THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINE
Almost a year has passed since On Media Law came into force
On March 31, 2023, colleagues began to work in a new legislative field. How many print and online media in the Dnipropetrovsk Region are currently registered with the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting? What difficulties arose during this? What will happen to the newsrooms that do not have time to complete the re-registration? Answers to these and other questions, as well as professional advice, were provided by the representative of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Dnipropetrovsk Region, Olena Demchenko.
Media image of the region
It is not the first time that Olena Demchenko is at the Dnipro Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). She has already held several meetings with representatives of editorial teams, provided advice, and explained the algorithm of actions to editors regarding the registration.
“The NUJU during the year made maximum efforts so that mass media could continue their work in the legal field. The working groups discussed innovations in the law, submitted their comments to the National Council, invited media lawyers who studied the norms of the law, and explained them to the editors. It is nice that such a platform for dialogue and discussions was also in our Center,” noted Nataliya Nazarova, the coordinator of Dnipro JSC.
Olena Demchenko noted that the new law really raised many questions, there were even fears about a kind of censorship. But, as this year showed, fears did not come true.
“In the Dnipropetrovsk Region, there have been no recorded cases of pressure from the regulator and an attack on freedom of speech. Also, those media that have registered are convinced: the procedure is simple, the documents are clear, and the process itself is swift,” the expert emphasized.
During the conversation, the representative of the National Council summed up the results and shared statistical data. In particular, 39 subjects in the field of print media were registered in the Dnipropetrovsk Region during the year. They were divided into two large parts. The first is specialized publications that are printed but have a limited audience. They were almost the first to register. The second part is newspapers of general topics. There are still several publications that are not registered, but their documents are in the queue for consideration by the National Council. Therefore, they fulfilled the norm of the law. In total, 1,513 print media are registered in Ukraine by the end of 2023.
Online media were not as active. Only six online publications are registered in the region for 2023. And in 2024, they became more active and already four media have passed registration.
“Once again, I want to remind you that March 31 is the deadline for mandatory registration of print media, providers of audio-visual services, as well as linear media, better known to us as cable TV channels. Please note that this registration is free. Registration of online media is also taking place. It is conducted for money, but it is voluntary,” emphasized Olena Demchenko.
What will happen to those print media that did not have time to register? According to the expert, their certificates lose their validity. If they still want to register, they will have to pay money for it because, as already mentioned, the free registration period has expired. Olena also drew attention to the fact that in the Dnipropetrovsk Region, 189 publications have the Ministry of Justice’s certificates. But those who actually get published are much less. That is, there are certificates, but there is actually no media.
Unfortunately, during the year, the Dnipropetrovsk Region suffered media losses in this regard: the licenses of channel 27 and the Marhanets television studio were revoked. The reason was the war and the economic situation. However, there are also “newcomers.” In particular, one is the Demart sports channel. They have already received a license and have plans for development.
Violation and responsibility
On this day, not only the editors of the Dnipropetrovsk Region but also colleagues from Kirovohrad, Sumy, Poltava, and Cherkasy Regions joined the online discussion of the law. Despite the fact that the law has been in effect for almost a year, there is still something to discuss. In particular, media people were interested in whether there have already been cases of bringing the media to justice, whether newspapers register their websites, and when and where to send copies of printed media.
“The situation regarding the use of the Ukrainian language on the air has significantly improved in the region. By approximately 18%, the media exceeded the quota specified in the new law. The National Council has a few questions for print media entities. They really conscientiously fulfill the norms of Ukrainian legislation. However, there are remarks regarding the designation of advertisements on the pages of the newspaper. That is, advertising materials are marked in such a way that, at first glance, it is not possible to distinguish that they are advertising. And the law provides for this. I ask print publications to pay attention to this,” stressed Olena Demchenko.
In the Dnipropetrovsk Region, a single case of prosecution was recorded. The broadcaster was issued a prescription by the National Council for violation of the broadcasting rules on the days of remembrance, sorrow, and mourning.
Routine checks of the media were carried out in the region, but they confirmed that everyone was working within the legal framework.
As for the registration of their sites by print media, there were no such cases. As well as for YouTube channels to submit documents for registration.
The expert will continue to provide clarifications on the most problematic issues.
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 information service
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