Ukraine Media (U-Media) Project

Internews works to support the development of the skills and leadership of Ukrainian media organisations through technical grants for institutional capacity building for both emerging and mature organisations, with Internews providing guidance on implementation. Internews consultants work directly with media CSOs to improve their effectiveness, reach, and impact. Internews offers Ukrainian CSOs its experience from similar programming in and outside the Europe and Eurasia region, and its international network of media experts. Specifically, Internews works with Ukrainian CSOs to design a skills building component for professional and citizen journalists to participate in content production and connects regional and international new media experts with Ukrainian counterparts to develop Ukraine-specific tools to enhance media monitoring, advocacy, media literacy, legal assistance, and other priorities. Internews challenges core CSOs to build in feedback mechanisms and ensure responsiveness and participation of their beneficiaries.

The U-Media programme has adapted to the changing context in Ukraine by focusing activities on promoting more balanced political coverage across Ukraine through local content production, exchange visits, public discussions, and webcasts on the U-Media website - with special attention to the South and East. Local media partners monitor and publicise intimidation and attacks on civic activists and journalists and government interference in independent media coverage of Ukrainian politics. A recent weekly briefer is sent via email to update readers on Ukrainian media sector developments. Partners provide legal aid and facilitate coordinated action in response to restrictions on press freedoms and violations of civil rights.

To cite a few examples of specific U-Media activities, in September 2013, 12 paedagogical colleges throughout Ukraine launched a media literacy course for secondary school teachers-in-training, using a new media literacy curriculum developed through support from the U-Media project. Media literacy courses teach young people how to consume media wisely, giving them the tools they need to recognise accurate, fair, and balanced media, and to reject biased, inaccurate, and harmful media. Also in 2013, the Institute of World Policy (IWP), a local partner of Internews in Ukraine, organised the Global Virtual Forum of Women Leaders, a series of videoconferences featuring prominent women in government, media, and international affairs. In a country where, at that time, just under 10% of members of Ukraine's Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, were women, the activity was designed to promote discussion of gender equality in Ukraine and the participation of women in Ukrainian political and civic life.

The U-Media Project has also made a concerted effort to conduct programming that reaches the conflict areas in Donbas, where events are presenting an increasing challenge for Ukraine's political transition and democratic future. In the lead-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections, the U-Media Project has sought to harness the energy of EuroMaidan and its demands for reform to increase the integrity of the parliamentary elections and help make political processes more responsive and accountable to the people. Specific electoral activities are designed to promote balanced and objective media reporting by increasing local media content and improving journalism skills, including election coverage, as well as Get out the Vote events to help inform citizens about the snap parliamentary elections: the candidates, issues, and electoral process.

Democracy and Governance, Rights

The rationale behind U-Media is that strengthening media organisations - through investment in partner technical and institutional capacity - and building their leadership will allow the media to effectively address and withstand political and economic challenges that lay ahead, especially during Parliamentary Elections 2012 and Presidential Elections 2015. U-Media was implemented during 8 years of unprecedented political, economic, and social transition. Five elections (2 presidential, 2 parliamentary, 1 local), the consolidation of media outlets, and the 2008 economic crisis provided the backdrop to U-Media's development efforts.

According to Internews, despite hopes that a vibrant, independent Ukrainian media sector would emerge following the Orange Revolution, the sector continued to face significant challenges. Paid content pervaded broadcasts and publications, and editors and journalists were subjected to direct and self-censorship. The quality of media content suffered as basic journalism skills in newsgathering and reporting declined.

Since its launch, U-Media has developed a cadre of professional, independent, sustainable media support non-governmental organisations (NGOs) "capable of addressing these challenges. Over this period, U-Media employed a long-term, holistic approach to improve the quality of services delivered by these media sector NGOs and develop the institutional capacity necessary for them to flourish. U-Media technical assistance and sub-grant support enabled these NGOs to emerge as leaders in media monitoring, journalist training, new media, legal support and awareness, and investigative journalism. Many became key participants in the New Citizen civic initiative, which advocated for passage of Ukraine’s landmark Law on Access to Public Information."