“The publication whose printing is principled!” Wartime survival of one of the most popular Ukrainian newspapers

Chernihiv newspaper Visnyk Ch can hardly be called an ordinary regional printed publication. Before the war, with a circulation of 34,500 copies, it was one of the five most widely circulated newspapers in Ukraine. Now, with a circulation of 28,000, it may take first or second place in this rating.

According to the President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine Sergiy Tomilenko, Visnyk Ch is a very special phenomenon in Ukrainian journalism.

– This is an example of dedication to readers, audience, media business, – says the leader of the Union. – An example of what, unfortunately, is not even in many capital editions. Visnyk Ch is a truly independent newspaper, which, thanks to the skill of the team and the editor-in-chief, has remained successful and profitable for decades.

Visnyk Ch’s «success secret» is simple: if you want to have a circulation, you are to write for a mass readership. The editor-in-chief of Visnyk Ch Sergiy Narodenko says that the publication, preparing its materials, counts on an ordinary family, and every journalist, writing an article on any topic, should keep this readers’ image in front of their eyes.

– Why are many newspaper projects unsuccessful? Because their newsrooms consider themselves «too smart» and write about it. However, the reader has read it and says: «Well, boys and girls, I don’t even know such words, and I don’t know what you’re telling me about and why I need it…» That’s why the content should be aimed specifically at the mass reader, the editor is convinced.

Visnyk Ch is a social and political news weekly. Contrary to the popular opinion that a modern newspaper is clearly inferior to the Internet in providing news, and therefore should focus on something else, Visnyk Ch is primarily a newspaper of news, mainly from the Chernihiv region. In addition, an important place in the publication is occupied by interesting stories – micro-essays about human destinies, as a rule, with a happy end.

According to Sergiy Narodenko, Visnyk Ch is a «fundamentally printed» publication that has no counterpart on the Internet.

– Researches prove that online readers and print readers are completely different people. Yes, as if some are from Mars, and others are from Venus, says the editor. – If the materials of Visnyk Ch were posted on the Internet, they would not be of interest to anyone.

…Until 2004, «Chernihivskyi Visnyk» was published as a newspaper of the regional administration. Therefore, Sergiy Narodenko, having a legal education, long before the mass denationalization of Ukrainian editions found a simple and effective mechanism for exiting the publication from abidance of the Regional State Administration. Therefore, it was done: the communal «Chernihivskyi Visnyk» became the independent Visnyk Ch, and its circulation increased significantly.

Since then, the publication has not set itself the goal of either making money from the regional budget, or constantly being in the opposition.

– Visnyk Ch publication, which is truly independent, constantly tries to adhere to journalistic standards, unlike some electronic media and TV channels that belong to local oligarchic groups, – Andriy Podorvan, adviser to the head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration, said in a comment to the NUJU. – I am an employee of the state authority, and Visnyk Ch often criticizes the authority, but I must admit that this publication provides fully balanced information.

After denationalization, many regional and local publications complain about the lack of funding, inattention on the part of the authorities, and the unfriendly policy of «Ukrposhta» (the national postal operator – Editor). On the other hand, at Visnyk Ch, they consider their publication primarily a business, and therefore rely only on themselves.

– Visnyk Ch publication has always focused on constructive work, Olena Doroshenko, head of the Chernihiv regional directorate of Ukrposhta, is convinced. – Since I came to my current position in 2017, our relationship with the editors has been built exclusively on a constructive basis. If there are problematic issues, we analyze and eliminate them together.

… After the start of the war, the road to Kyiv, where Visnyk Ch used to be printed, was cut off almost immediately. Some districts of the Chernihiv region were occupied. The post office stopped delivering newspapers to subscribers. Part of the editorial team left the semi-surrounded city, part hid from the bombings in basements. Therefore, the publication of the newspaper had to be suspended.

– Of course, it was impossible to work in those conditions, – says Sergiy Narodenko. – Let me tell you about myself: one night in March (2022 – Editor), my father-in-law and I woke up from a terrible explosion. We immediately hid in the semi-basement of our house. Explosion after explosion began, the house shook. It lasted ten minutes. When it got quiet, we climbed up. Darkness. I lay down, covered myself more warmly and fell asleep again. Went outside in the morning. DAMN! 5 windows were broken in the house; everything was covered with garbage and sand. Eight shrapnel holes appeared in the car…

Fortunately, the editorial office, located in the historical center of Chernihiv, was not damaged, although the hotel «Ukraine», which stood nearby, turned into ruins. In order to maintain the team, the editorial office financially supported its employees from those reserves that had been accum

ulated earlier, as well as at the expense of grant funds, including from the NUJU. On May 12, 2022, Visnyk Ch began to be published again.

Unfortunately, compared to pre-war times, advertising revenues have shrunk by almost half: many businesses have stopped, entrepreneurs have gone abroad or gone to war, and those who remain often do not have the funds to promote their goods and services. However, there is still advertising: it appeared already in the first issue after the occupation.

– For the Chernihiv region, the resumption of publication of this newspaper is of great importance, – says Andriy Podorvan, adviser to the head of the regional administration. – The edition has many subscribers in the districts, including those bordering neighboring enemy states. Russian television and radio signals are well received in many communities. That is why it is important to us that the Ukrainian printed word is present in these communities also thanks to Visnyk Ch.

Sergiy Narodenko says that now, despite all the difficulties, the newspaper is published in its usual mode:

– Every Thursday, 28,000 copies, that is, about a ton of paper, go to their readers. I am sure: printed publications will be read for many more years, if you work on quality content!

The editor-in-chief expresses his gratitude to the NUJU and international benefactors who contributed to the stable work of the media.

– First of all, I am grateful for the support of the Swiss non-profit organization Foundation Hirondelle and the International Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI), – says Sergiy Narodenko. – Their help made it possible to ensure uninterrupted publication of the newspaper in the conditions of rising prices of paper and printing services. If we covered all these costs only at our own expense during the war, we would have to reduce the salaries of employees, and qualified journalists. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for any support.

This story about the media was created by the NUJU in the frame of the project «Improving Ukrainian Media Resilience in Ukraine», financed by Swiss Solidarity and implemented with the support of the Swiss non-profit organization Fondation Hirondelle and the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI, Ukraine). Fondation Hirondelle and IRMI implement a project of institutional support for Ukrainian media editorial offices in the east, north and south of our country, with an emphasis on the local press. They also launched a 10-month support program for 18 media.