Ukrainian version

1. MATERIALS WITH SIGNS OF BEING ORDERED (OR WITH CENSORSHIP)

Generally in November in daily summary newcasts of examined channels was such amount of socio-political materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered:

Table 1. Number of socio-political materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered:

In comparison with October, the number of such materials increased considerably on all channels without exception. It could happen because of great number of subjects that, being highlighted accorded to standards, including opinion balance and completeness of information, would have been definitely harmful to the government, so these subjects were highlighted "smoothly". Of course, it concerns especially local elections subject, Tax Code enactment and the protests against this Code. It is worth mentioning that 1+1 and Channel 5, having much better index last month, this month regained the approximate index of September. The rest of channels keep their positions. Slight changes can be seen among the three "anti-leaders" of the list, caused by 1+1 replacing ICTV on the third place. Inter and Channel 1 are still on the top, STB still gives the least amount of possibly ordered materials, though generally the channel gives a bit more such materials.

TABLE 2. Number of business materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered:

Number of non-political materials (with the signs of being ordered) considerably decreased on STB, Novy and Ukrayina channels. Such materials appeared on Channel 1 and Inter. Mostly these materials, as before, concern the businesses or charity of channel owners and that is inessential. However, in Novembers there appeared some presumably ordered materials that had nothing to do with channels owners.

Table 3.1. Number of materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered within main lines - positive or neutral, without opinion balance, materials about the GOVERNMENT:

Table 3.2. Number of materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered within main lines - negative, without opinion balance, materials about the OPPOSITION:

NOTE: general number of materials may not coincide with the general numbers (table 1) as some materials have both lines present.

General trend of positive highlighting of the government's activity remained unchanged. Number of negative materials about opposition increased a bit because of more newsbreaks (detention of Danylyshyn, bringing the case against Lutsenko, interrogations of Turchynov etc.). All these subjects were given in an unbalanced and incomplete manner, from the perspective of the government and law enforcement bodies. As a rule, such materials are rather "multitask" as they give negative information about the opposition and their satellites, and at the same time, speak positively about the government that is "fighting the corruption".

The following standards are violated by the channels in their materials with the signs of censorship or signs of being ordered:

TABLE 4.1. Violation of OPINIONS BALANCE standard:

TABLE 4.2. Violation of information COMPLETENESS standard:

TABLE 4.3. Violation of FACTS AND OPINIONS SEPARATION standard:

TABLE 4.4 Violation of information RELIABILITY standard:

TABLE 4.5. Violation of information ACCURACY standard:

The main violations that witness about the censorship or ordered character of materials are sill absence of balance and incompleteness of information. As it was before, absence of balance appears when opposition of the government either is nor given the floor at all, or only their emotional accusations or excuses are given, without any reasoning. Channels rarely give floor to the experts in highlighting complicated and contentious topics, content with the evaluations and predictions of government representatives. Information completeness standard is usually violated because of lack of necessary backgrounds.

After some diminishing in October, the number of violation of facts and opinions separation standard increased in November. The channels misused journalists' evaluations, conclusions and groundless generalizations much more then before. The quantity of unreliable information increased considerably, mostly because of  giving unreliable opinions and facts with references like " law enforcement bodies inform", "government consider", "deputies say" etc.

As it was before, most of violations of information accuracy standards we have in the materials of Inter, often as a result of wanton interpretation of newsmakers' words by journalists. All this inaccuracy in materials are exceptionally beneficial to the government.

2. CONCEALMENT OF SOCIALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION BY THE CHANNELS

In realization of political orders concealment of certain subjects or their components (as positions and argumentation of parties, expert evaluations, exact facts and backgrounds), that being disclosed, would be unfavourable for the government, still play very important role.

TABLE 5. General number of concealments of important subjects, opinions, facts or backgrounds:

General number of concealed subjects decreased. Channels were giving difficult for the government subjects with the signs of being ordered more often than concealing them completely. Still, general number of concealments is very large, larger than it was in summer. Most subjects are concealed by all the channels or majority of the channels at the same time. Often happens so, that some subject, that is unfavourable of the government, is highlighted only by one channel out of eight. Channel 5 has the best index, it can be explained by the fact that this channel often mentions subjects, that are awkward for the government, though these materials are often inferior, and mentioned shortly in the other materials or given as short oral messages.

TABLE 6. Number of concealments of information about protest actions of different political forces and separate social groups, about court orders against those actions and about law enforcement bodies activity on blocking of these actions and their participants arrest:

In November the number of protest actions on two major lines (numerous protests against local elections falsifications and protests of businessmen against Tax Code) considerably increased. First three channels of this anti-top list (Channel 1, Inter and ICTV) concealed such information the most often. Besides, in both cases such events took place all over the country and the channels gave very incomplete and partial information of the "geography" of such protests. Only Channel 5 and Ukrayina can partially be called "natoinwide" in this field, as they were giving more information at least about huge protest actions in regions. Other channels were mostly focused on the events that were taking place in Kyiv, often giving these materials with obvious signs of them being ordered. Regional activity was mentioned, at best, in a couple of fast words, without any highlighting.

One more important point is worth noticing. Most channels, while highlighting businessmen's protests, arranged facts and comments in their materials in such a way that audience would clearly hear the message, constantly emphasized by the government - as if the businessmen protested because they did not want to pay taxes. Channels did not give more substantial and deeper arguments, based on the fact that small and medium enterprises cancellation, envisaged by the governmental Tax Code, would not only cause bankruptcy and degrading of a few million entrepreneurs, but would have consequences, more essential to the society, as the result of considerable job cuts in the field of small and medium enterprises, such as considerable increase in prices for the basic goods, product shortage, etc.

TABLE 7. Number of concealments concerning government's attacks on the freedom of speech:

In November number of such concealments was insignificant. Channel 5 and Ukrayina give materials with this subject a bit more often then others. Generally, freedom of speech oppression is rarely highlighted in the news. In particular, in November mainstream audience did not hear at all (including all the channels without exception) about such news:

Journalism Institute heads recommended their students, who made calendar with some topical issues to Yanukovych, not to draw public attention to the issue (November 1).

Bielorussian journalist claimed illegal actions of militia against him.  Kyiv chief directorate denies the accusations (November 8).

New mayor of Poltava decided to stop financing Poltavskyi Visnyk municipal newspaper (November 12).

Socials organizations representatives  took part in picketing of  Russian embassy in Kyiv in sympathy for Russian journalists Oleg Kashin and Mikhail Beketov (November 15).

TABLE 8. Number of concealments of information about decrease of different components of welfare of population or its separate groups (increase in price of basic food and household products, tax, duties and payments increase, utility rates increase, basic services price increase, retirement age rising, state-financed organizations shutdown and their workers dismissal etc.):

It is worth mentioning, that here situation changed considerably. In November Inter and ICTV gave more materials of such subjects, however, Channel 1 and Channel 5 referred to it more seldom. It is rather ironic that STB holds second place, because usually journalists on this channel gladly highlight such issues, and do it better than most their rivals. One more point - on all the channels issues of "macroeconomical" nature are added to the list of concealed subjects, that is, information about the decrease in living standards that concern most of people in this country. Somehow, problems of smaller social groups have more chances to be highlighted.

TABLE 9. Number of concealments of information about governmental attacks on the businesses:

In November this subject was extremely relevant, first of all because of Tax Code adoption and protests against it. As it has already been mentioned, this subject was given by the channels rather often, but in a peculiar way. Ukrayina and Channel 5 were a bit more thorough. In general, Table 9 shows not only that government gradually exerts more pressure on small and medium enterprises, but also that this issue is actively concealed by the channels or is given in a twisted and inadequate way.

TABLE 10. Number of concealments of information concerning the opposition's public statements and activity (without regard for opinion balance violations in ordered materials):

Numbers decreased generally because of less active actions of the opposition itself and not due to changes in a way channels deal with highlighting oppositional activity. We can see that distance between the channels grew inconsiderably. Channel 5 and Ukrayina a bit more often mention actions and statements of the opposition, but still it can not be called significant. In general, tendency stays the same. For example, all the channels highlighted the criminal accusations of opposition member Lutsenko - and they all unanimously concealed that he lodged a protest against bringing the case against him. Channels that thoroughly monitor deputies transition from the opposition parties to the coalition factions, do not pay attention, for example, to the fact that deputy Orobets' walked out of Yedynyi Centr party in protest at party leader Baloha entering Azarov's government, and so on.

In November great amount of subjects concerned local elections results (vote count, appealing the results, electoral fraud claims, lawsuits and announcement of the results, and all the numerous related protests).

TABLE 11. Number of concealments of information concerning the elections, that is unfavourable for the government:

Generally channels highlighted the elections very selectively, fragmentarily and in a peculiar way, not paying attention to the great amount of socially important events, concerning electoral process, and to the consistency of certain facts. Moreover, channels did not even try to monitor electoral process all over the country, restricting themselves, at best, to minimal highlighting of the most controversial events in Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv and some other cities. They did not even try to obtain expert evaluations of general events. Even the evaluations of experts or observers, given by the news agencies, were not broadcasted. The audience of the summary newscasts of eight biggest channels did not learn, for example, about such events as:

In Kyrovohrad region voting papers contained unregistered Hromads'ka Pozytsiya instead of Hrytsenko's Hromadyans'ka Pozitsiya (November 1).

On the electoral districts of Volyn' region representatives of Za Ukrayinu! found more then 100 thousands unaccounted voting papers (November 1).

Venice Commission member Maryna Stavniychuk fiercely criticized local elections (November 1).

The head of Volyn' Regional Council claimed the results of elections to be falsified (November 5).

In Ternopil representatives of All-Ukrainian Svoboda Association picketed territorial election committee, demanding to stop falsifying the results of elections (November 5).

Lytvyn stated that local council deputies for Narodna party were lured away to the other political forces (November 6).

Ukrainian experts gave to the local elections in Ukraine two points on the five-grade scale in the interview of Deminitsiatyvy foundation (November 9).

Residents of Vasyl'kiv town of Kyiv region protested against falsifying the elections at the walls of Presidential Executive Office (November 9-10).

Ex-mayor of Odesa Hurvits made a complaint against Odesa's city electoral committee (November 10).

Presidential Executive Office was picketed by the residents of Enerhodar town of Zaporizhzhya region, who demanded to cancel the result of local elections (November 10).

City electoral committee of Zaporizhzhya denied registration to newly elected mayor of Zaporizhzhya from opposition (November 17).

The Ambassador of Canada claimed that local elections in Ukraine did not meet the standards of previous presidential elections (November 17).

European People's Party declared that local elections in Ukraine witnessed the regression of democracy standards (November 20).

Other remarkable issues, concealed by all the channels:

Communists ask Prosecutor General to examine whether Deputy prime minister Tyhypko organized corruption schemes (November 5).

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate made a stand for Ukrainian language, emphasizing the tendency towards its oppression (November 9).

Ukraine has one of the greatest number of prisoners' complaints  to the European Court of Human Rights (November 9).

Amnesty International insists on the investigation of Ukrainian and Bielorussian human rights defenders' complaints against actions of militia of Zhytomyr (November 10).

For the nine months of year 2010 Ukraine increased its credit balance of external trade by one third - State Statistics Committee (November 12).

The definitive estimate of Olimpiyskyi NSC reconstruction will be at least twice higher than initial one (November 12).

According to the State Statistics Committee, the amount of foreign direct investments declined by 14% in comparison with the same period of the previous year (November 15).

Dismissing Chernovetskyi, the government deprived Kyiv of Magdeburg Rights (November 16).

The leader of Regions Party parliamentary group Yefremov declared that "we need to give Popov the chance to work, to show efficiency of his performance and then we can talk about possible elections" (November 16).

The parliament increased excise duty on petrol by more then one third (November 18).

Most of the experts believe in existing threat to the independency and territorial integrity of Ukraine - interview of Deminitsiatyvy foundation (November 18).

Relevant committee of Verkhovna Rada returned bill on languages to its authors without consideration on the parliamentary session (November 19).

The result of Ukraine-EC summit meeting will not improve evaluation of Ukrainian government by Europe - experts interview by Interfax (November 22).

Gaddafi refused to meet Azarov during his visit to Libya (November 23).

Deputy Chornovil called Ukraine-EC summit meeting "talky", and  signed program on this issue "the lowest level of agreement that only can exist" (November 25).In Dnipropetrivs'k the head of Regional state administration Vilkul and mayor  Kulichenko disregarded the ceremony in memoriam of Holodomor victims (November 27).

RosUkrenergo will demand USD 500 million more of Naftogaz Ukrayiny (November 27).

National Bank of Ukraine estimates Ukraine's national debt in October 2010 at a level of 38.9% of GDP (November 27).

The objectivity of price statistics given by State Statistics Committee of Ukraine is doubtful -  hed of Accounts Chamber (November 27).

Svoboda picketed the Presidential Executive Office demanding Yanukovych to apologize for denying Holodomor in Ukraine as a genocide (November 27).

Nasha Ukrayina demanded explanations of Ambassador of Russian Federation and reaction of OSCE on the cancellation of Federal national-cultural autonomy of Ukrainians in Russia (November 27).

In Dniprodzerzhynsk a detainee committed suicide (November 29).

Ukrainian State budget deficit at the end of October surpassed scheduled yearly index for 4.6 % - Ministry of Finance (November 29).

Deputy from Regions Party accused Kivalov of corruption and suggested to close up the Committee of Justice of Verkhovna Rada (November 30).