Support for relocated media: what actions should be taken today?

According to a study by the Institute of Mass Information, more than half of the regional media have lost 50% or more of their funding. Many media outlets are on the verge of closure, threatening Ukraine’s ability to maintain communication with its citizens in the temporarily occupied territories and abroad. However, it is crucial to take all necessary steps to ensure that these media outlets continue to operate, as they will also play a vital role in the future reintegration of the occupied territories.

This issue was discussed at the Media Center Ukraine.

According to Svitlana Ostapa, chair of the Supervisory Board of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine and deputy editor-in-chief of Detector Media, as of January this year, more than 90% of the resettled media have survived thanks to donor support. However, the suspension of a significant portion of American donor funding has drastically changed the situation.

“Before, even in January, more than 90% of the relocated media were surviving solely on donor support. They did not ask for government support, and there were two main reasons for this – some believed that funds should be spent primarily on the army and defense, while others felt that they would remain more independent if they did not receive government funding. But with the suspension of most American donor aid, these media are now on the brink of survival. At this point, the state must step in,” she stressed.

Svitlana Ostapa highlighted several possible measures that could be taken to support the relocated media.

“One approach that the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications is currently considering is to allocate funds in the state budget for a support program for local media. However, so far I have only heard about plans to support regional media operating in frontline areas. I believe that relocated media should also be included in this list,” she said.

At the same time, Svitlana Ostapa stressed the importance of involving European donors to help stabilize the financial situation of relocated media.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news