“The Union of Journalists suggests the State create a Ukrainian Media Support Fund,” Sergiy Tomilenko on meeting with Culture Minister Rostyslav Karandieiev

Journalists count on the implementation of the government’s policy of support for Ukrainian regional and local media. The media in the front-line areas need special attention.

The war destroys the economic fundamentals of media stability, but Ukrainians’ access to verified information, local and national news, to independent journalism is a component of information security.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) is in constant contact with hundreds of media outlets and thousands of journalists. It suggests that the State create a Ukrainian Media Support Fund (following the example of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund). At the same time, pilot projects to support Ukrainian media (especially in the regions) can already be implemented through the launch of special media programs of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund.

The strengthening of cooperation between the NUJU and the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy was discussed during the meeting of the President of the NUJU, Sergiy Tomilenko, and the Culture Minister, Rostyslav Karandieiev.

The NUJU offers expert support to the Ministry of Culture in the implementation of initiatives related to the sustainability of Ukrainian media, the safety of journalists, and the reconstruction of the sphere of culture and media in the front-line territories.

“In the near future, we are planning to hold an online meeting of the acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy, Rostyslav Karandieiev, with editors and journalists of the front-line and de-occupied territories; we will talk about the reconstruction of the spheres of culture and media,” Sergiy Tomilenko notes. “The NUJU also joins the Coordination Committee under the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy for the implementation of the Council of Europe’s campaign Journalists Are Important in Ukraine.”

Sergiy Tomilenko thanked Rostyslav Karandieiev and the members of the managerial team – Hanna Krasnostup and Diana Tryma – for the fruitful conversation and also noted that it is felt that the leadership of the Ministry is not focused on conflicts and “squabbles,” but on dialogue and broad inclusion of the public in development and implementation of humanitarian and information policy.

NUJU Information Service