with a breakdown by the number of workdays, daily fee, description of tasks. Please note that the budget costs should be VAT exempted – all necessary information for tax purposes will be supplied by DW Akademie.

- A brief proposal outlining the research approach.