For monitoring of October 2014 please go here.

The details of monitoring methodology are here.

1. Materials violating professional standards which may testify sponsorship (censorship)

All in all, during the reporting week, the final issues of daily news broadcasted by selected TV channels had such a quantity of sociopolitical materials violating professional standards, that it may testify sponsorship (censorship):

Table 1. The total amount of materials violating professional standards which may testify sponsorship (censorship):

The amount of materials with the evidence of sponsorship was essential during the reporting week of January, 2015 (although it was less than in October, the indices of October were untypical, as soon as they were influenced by parliamentary pre-election campaign).

A part of the materials with sponsorship evidence on most of the TV channels were traditional “protocol” messages about officials’ statements or actions – the statements or actions of the President, Prime-Minister etc. In particular, such an approach was used when most of the channels presented Poroshenko’s statement about opening fire in the ATO zone on January 19; the statement of the President’s envoy Herashenko about Poroshenko’s order concerning humanitarian goods for the East; the reports on the President’s participation in Davos Summit on January 21; the report on the President’s meeting with the officers on January 22; the session of the Cabinet of Ministers on January 23 and so on. On January 20, some of the TV channels presented the statements of Klychko, the mayor of Kyiv. On January 21, they broadcasted different statements of the prime-minister Yatseniuk, and on January 24, they transmitted the message that the Parliament’s speaker Hroisman called the deputies via Facebook to be ready for an extraordinary meeting.    

More details

• What news items were withheld in October 2014
• What news items were withheld in September 2014
• What news items were withheld in July 2014
• What news items were withheld in May 2014

The authors of these materials have been rudely violating the following standards: the balance of thoughts, information completeness, and separating facts from opinions. The materials of that kind include only the standpoints of officials, while the opinions of their political opponents and relevant social groups are ignored. There are no expert assessments or backgrounds. The standard of information adequacy is often violated as well: the sources of this or that information are not mentioned or mentioned at large, in a generalized way (“The Cabinet of Ministers wants…,” “the governors say…” etc.); otherwise, they cite social networks, which the journalists should not rely on. The materials of that kind were detected on all the TV channels without an exception. However, as for First National and 5 Channel, only these materials have contributed to the indices listed in the Table 1. As for “1+1,” these materials were complemented by PR of the people’s deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko in the message on the Day of the Crimea in Odesa (he was the only one to comment on the event). As for STB, current situation was commented exclusively by Kuchma. As for ICTV, “protocol” materials were complemented by a reference to “traditional” Pinchuk’s lunches in Davos.    

The greatest violators are still the TV Channels “Inter” and “Ukraine.”

As for “Inter,” which continues to be an absolute anti-leader of this monitoring, the materials testifying sponsorship can be divided into several groups, according to the subject. Apart from the “protokol” messages (predominantly about the President’s statements and actions), many of the materials are partly or fully devoted to impolite criticism of the government and different power authorities.

In particular, on January 19, there is narrow and unbalanced criticism of the government project “The Wall”: the comments are given by “the representatives of American company” Baronin and Tolmachov; their “expert” assessments are complemented by the assessments and conclusions of the author (“This year, “The Wall” project will bury 300 million hryvnias… The authors of the so-called Ukrainian wall are allegedly aware of that fact, but the government goes on allotting money for the project. There is no result, and there will hardly be any until the war is over. Except perhaps, those who masterminded the project will fill their pockets.”). In the next item, the author criticizes the Ministry of Education: “However, the Ministry of Education is taking its time to add the section about Euromaidan into the history textbooks… The Ministry explains that they are looking for a joining format to describe the events at Maidan. But they can be looking for years and still not find it… Whether telling about Euromaidan and war or not and, what is even more important, in what way to do it, is somehow on teacher’s conscience only.”

On January 20, there is an unbalanced item on the “scandal” because of “UKRINTERENERGO” contract for electric power supply for the Crimea, with the conclusions and assessments of the author: “The Ukrainian state company recognizes the Crimea as a Russian territory, while the prime-minister pretends to be ignorant… And one even more important question is why the prime-minister responded so late – when the document has already appeared in the web. And why is there still no response from the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov who could not but know about the deal.” In another item, the journalists of “Inter” are blaming the Cabinet of Ministers for closing the hospital in Pavlohrad in a biased way: “The citizens of Pavlohrad went outdoors to “thank” the Cabinet of Ministers for leaving them without medical assistance. Who is to blame and does anybody care about the Ukrainians…” One more item contains imputations of overestimated costs of biometric passports, based mainly on the journalist’s assessments and impolite generalizations: “To Europe in a non-European way. The cost of biometric passports the Ukraine began to grant last week is extremely overestimated. Whoismarkinguptheprice?.. Theexpertsareconvinceditistooexpensive.”   

On January 21, there is an item about a state traffic patrol official from Donetsk who blames the Ministry of Internal Affairs for bribery, in which a balance of thoughts is imitated and which is supported by the journalist’s assessments: “Who is forgotten by the Ukrainian power? Here is a story about big money and bribery in the force authorities… Occupied by terrorists, while Ukraine has simply exposed them… The people are merely forgotten… Briberyamongus? Impossible! We’d love to believe, they will receive him without a bribe and studying only facts.” One more item is devoted to a contract of “ UKRINTERENERGO,” without the balance of thoughts and with the journalist’s assumptions and assessments: “One of the main questions is why it was the day of signing the scandal contracts when the prime-minister allowed to sell the electric power to any economic players. The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov could not but know about the contracts either. As soon as the decision on the necessity of electric power import was taken at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine… And the prime-minister Yatseniuk will be responsible for that, too.” The item about changes of single social contributions is based exclusively on the journalist’s conclusions and assessments: “A reform or a profanation?.. A revolutionary regulation is allegedly adopted… The prime-minister enjoys stating… The matter is that it is too difficult to conform to the criteria of such a tax… As a result, the reform is first of all profitable for those who paid backdoor salaries… but then the Cabinet of Ministers chickened out and redrew everything in a flash… In fact, the reform of the system of a single social contribution as it is today was only resounding speeches.”  The accusation of the State Mortgage is reported through the journalist’s assessments only: “The state mortgage institution tries to take away the money from one of the Ukrainian banks again. The case has been under trial for a long time. Todaytherewerethreesessions. The state mortgage institution has charged the bank with a debt.” The bank “Nadra” that belongs to Firtash is at stake.  

On January 22, the item about illegal amber output in Rivne oblast is made of the journalist’s assessments and conclusions: “In this or that way, but neither oblast’ nor government is likely to be seriously concerned of the “amber question.” While some people are lining their own pockets and others are destroying Polissia forests, there remains one thing for us to do: to watch how the money from state budget is slipping away. Thatisthereform.” One more material has no balance in telling about the statements of the Association of Small Cities of Ukraine: “A little more on reforms, or, more exactly, on those things the government tends to call that way.”

The second group of materials testifying sponsorship on “Inter” is devoted to the criticism without balance of the actions of Kolomoisky’s organizations: “Ukrnafta” and “International Airlines of Ukraine.” All the materials have rude violation of the balance of thought standard. There is no opinion of the accused; in turn, the journalists present their own conclusions and assessments, like: “Ukrnafta” and everything behind the curtain will become a real test for the highest officials of the Cabinet of Ministers. A greediness test. The previous power hasn’t passed it. Will the current Cabinet of Ministers have enough instinct for survival to withstand the temptation of “the moon and the stars” from the real managers of “Ukrnafta”? The process is under observation not only of Ukraine, but also of the foreign countries.”    

Besides, a regular commentator of various political events for “Inter” issues is the co-owner of the TV channel, Serhiy Liovochkin, in a strange function at that. He is not the participant of the events he comments; he cannot be a competent expert either. For example, on January 20, Liovochkin comments on the general situation in the American political sphere: “At the moment, the people’s deputy of Ukraine and the founder of the New Ukraine Foundation Serhiy Liovochkin. He met both the Republicans and the Democrats. The subject was, of course, Ukraine. Here is what he said.” On January 21, Liovochkin comments on Obama’s address to the Congress: “In Washington, the speech of Obama was also heard by the people’s deputy and the founder of the “Nova Ukraiyna” institution Serhiy Liovochkin. Hereiswhathesaid.” On January 23, Liovockin comments the events in Davos: “A bit later, yet in the lobby of the Davos forum, some other politicians spoke about the necessity of reforms…”

“Inter” often gives the floor to the “oppositional” Oleksandr Vilkulov unfairly for the context: on January 20, he is the only one to comment on the meeting of the Ukrainian deputies with the Georgian ones. On January 22, he comments on the rally of the “Pivdenmash” employees, and the author’s lead-in is: “The problem of wages at “Pivdenmash” is known at the state level. The people’s deputies insist on immediate solution. They also do not preclude that there is an intention to bankrupt the enterprise on purpose.”

“Inter” unreasonably gives the floor to Natalia Korolevska and gives unbalanced comments for the summons to Prosecutor General’s Office on January 21 and the procedure of passes in the ATO zone (the lead-in is: “The situation at the block stations in Donetsk oblast were also observed by people’s deputies today”).

In addition, on January 19, the TV channel groundlessly gives the floor to the “radical” Oleg Liashko. The “news” sounds like: “And the tragic events at Grushevskogo Street that took place this day twelvemonth was today recollected by the radical Oleg Liashko. He visited the memorable places associated with the Revolution of Dignity.” On January 21, “Inter” gives the floor to Andriy Portnov in an unbalanced way. On January 22, the TV channel informs that the people’s deputy Serhiy Kaplin has become the representative of the unnamed trade unions in the parliament.   

The “Ukraine” TV channel has not only “protocol” data on the actions of higher officials, but also a good deal of materials (1-2 per issue; in total, 9 per week) that report the activities of the humanitarian staff of Akhmetov (while the latter is accused of aiding the terrorists, the materials of that kind are aimed at the confirmation of Akhmetov’s “positive” image). For example, on January 24, the statement of the humanitarian staff of Akhmetov about the bombardment of Mariupol turned out to be more important than the response of the officials.

What is more, on January 21, “Ukraine” unreasonably accuses the protestants in Kryvyi Rig: “At the same time, the maidan protestants admit collaborating with the local criminal authorities, in particular, with Yurii Nastusenko who has four criminal records.” The protests of the citizens against the actions of local power that hasn’t changed since the times of Yanukovych are assessed by the words “provocations,” “radicals,” “tried to seize one of the enterprises of “Metinvest”…” On January 22, there is an item in which the Akhmetov’s DTEK concern blames the Ministry of Energetics for suspending coal supply to the Prydniprovska thermal power station.  

Besides, “Ukraine” (like “Inter,” yet less) unreasonably gives the floor to the representatives of the opposition block Oleksandr Vilkul and Natalia Korolevska.

Table 2. The amount of business materials testifying sponsorship:

During the reporting January week, there were almost no advertising materials at all. The only material of that kind was in the air of the 5 Channel on January 19. It was an item about the holiday of Epiphany in “Mamai’s Sloboda” (that is a commercial complex, where everything is paid ranging from the entrance to the permission for taking photos).

Table3. The amount of materials violating the main standards: positive materials; materials lacking the balance of thoughts; materials about POWER:

The journalists who write the materials violating standards which may testify sponsorship (censorship) violate the following standards:

Table 4.1. Violating the standard of the BALANCE OF THOUGHTS:

Table 4.2. Violating the standard of the COMPLETENESS of information:

Table 4.3. Violating the standard of SEPARATING FACTS FROM OPINIONS:

Table 4.4. Violating the standard of the ADEQUACY of information delivery:

Table 4.5. Violating the standard of the ACCURATENESS of information delivery:

2. Withholding socially important information by TV channels in January 2015:

During the reporting January week, the TV channels were not paying attention to the subjects, facts, and opinions that could be disadvantageous for power authorities (the data for January 2015 embrace the period from January 19 to January 24; the data for October 2014 embrace the period from October 6 to October 11; the data for September 2014 embrace the period from September 1 to September 7; the data for July 2014 embrace the period from July 7 to July 13; the data for May 2014 embrace the period from May 5 to May 11; the data for March 2014 embrace the period from March 3 to March 8).

Table 5. The total amount of withheld significant subjects, opinions, facts or backgrounds:

Table 6. The amount of information on different mass protest actions withheld by TV channels:

Table 7. The amount of information on violation of freedom of speech withheld by TV channels:

None of the channels reported the following news:

The Moscow office of Youtube has blocked the TSN channel on the separatists’ demand (January 18)

Table 8. The amount of information on military and other crimes committed by the Russian occupants and their satellites in Ukraine withheld by TV channels:

None of the channels reported the following news:

Two civilian residents have died because of the terrorists’ bombardment (January 18)

The Committee on the protection of Crimean Tatars’ rights asks the UNO, Turkey, and Ukraine to prevent the extermination of the nation (January 18)

A Crimean Tatar has been arrested for last year meeting of Dzhemilev at the border (January 19)

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine: the Ukrainian border has been crossed by 800 Russian military men (January 20)

In Donetsk, two civilian residents have died in the last 24 hours, 11 are wounded (January 20)

Six Ukrainian soldiers have died because of the bombardment in Debaltseve (January 20)

“Self-defense of the Crimea” has taken the humanitarian aid intended for children hospital (January 20)

The terrorists have seized 500 sq. km of the Ukrainian territory after signing Minsk agreements (January 21)

In the last 24 hours (before the bombardment of the bus stop), 10 civilian residents have died in Donetsk, 20 are wounded (January 22)

In the occupied Sverdlovsk, Luhansk oblast, the terrorist power has prohibited the Ukrainian history lessons at schools (January 22)

In the annexed Crimea, the illegal power has forbidden the refugees from Donbas to prolong the permits for residence at the territory of the peninsula (January 22)

The head of the Donetsk terrorists Zakharchenko has an intention to order taking no captives (January 23)

Five Ukrainian organizations have been forbidden in Russia (Jaunary 23)

A blogger has posted a video proving that the terrorists actually did not manage to gather a crowd for a “captives parade” in Donetsk (January 23)

“Oshchadbank” had a loss of 8.5 billiard hryvnias in 2014 because of the annexation of the Crimea (January 23)

The head of the Donetsk terrorists Zakharchenko has an intention to take the apartments and businesses of those who have left the “People’s Republic of Donetsk” (January 23)

The head of the Donetsk terrorists Zakharchenko threatens with a full-fledged war and seizure of the entire Donetsk oblast (January 23)

Two civilian residents have died in the village of Myronivske because of the bombardment (January 23)

Russia is preparing a provocation in order to create a pretext for bringing the troops into Ukraine (according to the headquarters of ATO, January 24)

The European human rights activists report that Russian power is driving the Roman Catholic Church from the Crimea (January 24)

The terrorists have attacked a kindergarten in Dzerzhynsk (January 24)

Table 9. The statements and actions of the international community concerning the events in Ukraine:

None of the channels has reported the following news:

The OSCE report informs that the bus near Volnovakha has been gunned from the territory occupied by terrorists (January 18)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia has garbled the OSCE report and accused Ukraine of the terroristic action near Volnovakha (January 18)

The movements of solidarity with Ukraine have taken place in 13 countries of the world (January 18)

In Moscow, the scores of people have joined the movement of solidarity with Ukraine; the Russian power counteracted them with police and “anti-Maidan” activists (January 18)

The Pentagon has announced the Russian aggression to be the threat for the European security (January 20)

The General Secretary of NATO has called Russia to withdraw the troops from Ukraine (January 21)

OSCE: The bombardment of Debaltseve has been executed from the territory that is under the terrorists’ control (January 21)

Over 5,000 people have died during the conflict at Donbas (according to OSCE, January 22)

The amount of refugees in Ukraine has grown to 850,000 people (according to the UNO, January 22)

The OSCE has admitted the unacceptability of the interrogation of the Ukrainian prisoners of war executed by Lifenews (January 22)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland is amazed by the “nervous response” of the Russians to the remark on Auschwitz and the Ukrainians (January 22)

The prime-minister of Turkey says that his country does not recognize the annexation of the Crimea (January 22)

Amnesty International: The bombardment of the bus stop in Donetsk is the infringement of war laws (January 23)

The attack of the terrorists at Donbas is supported by the Russian troops (according to the General Secretary of NATO, January 24)

Some other important issues withheld by all the channels:

The Minister of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine has stated it to OSCE that the lack of persistence of their mission at Donbas enables the terrorists to violate the “regime of silence” with impunity (January 19)

Almost 90% of the citizens support saving Donbas within Ukraine (according to the social survey conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, January 22)

Note: the data for January 2015 embrace the period from January 19 to January 24; the data for October 2014 embrace the period from October 6 to October 11; the data for September 2014 embrace the period from September 1 to September 7; the data for July 2014 embrace the period from July 7 to July 13; the data for May 2014 embrace the period from May 5 to May 11; the data for March 2014 embrace the period from March 3 to March 8.

The monitoring of the adherence to professional standards in the operation of the Ukrainian TV channels information services is performed by NGO Telekritika under support of “Internews Network.” The goal of monitoring is to increase the level of media literacy of the Ukrainian society, stimulate media to be responsible, adhere to the journalist standards and improve the quality of media product.