Ukrainian media professionals share their experience in creating economically sustainable media

It is important for regional media to become economically sustainable. This topic was discussed during the webinar titled How To Strengthen Local Media’s Stability In War Conditions, which was held by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in cooperation with the Swiss non-profit organization, Fondation Hirondelle and the International Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI, Ukraine).

“According to all the studies conducted by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the main request today is for help for the economic stability of the media so that journalists have the opportunity to remain in the profession and continue their noble mission of informing Ukrainians, ensuring their access to verified, important news,” said Sergiy Tomilenko, the President of the NUJU, opening the webinar. “In the current time of war, the ability to access verified information is more important than ever.”

One of the webinar speakers/NUJU secretary/founder of the Universal Journalist School and the All-Ukrainian competition I Am A Journalist, Vitalii Holubev, is convinced that today, a direct duty of a journalist is to develop society’s media literacy.

“But, first of all, for this, we have to be resistant to fakes, hostile throw-ins, and other garbage, which we have in excess in the information space,” emphasized the media expert. “In my opinion, the stability of the media begins with the stability of the first person, namely, the editor, media owner, and publisher. If they have it [stability, firmness], they will be able to ‘broadcast’ it to employees and their audience.”

In general, the basis of media stability is human, material, technical, and financial resources and the ability for sustainable development.

Liudmyla Bosyk, the editor-in-chief of the Volodymyretskyi Visnyk newspaper, shared practical tips for survival and effective media functioning during the war.

She emphasized the need for psychological stability of the team, reasonable distribution of financial resources, availability of internet resources for the paper newspaper, the search for help from international financial donors, the expediency of providing related services (except for information) by the newsroom, etc.

“We must survive. We are at war both on the front and information lines. The main thing is to hold on, think and win,” the journalist emphasized.

The webinar was held by the NUJU with the support of the Swiss non-profit organization Fondation Hirondelle and the IRMI as part of the project titled Increasing Sustainability Of Ukrainian Media, financed by Swiss Solidarity.

NUJU Information Service