Journalists` Solidarity Center in Zaporizhzhia as platform for sharing journalists’ experiences

The new generation of Zaporizhzhia journalists is not waiting for better times but is creating their own media projects despite the war. This was discussed at the media forum Young Zaporizhzhia Journalism and the Challenges of Wartime, which was held at the local JSC.

“We are in demand and needed. Even in conditions of “You can work actively and creatively,” says Kateryna Rozhdestvenska, the founder of the online media outlet SODA. Her project became a platform for experiments with formats and the implementation of decision journalism. Together with Maksym Savchenko, who created the resource Reconstruction of Zaporizhzhia, they moderated a discussion about the challenges of wartime.

Despite the lack of state support, new media outlets are actively developing in the city – SODA, Restore Zaporizhzhia, 061, and Pershyi Zaporizkyi. Young editors discussed the peculiarities of covering the war, ensuring the quality of content with limited resources, and the safety of journalists.

“On our TV channel, almost the entire creative team is young. They are motivated and talented, but sometimes they take too many risks for the sake of good material,” says Yurii Yurchenko, the head of the MTM TV channel, which actively supports the JSC. “That’s why we created safe working conditions – we have protective equipment for working in front-line areas, reliable shelter, generators and all the necessary equipment.”

The experience of Zaporizhzhia media workers shows that not only do young journalists work successfully in extreme conditions, but they are also ready to share their experiences with beginners, creating a new generation of professionals.

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