Former Telethon Journalist Talks Censorship and Authorities’ Fear of Journalists

A former journalist from the “Yedinye Novosti” telethon spoke about censorship and the fear of Ukrainian officials before journalists. According to him, state press services have become “information holders”, demanding approval of questions before interviews, and threatening to refuse to comment in response to criticism or uncomfortable questions.

He wrote about this on the website “Detector Media”.

Last February, I returned to national television to work on the telethon “Unified News”. I won’t name the channel – “those who need to know, know”. But it’s not about the name, it’s about how government agencies communicate with the media.

Having more than 30 years of experience in journalism, I must admit: now many government agencies perceive the media as a servant, and “communicators” in departments – as owners of information, and not as a bridge between the authorities and society. Agreeing questions before an interview has become commonplace, and a request for a comment is often perceived as an insult.

Now officials living at the expense of taxpayers hide behind press services and believe that journalists owe them something. I was required to “coordinate” the material after the interview, which is censorship. It is almost impossible to get a comment from some ministries, and threats can be heard for “uncoordinated” questions.

Ministries avoid broadcasts and even correspondence, and sometimes responses to journalists are prepared by outsourcing companies, so everything is dead. In the marathon “Unified News” real experts have not been seen for a long time – as if the history of Ukraine began in May 2019.

Journalism has the right to ask uncomfortable questions, and the authorities have the duty to answer. And if this does not happen, we will lose the trust for which we pay with our own freedom and safety.

Last Thursday I left the telethon. I don’t know what will happen next, but I do know: we can no longer remain silent about this communication disease.

By the way, on January 16, during the live broadcast of the “Edinye Novosti” marathon , a map of Russia with Crimea appeared on the screens . The image appeared twice during the My Ukraina channel block: in the story and behind the hosts in front of it. The story was about the collapse of the Russian housing and utilities system.

As The New York Times reported in early January, Ukrainians are already tired of the “United News” telethon , which is supposed to be a counter to Russian propaganda but is ultimately “a disappointment for Ukrainians.”

Let us recall that the European Commission’s report on Ukraine’s fulfilment of the conditions for the start of negotiations on accession to the European Union notes the need to restore an independent pluralistic media landscape .

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