‘Stop Censorship!' Initiative calls upon the management of Euronews channel to see into staff and editorial policy of its future branch office in Ukraine that, according to the agreement signed on October 21, is to be established on the basis of National Broadcasting Company of Ukraine.

National Broadcasting Company, being owned by the state, is totally controlled by Administration of President of Ukraine and the Head of Security Service of Ukraine Mr. Valery Khoroshkovsky that is also the owner of the Inter group, the nation's largest TV holding. After Victor Yanukovich was electrode President of Ukraine, the channel's management was changed defying the Law ‘On Television and Radio Broadcasting', which envisages the creation of a supervisory board. Mr. Yegor Benkendorf, General Director of National Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, before the current appointment, used to be Inter Group producer, and his deputy, Mr. Walid Harfouche, used to be the counselor of Mrs Hanna Herman, the President's ‘right hand.'

Under the management of those persons, Pershyi Natsionalnyi Channel changed its editorial policy drastically. According to the news monitoring performed by Internews Network U-Media, newscasts that had been impartial and comparatively high in quality before are now overfilled with promotion of the authorities. The channel is holding a ‘record' in violations of professional standards.

The channel management's attitude is characterized by the following quotation from Walid Harfouche's interview to UNIAN Information Agency: "I think that Pershyi Natsionalnyi Channel must be pro-authorities- It will always cover the work of the authorities, present the audience only positive information- we must support the authorities and the authorities should know that Pershyi Natsionalnyi will always be there to protect them."

‘Stop Censorship!' Movement considers that a person with an attitude like this is not suitable to be the Head of Euronews Coordination Board in Ukraine so far as there is no guarantee that Ukrainian version of Euronews would not be used for propaganda and hidden promotion of the authorities.

Also, ‘Stop Censorship!' emphasizes that Mr. Harfouche's competence in the field of television is dubious as before being appointed Deputy General Director of National Broadcasting Company, Mr. Harfouche was organizing beauty pageants and editing a gutter press magazine Paparazzi. 

Considering the above mentioned figures and steadily increasing political pressure of the media from Ukrainian authorities that aspire to control the information space, ‘Stop Censorship!' calls upon Euronews management:

- to set its Ukrainian partners stricter conditions concerning editorial and staff policy$;

- to carefully control the process of creation and further operation of the Ukrainian branch office;

- to decline Walid Harfouche's candidacy and to demand appointment of unengaged professionals selected by way of open and fair competition as the management of Ukrainian Euronews.

Reference

Stop Censorship!' Public Movement was created on May 21st, 2010. The movement is an informal association of journalists created in response to opression of the freedom of speech in Ukraine.

This is an initiative of Ukrainian journalists and public media organization to defend freedom of speech, prevent establishing censorship in Ukraine, fighting impediments to professional activities of journalists and violation of professional standards in covering social and political issues.

‘Stop Censorship!' Public Movement does not support any political force and is not funded by any political party.

 You may learn more about ‘Stop Censorship!' Movement or join it here.

‘Stop Censorship!' Blog: http://stopcensorship.wordpress.com/, in Twitter: http://twitter.com/Stopcensorship.

Contact Person:

Artem Sokolenko,'Stop Censorship!' Press Center Coordinator:

censor.stop@gmail.com.