THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
As part of the working trip, the team of the Dnipropetrovsk regional organization of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and the Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the NUJU visited Kryvyi Rih.
Meetings were held with the active members of the city’s journalistic center, with Kryvyi Rih media professionals. They also handed over humanitarian aid to the Union members. They visited the local Rudana television and radio company and the places that were hit by missile attacks.
What and how the Union and its regional branch live today, the peculiarities of the work of Kryvyi Rih media workers in war conditions, modern realities, risks and dangers, as well as journalistic solidarity and support were discussed during the meeting.
“We have been living and working in war conditions for the third year already. Despite the difficulties, the challenges of today, and limited human and financial resources, we continue to hold the information front, supporting the Ukrainian army and helping each other. Journalists Are Important! a slogan of the NUJU – is and remains relevant. Therefore, the priority of our organization’s work is solidarity with colleagues – with those who are in trouble and need help, who are in russian captivity, who remained in the occupation, who work in dangerous conditions,” stressed the Board Chairperson of the Dnipropetrovsk regional organization of the NUJU, Oleksii Kovalchuk.
The NUJU tries to cover the most urgent needs of journalists in wartime, involving partners, including international ones.
“Last year, precisely for the 30th anniversary of Rudana, we received a new modern Canon camera from the Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, for which we are very grateful. This is essential technical support for our channel. And from the Ukrainian Federation of Food Banks, with the assistance of the NUJU, we are giving humanitarian food kits to Kryvyi Rih residents for the second time,” noted the head of the Kryvyi Rih regional organization of the NUJU, deputy general director of the Rudana TV and radio company, Oleksandr Temchur.
Also, thanks to the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO, the NUJU received emergency financial assistance from Kryvyi Rih mediawomen Svitlana Romanenko and Olena Smolina. As a result of enemy rocket fire last summer, the journalists’ residences were damaged.
Although Kryvyi Rih is located several tens of kilometers from the front line, the city and the region are under constant shelling; such are the realities. And journalists live and work in such high-risk conditions. The active part of the Kryvyi Rih JSC keeps its finger on the pulse – it always promptly informs about the situation, and the Dnipro JSC of the NUJU takes care of providing assistance to colleagues.
The members of the Kryvyi Rih community were always active and caring. At one time, the regional organization of the NUJU was recognized as the best among the firsts. Of course, the war made certain adjustments in the life of the journalistic center, and the format of some events changed. However, even now, Kryvyi Rih journalists present books, hold photo exhibitions, organize interesting excursions for colleagues, honor veterans of journalism, and initiate the renaming of streets and parks in honor of colleagues. And also – they actively volunteer to help the Ukrainian army in every possible way, their colleagues who protect Ukraine from the enemy in the ranks of the Armed Forces.
Colleagues also discussed the sustainability of local media during the meeting. For most, the beginning of the full-scale war became a real test in material and financial terms. The difficult economic situation is a serious threat to all regional media. And for printed publications, there is also the poor-quality work of Ukrposhta in delivering the press. The postal reform, the closing of post offices, the reduction of the number of mail carriers – all this led to a significant decrease in newspaper circulation because people refuse to pay in advance for the press, which Ukrposhta simply does not deliver to them. Kryvyi Rih newspapermen also complained about this, as evidenced by the conclusions of the study of the state of postal delivery of newspapers conducted by the NUJU.
Grant support is one of the essential opportunities for improving the economic stability and development of the media today.
“We inform colleagues about current grant proposals for journalists and the media. We conduct training events for media professionals – how to write applications and where to look for donors. We organize online or live meetings with those who have successful project implementation experience and are ready to share knowledge. Many of those who previously did not attract grant funds are now cooperating with donors, noted Nataliya Nazarova, the coordinator of the Dnipro JSC of the NUJU, and invited her colleagues to use the information resources of the Union community – the website of the NUJU and the regional organization of the NUJU, the Telegram channel, the Facebook page, and follow the announcements and join the events.
Regarding the media of Kryvyi Rih – according to Oleksandr Temchur, despite the fact that the city was almost near the front in 2022, none of the large newsrooms and television companies have shut down. After a short and forced pause, the newspapers Puls, Chervonyi Hirnyk, and Domashnia Hazeta resumed publishing. Corporate editions of metallurgical plants have switched from print to electronic format. That is, Kryvyi Rih journalists continue to work, inform the local audience, and cover the life of the community.
“Indeed, there are many problems and challenges. However, it is important to preserve its main role in society – informational,” noted Oleksii Kovalchuk. “We combine all efforts in order to overcome difficulties together, to be more stable, and for our journalists to remain in the profession!”
Call the Dnipro JSC at 050 919 8479 (Nataliya Nazarova, the Dnipro JSC coordinator). The Center’s address is 8 Starokozatska Street.
ABOUT JSC
The Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the NUJU implemented with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO. The initiative is designated to help media representatives working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers operate in Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro and provide journalists with organizational, technical, legal, psychological, and other types of assistance.
ABOUT UNESCO
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding. It is the coordinator of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which aims to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, thus strengthening peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide. UNESCO is working closely with its partner organizations in Ukraine to provide support to journalists on the ground.
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this digest do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this digest and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit to the organization.
Dnipro JSC
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