MEDIA 2003SUSTAINABILITY INDEX Media Sustainability Index 2003 Development of Sustainable Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia Media Sustainability Index 2003 Copyright © 2004 by IREX www.irex.org/msi/ IREX 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20037 E-mail:
[email protected] Phone: (202) 628-8188 Fax: (202) 628-8189 www.irex.org On the threshold of the [October 2004] presidential election the screws are put on, the loyal people appear on the scene and take up key posts, and in spite of strengthening mass media in the market, it remains politically dependent,” said one participant. Ukraine Introduction he media situation in Ukraine is a contradictory one. The advertis- ing market is developing rapidly, with revenues doubling during 2003 and the outlook optimistic. In most regions of the country, there are stable, profitable newspapers that operate as media businesses, making their money through advertising and circulation. But at the same time, most newspapers continue to be subsidized by politicians, governmen- tal bodies, or both. In the broadcast sector, government and political forces keep all national channels and many regional channels under tight rein. T Journalistic and ethical standards remain relatively low at most mass-media outlets, and the outlook for freedom of expression protec- tions is dire. It is in editorial practices, more so than in their business performance, that most media outlets fall short. But panelists noted that the strong—and, some said, increasing—control of the media by business and political interests has created problems on the business side as well for some outlets. And even when media outlets are pri- vately owned, the government and political powers are able to exercise significant influence over their operations.