Ukraine

Media and publishing

The demise of the Soviet Union brought fundamental changes to publishing and broadcasting in Ukraine. The Communist Party’s influence was no longer a factor, and state control—and funding—receded. As a result, many established newspapers and journals ceased publication. The print runs of those that did continue, as private ventures, were in general considerably smaller. At the same time, numerous new publications and private television and radio stations emerged during the 1990s. Although Soviet-era restrictions on content were lifted, publications that were critical of the local or national administration were subjected to various forms of harassment—for example, tax inspections, detailed examinations of registration documents, or libel suits of dubious credibility. In addition, state broadcasters provided slanted coverage of political events. Much of this changed in the wake of the Orange Revolution in 2004. Amid the political turmoil that marked that event and the period that followed, press freedoms expanded. The election of Yanukovych as president in 2010, however, led to an increase in official pressure on journalists, and preferential coverage of the ruling party was the norm. On the whole, however, the media remain much more open and credible than they were in Soviet times.

The official news agency is the Ukrainian National Information Agency (UkrInform), which covers political, economic, cultural, and sports information. Independent news agencies include Respublika Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (UNIAR) and the Ukrainian Independent Information and News Agency (UNIAN).

Official publications include the Supreme Council’s Holos Ukrainy (“Voice of Ukraine”) and the cabinet’s Uryadovy Kur’yer (“Administrative Courier”). The largest newspapers include Silski Visti (“Rural News”), a former organ of the Communist Party; Robitnycha Hazeta (“Workers’ Gazette”); Ukrainya Moloda (“Ukraine the Young”); and Pravda Ukrayiny (“Truth of Ukraine”). Other noteworthy periodicals include Den’ (“The Day”), which publishes editions in Ukrainian and Russian; the influential Zerkalo Nedeli (“Weekly Mirror”); the English-language Kyiv Post; the weekly journal Polityka i Kul’tura (“Politics and Culture”); and the high-calibre literary and cultural review Krytyka (“Critique”).

The National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine regulates and monitors major television and radio broadcasting companies. Dozens of television networks are available, either as terrestrial signals or via cable or satellite. Beginning in 2011, Ukraine’s national networks switched from an analog television signal to a higher definition digital signal. Most commercial radio stations are local or regional in nature and usually feature a contemporary music and talk format. Lubomyr A. Hajda Andrij Makuch The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica