Kyiv - 2007

Transcription

Kyiv - 2007

Kyiv - 2007
© International Renaissance Foundation, 2007
I
nternational Renaissance Foundation (IRF) has been working since 1990 and is a part of
the Open Society Institute network, founded by George Soros, American financier
and philanthropist, and incorporating national and regional foundations in more than thirty
countries around the world, in particular in the Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, the US
and in former USSR countries.
Since the beginning of its operation, the strategic priority of the International Renaissance
Foundation activities has been the development of the open civil society in Ukraine, the
society in which each member is not indifferent to the rights and obligations, takes part in
the social life and is ready to bear responsibility for on one’s own behalf and on behalf of the
community.
IRF provides an on-going support for public initiatives aimed to ensure honest and fair
expression of people’s will.
In 2007 IRF provided financial, expert and organizational support for election initiatives. Those
included supporting of National exit poll, NGOs’ monitoring and independent coverage of
election campaign by media, and information and public awareness campaign. In order to
overcome political populism and create favorable condition for conscious choice, IRF focused
its efforts on informing citizens about the programs of the political parties and blocs taking
part in the elections, analyzing political forces’ approaches to solve the most urgent social
problems, and familiarization of the public with previous and new promises of candidates.
Within the activities that were carried out with the IRF support during the Parliamentary
Election 2007 the most significant are:
•
Monitoring research in ten Ukrainian regions during the inter-election year 2006-2007
•
Launch and activities support of the Civil Assembly of Ukraine
•
Support of monitoring and independent coverage of the election campaign by media
within the framework of a joint program “Open Media Fund for Ukraine”
•
National Exit Poll’2007 financial support and coordination of activities of donor
organizations that co-financed it
•
Organization and conducting of TV debates on the “1+1” TV channel (Po
Po suti talk
show)
•
Creation of the Internet resource Responsible Choice-2007
The total amount of financial support provided by IRF in 2007
is US$ 578, 173 for 24 election-related projects.
To receive more information on and take part in public evaluation of these projects visit a web
page http://www.irf.kiev.ua/projects.
International Renaissance Foundation
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ORGANIZATION OF NATIONAL
EXIT POLL’2007
D
uring the parliamentary elections in 1998, 2002
and 2006, two rounds of presidential election
in 1999 and three rounds of election of President of
Ukraine in 2004, International Renaissance Foundation
along with the direct financial support of the National Exit
Poll Consortium also provides organizational assistance
in coordinating international donors’ activity.
The exit poll survey is held to exercise public oversight
of transparency of election and to provide the public with unbiased
and impartial information about political processes and public opinion.
Another objective of the exit poll is, undoubtedly, provision of information
to mass media and the public about the results of expression of people’s
will.
September 30, 2007 – the day of snap election of national deputies of
Ukraine – National Exit Poll Consortium that includes the Democratic
Initiatives Foundation, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology and
Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after
Oleksandr Razumkov carried out a survey among the voters at the
polling stations – National Exit Poll’2007. The survey covered 16,443
respondents who represented 33 million Ukrainian voters.
Survey results were presented in the national dimensions and broken
down into four regions:
Western region – Zakarpattia, Volyn, Rivne, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk,
Ternopil, Chernivtsi and Khmelnitskyi oblasts;
Central region – Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Poltava,
Sumy, Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts and the city of Kyiv;
Southern region – Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Odesa, Mykolaiv,
Kherson, Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts;
Eastern region – Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
The National Exit Poll’2007 project is financed by the Forum of
International Donors, which today includes the following organizations:
 Democracy Grants Program of US Embassy in Ukraine,
 The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine,
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 Danish Neighborhood Program under Danish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Small Grants Project of the Netherlands Embassy to Ukraine,
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation,
 International Renaissance Foundation
 National Endowment for Democracy (USA),
 Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation
(SIDA),
 Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (USA)
Project partners are Committee of Voters of Ukraine, Internews-Ukraine,
Laboratory F-4.
Results of a nation-wide survey were announced after the end of voting
on September 30 at 10.01 p.m. local time at the UNIAN information
agency.
The Democratic Initiatives Foundation invited international sociology
research companies to take part in the National Exit Poll’2007, including:
QEV Analytics (USA) and Yuri Levada Analytical Center (Russia).
Budget (from IRF): 54, 623 US dollars
More: www.exitpoll.org.ua
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“PO SUTI”. TV DEBATES
ON “1+1” CHANNEL
TV channel “1+1” upon the initiative and expert support
of the International Renaissance Foundation within the
framework of the 2007 election campaign presented
a joint project – a talk show Po suti”(presenter Vitaliy
Haidukevych). Six shows were aimed to cover and
provide an analysis of positions of the key players and
participants of the electoral process in certain important
spheres of social life and not to present political rhetoric
and populist slogans. The shows were broadcast live on
the “1+1” TV channel in September 2007.
The important social topics discussed by the show participants were
identified and announced in advance:
Economic policy:
•
Priority spheres of development of national economy. What and
how will provide for economic growth?
•
Policy of incomes of population. How will the income of population
be provided for?
•
Tax and regulatory policy. How is entrepreneurship going to be
regulated?
State administration policy:
•
Reform of public administration. How can we make the
government effective?
•
Constitutional reform and distribution of function of the
government and local self-government. How can we enhance
local self-government?
•
What will be done to establish cooperation between the power
and public organizations/transparency of approved decisions?
How can we make an official serve people?
Judiciary reform and independence of courts:
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•
The right to fair trial. How can we provide for it in Ukraine?
•
Selection/training of candidates for the post of a professional
judge; appointment/election of judges
•
Responsibility of judges (disciplinary, civil, criminal)
•
Overcoming corruption in the judicial power
•
Adequate financing of the judicial power. How can we provide
for it?
•
How to make court independent?
Reform of the health care sector:
•
How to improve the quality of medical care?
•
Insurance medicine
•
Equal access to quality medical service (financially and
geographically)?
•
How can we provide for the health of the nation? Fight against
cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis and other socially dangerous
diseases?
Reform of municipal and utilities infrastructure:
•
Housing policy for population
•
The quality of municipal and utilities service
•
Tariffs
Foreign policy priorities:
•
How does diplomacy protect national security of the country:
Ukrainian relations with neighbors, international organization,
directions of integration?
•
What is “economization” of the foreign policy? Providing for
power supply independence?
•
Foreign policy for ordinary people. Visa policy for Ukrainians and
protection of interests of Ukrainian labor migrants abroad.
Discussion of the ways to solve specific problems in the aforementioned
areas as well as participation of leading specialists and best independent
experts representing analytical NGOs made this talk show different from
other shows broadcast on different channels.
Participants of each show were representatives of three political parties
(blocs) running for parliament that according to the sociological surveys
as of the start of the election campaign had the highest indicators
and real chances of getting seats in the newly elected parliament.
Participants of the show were members of party lists who were selected
on the basis of their profession in accordance with the show subject.
The participants were not allowed to discuss issues beyond the show
subject.
For the first time not only political declarations were voiced but also
specific actions and ways of policy implementation and proposals
on reform of a respective branch as well as solutions to the specific
problem were presented.
Project budget: 176, 800 US dollars
More: www.1plus1.tv
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Informational and Analytical Campaign
RESPONSIBLE CHOICE–2007
W
ith IRF support, Information and
Analytical Center Public Space and
Open Society Foundation organized and
implemented an information and analytical
campaign Responsible Choice – 2007.
The campaign objective is to create conditions for a conscious choice
of Ukrainian citizens transferring a political fight to the sphere of efficient
competition of ideas and providing the citizens with unbiased information
about all participants of the election process.
Within the campaign framework, a web page was created www.
svidomo2007.org.ua, which accumulated information about the election
process participants: their programs, strategies, specific promises, and
results of their work in the past and current information.
Monitoring of political forces was carried out in three areas: availability
of a position on key issues, agreement between election programs
and information received from other sources, viability of proposals,
consistency of proposals with the previous election campaign, the stage
of party faction initiation of issues in accordance with their program and
continuity of approaches to formulation of program documents.
Based on the gathered information, leading experts analyzed and
evaluated programs and activities of political parties (using a scored
evaluation scale). Programs’ provisions were analyzed in six key areas:
public administration, judiciary reform, economic policy, foreign policy,
citizens’ health and municipal services.
Results of the expert analysis and evaluation of participants of the
election process were presented in a comparative (rating) table –
www.svidomo2007.org.ua/all2.html.
On the eve of the Election Day, project results were presented to the
mass media, NGOs, think tanks and the public.
Budget: 10,000 US dollars
More: www.svidomo2007.org.ua
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THE CIVIL ASSEMBLY
OF UKRAINE
P
olitical Crisis: Positions of Civil Society – under this name, the
first Civil Assembly of Ukraine (CAU) was held on July 24, 2007 in
Ukrainsky Dim (Kyiv). This so far unparalleled forum brought together
383 representatives of NGOs from all over Ukraine in order to formulate
a public request for the resolution of political crisis in the state.
The Assembly summarized and generalized results of 25 individual
regional discussions of the grounds of political and legal crisis to
develop recommendations on overcoming the crises in the interests
of the society as well as to formulate public requests for politicians’
behavior during the election campaign and after the snap election. In
its Resolution adopted as a basis, the Assembly points out that the main
threat of the current political crisis is an absence of rules of a game to be
shared by all citizens and unconditionally respected by all politicians. At
the central level of governance, a legal field has been virtually destroyed
which means a destruction of a legal framework in the state represented
by the Constitution. Governance has alienated itself from the people
and has been turned into commodity.
In the Resolution, participants of the Civil Assembly of Ukraine also
stated that Ukraine needs a new Constitution that is to answer the public
request for establishment and development of Ukrainian state and civil
society. In view of this, the Constitution is to be developed not by the
Presidential Secretariat and enacted by the Verkhovna Rada or through
a manipulated referendum, but only by a constituent body that will
represent interests of Ukrainian citizens and not of political players. In
the event when politicians ignore this principle, the citizens have a right
to initiate an immediate-effect referendum to establish a Constitution
Assembly institution.
Other requirements include organization of fair, transparent and
democratic parliamentary election campaign, which will be based on
a competition of programs and not on manipulation and speculation
technologies aimed to split Ukrainian society.
The Civil Assembly of Ukraine was held with organizational and financial
support of The International Renaissance Foundation.
More: http://maidan.org.ua/wiki/index.php/GAU
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Resolution of the Civil Assembly of Ukraine
We, the participants of the Civil Assembly of Ukraine, which is represented by about 350 public
unions, state that 2007 political crisis was inevitable and was determined by a set of political,
legal, social and cultural factors.
The political crisis in Ukraine did not begin on March 31, 2007 and it will not finish with
holding election on September 30. The current political crisis is not only constitutional reform
failure, which has disputable legitimacy, disintegration of the constitutional legal proceeding,
political corruption, dismissal of the Parliament and extraordinary elections. It only the results of
state formation process without support on civil society and without consideration of political,
economic and social interests of a major part of citizens. It is the consequence of inability of the
political elite to develop a clear development strategy of Ukraine in the competitive world that
is rapidly globalizing. It is the result of the inherited soviet form of the Ukrainian state system,
misunderstanding interconnection of own and national interests and also ignoring the highest
priority of realizing human and citizen rights by the state. All this is the fundamental reason
for the current Ukrainian crisis. This crisis is a challenge not only for the power and political
environments. It is a challenge for the whole society and, first of all, for us, representatives of
hundred civil organizations from all regions of Ukraine.
The main danger of the present political crisis is the absence of the rules of the game shared
by all citizens and which are adhered to by all politicians. At the level of the central power there
has been actual destruction of the legal field and the legal framework of the state, which is the
Constitution. There has been complete alienation of power from the citizens and transformation
of this power into a commodity.
Therefore we, the participants of the Civil Assembly of Ukraine, realizing the responsibility
to all Ukrainian citizens and apprehending the specifics of the historical moment of the coming
extraordinary parliamentary elections and the necessity of revision of the Constitution of Ukraine,
declare:
The Constitution is the basic rules that are approved by and adhered to by the society,
which acts as the basis for the development of state. Ukraine requires a new Constitution, not a
compromise of the elites or clans, but a real new public agreement.
The new Constitution has to realize the request of citizens for the formation and development
of the Ukrainian state. For this reason the Constitution is to be developed not by the Secretariat
of the President of Ukraine and approved by the Verkhovna Rada or manipulating referendum,
but exceptionally by the Constitutional Assembly – a constituent body which virtually establishes
a new republic, the state of citizens.
We demand that the President of Ukraine, other public servants and leading political forces:
1. Conduct an honest, transparent and democratic electoral campaign on the basis of
competitive programs, but not speculative or manipulation technologies, especially
those which are aimed at the split in the society.
To inform the electors about the reality of pre-election promises and the availability of
more detailed programs of the development of the country we charge CAU organizing
committee with holding a survey (questionnaire poll) of the participants of the electoral
process and making its comparative analysis to inform the public about its results. We
address mass media with a request to make these results public.
2. Approve of the changes to the Constitution, which would provide for the convocation of
the constituent meeting – the Constitutional Assembly to adopt the new Constitution of
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Ukraine, whose delegates will not have a right to be elected in any public authorities for
10 years and will adopt the fundamental law not for themselves and their the parties, but
for the citizens of the state.
In the event of failure to perform this requirement we will initiate holding a referendum
of the direct action pursuant to Article 72 of the Constitution of Ukraine in respect of
changing Articles 155, 156 of the Constitution of Ukraine to introduce the institute of the
Constitutional Assembly.
3. Hold public discussions of the conceptions and drafts of the Constitution of Ukraine and
preparation of the new Constitution as a new public agreement between the Ukrainian
citizens and efficient model of state management, which is able to provide for successful
self-development of the Ukrainian society and competitive economy.
4. Introduce changes to Ukrainian legislation that will provide for:
• The creation of effective instruments of the citizens influence on authorities and control
of citizens over their actions and the actions of their public servants, in particular
through the approval of the new version of the Law “On Public Associations”.
• Giving the citizens back their right to directly participate in the elections without the
mediation of parties, introducing the system of open regional lists or partial return to
the majority electoral system (first of all while forming local self-government bodies),
nullification party imperative mandate.
• Making effective mechanisms of responsibility of the representatives of power,
elected by citizens, for the failure to perform and failure to realize their pre-election
programs, including deprivation of the position or mandate.
• Reform of the system of public administration, alteration of the system of the
independent legal proceeding, provision for independence of special public
authorities, which are to provide for realization of the rights of citizens, the freedom of
speech and balance between power and opposition.
As activists of Ukrainian public organizations we will be:
• Carry out wide-scope educational activities with the purpose of informing the Ukrainian
society about threats that it may face and proposals regarding overcoming same;
• Hold campaigns of public influence with the purpose of adopting changes to
Ukrainian legislation mentioned in clause 4, convening the Constitutional Assembly,
development and realization of development strategy of Ukraine.
• Activate the citizens’ participation in public life and managing the community, region
and country;
• Initiate the partnership between different institutions and propose effective models
of solving local, regional and national problems, including as concrete law and rule
making initiatives;
• Control actions of the bodies of power and political forces by the society;
• Protect the rights of Ukrainian citizens at all level.
Fellow-citizens!
Our indifference, activity and consistence shall be guarantee for getting Ukraine out of
the crisis and building up a successful Ukrainian state based on the interests of civil
society.
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MONITORING OF INTER-ELECTION
YEAR OF 2006-2007
I
n September 2007 the analysis results of the after
Parliamentary election 2006 changes was published
in the book Ukraine: Year after Election. Regions
monitoring, edited by I.O. Kohut; Laboratory of Legislative
Initiatives – Kyiv-Lviv. Publishing House “Мс”, 2007
The book generalizes results of monitoring held in ten
Ukrainian oblasts during one year after the parliamentary
election in 2006. Authors of the book focused their
attention primarily on changes that took place in the after-election
period as well as the main trends observed in social, political and
economic life of the regions. Information about each monitored region
was presented in four blocks: politics and power, civil society, mass
media and business-climate.
The NGO Consortium that united Laboratory of Legislative Initiatives,
OPORA Public Network and Committee of Voters of Ukraine carried
out the research with support of International Renaissance Foundation.
Project implementation also involved regional partner organizations:
Center for Political Analysis and Election Consulting (Lutsk), Center
for Regional Policy Studies (Sumy), Slobozhanskyi Regional Center
(Kharkiv).
The monitoring was carried out in 10 regions: Vinnytsia, Volyn, Donetsk,
Lviv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Cherkasy and Chernihiv oblasts
of Ukraine and included preparation of regional reports, organization of
presentations and discussions in the regions, development of analytical
conclusions and generalizations. Project implementation process
was covered by regional media, at various methodological seminars
attended by experts from Moscow Carnegie Center, representatives of
think-tanks and civil society organizations from Armenia and Moldova.
The book Ukraine: Year after Election. Regions monitoring generalizes
the first experience of independent regular monitoring of the regions with
the help of various expert tools and methods. These materials can be
useful for the governmental and political agencies, academic research
organizations and education institutions, analysts in such spheres and
policy, local self-governance, business, civil society and mass media.
Budget: 43, 750 US dollars
More: www.parliament.org.ua
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THE INDEPENDENT MULTIMEDIA
CENTER IN UNIAN
I
n order to provide the broadest coverage of public
opinions related to the early parliamentary election
campaign developments in 2007 and to present results
of the national exit poll, joint initiatives and projects,
International Renaissance Foundation in conjunction with
the UNIAN and Democratic Initiatives Foundation within
the framework of activities of Independent Multimedia
Center initiated special briefings and press conferences
Parliamentary Election-2007: Participation of Public
Organizations.
The initiative included:
 Press conference Specific Features of Program and Ideology
Discussion (Debates) of Snap Election 2007. Participants of the press
conference were Ihor Kohut (Laboratory of Legislative Initiatives), Ihor
Burakovsky (Institute of Political Studies and Economic Consultations),
Ihor Koliushko (NGO Center for Political and Legal Reforms), Volodymyr
Horbach (Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation), Valeriy Chalyy
(Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after
Oleksandr Razumkov) and Roman Kobets (NGO Ideal Country).
The main problems discussed at the press conference
were analysis of election programs from the point of view
of logics of reforms suggested by the principal political
forces, viability of individual promises and readiness
of the society to corresponding changes. Experts
also discussed such issues as public administration
reform and strengthening of local self-governance,
depoliticization of certain areas in economic and social
spheres and responsibility of political elite for foreign
policy and safety policy. At the press conference,
there were also presented results of the TV-project “Po
suti” that was implemented jointly with the “1+1” TV-channel and the
information and analytical campaign “Responsible Choice – 2007».
 Press conference on the results of pre-election monitoring of
information and summary TV shows , national and regional newspapers,
Internet pages, political talk shows, election TV debates and summary
political programs broadcast on 10 central Ukrainian TV channels.
The monitoring was conducted to study the status of adherences to the
standards of journalists’ ethics in coverage of the election campaign
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as well as respect for the rights of journalists and media. Participants
of the pres conference reported the most widespread violations of
journalists’ rights and provided a general assessment of mass media
activities during the early parliamentary election process.
Leading Ukrainian media experts presented the main
trends in coverage of pre-election campaign with regard
to contents and quality of information products as well
as voters’ access to information necessary to make a
conscious choice.
The press conference was attended by Natalia
Lihachova (NGO Telekritika), Viktoria Siumar (Institute
of Mass Information), Tetiana Kotiuzhynska (Association
of Media Lawyers), Valeriy Ivanov (International Charity
Fund Ukrainian Press Academy) and Oleksandr Chekmyshev (Equal
Opportunities Committee).
 Announcement of results of the National Exit Poll’2007
Within the framework of activities of the Independent Multimedia Center,
on September 30, 2007 at 10.01 P.M. local time, results of the National
Exit Poll’2007 were announced. The poll was conducted
by a consortium that included the Democratic Initiatives
Foundation, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology
(KIIS) and Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political
Studies named after Oleksandr Razumkov.
The press conference was attended by Ilko Kucheriv
(Democratic Initiatives Foundation), Volodymyr Panioto
(KIIS), Volodymyr Bychenko (Oleksandr Razumkov
Center), Elegia Skochylas (QEV Analytics (USA), Oleksii
Levinson (Yuri Levada Analytical Center (Russia).
Results of the national exit poll and other initiatives were also presented
on September 30, 2007 on the leading Ukrainian TV channels during
the election night TV shows: Inter, 1+1, ICTV, UT-1, Channel 5, NTN
and Channel 24.
More: www.unian.net
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OPEN MEDIA FUND PROGRAM
FOR UKRAINE
JOINT INITIATIVE OF IRF, INTERNEWS-NETWORK AND US
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
Within the framework of the competition Independent Coverage
of the Snap Elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine 250,000 US
dollars were allocated to support 19 projects
Name of organization:
INSTITUTE OF MASS INFORMATION
Project description: Series of regional training for
journalists “Professional Skill for Covering Election
Campaign”
Project coordinator: Victoria Siumar
Contact information: 461 90 23, [email protected]
Over the period of project implementation, 6 training
workshops were delivered in Cherkasy, Poltava, Kirovohrad, Sumy,
Kharkiv and Chernihiv. Total number of workshop participants was
83 journalists. Trainings were condacted by well known media
specialists Victoria Siumar (Institute of Mass Information, journalists’
aspect), Roman Holovenko (media lawyer) and Serhii Hus
(Independent Media trade Union of Ukraine, aspect – protection
of professional rights). The main objective of the training was to
provide the participants with the skills necessary for media work
during the election and share experience of covering election
developments. Moreover, the workshops were organized in a
very limited period so that journalists could use the acquired skills
during the snap parliamentary election campaign 2007.
INSTITUTE OF MASS INFORMATION
Project description: Monitoring of Violation of Journalists’ and
Mass Media Rights during Parliamentary Election Campaign
Project coordinator: Victoria Siumar
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Since July 2007 the Institute was monitoring the rights of
journalists related to the election campaign. During this period,
we reported 5 instances of assault and battery of journalists
(the most known case – beating of the press photographers of
the Sehodnia [Today] newspaper), 11 instances of censorship
and pressure on journalists (Ihor Slisarenko Channel 5, Zurab
Alasania (Kherson Oblast State TV company), 12 suits against
mass media outlets and journalists as well as numerous
infringements of ethical standards in media during the election
campaign.
Due to the monitoring, some of these facts were broadly covered
in the press and the media initiative facilitated resolution of
conflicts. The preliminary summary of aforementioned data was
used as a basis for a report of the Sub-Commission on Freedom
of Speech presented at a session of the National Commission
for Development of Information Sphere under the President of
Ukraine on August 29, 2007.
ASSOCIATION COMMON SPACE
Project description: 60-day-long daily monitoring of information
and summary TV shows, national and regional newspapers
and Internet pages to ensure adherence to the standards of
journalism in covering the election campaign and monitor
violations of legislative requirements in relationships between
the government, mass media and journalists.
Project coordinator: Yurii Nesteriak
Contact information: 483 19 59,
[email protected]
The project Conscious Choice Barometer envisaged organization
of monitoring of the status of adherence to the standards of
journalism in covering the election campaign and monitoring
of adherence to the standards of freedom of speech and
violations of legislative requirements in relationships between
the government, mass media and journalists.
The all-Ukrainian monitoring was organized within the framework
of projects Ukrainian Monitor, Political advertising Barometer
and Conscious Choice Barometer from August 1 to September
24, 2007 using the methods of content-analysis and expert
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analysis of the contents of TV shows as well as the method of
comparing the presenter’s text, off-screen text and the “picture”.
These are the recognized international methods of monitoring
election campaigns in mass media that a re similar to those that
were used by OSCE election observation missions in Ukraine,
Balkan states and other post-Soviet and former USSR states in
1998-2006.
The monitoring covered Ukrainian information and summary
TV shows: “Podrobytsi” (Inter), “Podrobytsi tyzhnia” (Inter),
“ISN” (“1+1”), “TSN-pidsumky” (“1+1”), “Chas” (Channel 5),
“Fakty” (ICTV), “NOvyny” (NTKU), “Vchasno. Pidsumky” (NTN),
“24 hodyny” (Tonis), “Vikna” (STB), Reporter (“New Channel”),
TRK “Ukraina”; national newspapers “Mirror Weekly”, “Facts
and Comments”, “Ukraine Young”, “Today”, “Rural News”,
“Newspaper Ukrainian Style”, “Komsomolskaya Pravda in
Ukraine”; leading Internet resources: Ukrainska pravda,
Obozrevatel, Glavred, UNIAN, ProUa; as well as representative
sampling of the major TV-channels in 24 regions.
In addition to the monitoring of news on TV, press and the
Internet, all-Ukrainian monitoring of political advertising in the
prime-time was also conducted for a representative sampling of
major national and regional TV channels.
The project results were as follows:
•
The majority of news reports about participants of the election
race were so-called “political jeans” [broadcast order];
•
Ukrainian media did not make a clear distinction between
presentation of political leaders and political personalities;
•
Distinction made between the three “leaders” and four “outsiders”
during the election campaign left no alternatives for those voters
who did not make up their minds;
•
Journalists used fewer evaluation statements than before but
still demonstrated direct or indirect sympathies and resorted to
media effects;
•
In the Internet in terms of information scope, the 2007 election
was covered more actively than in 2006;
•
The press both in the center and in the regions was more
polarized in its sympathies;
•
Ukrainian regions were polarized in terms of the political
advertising volumes – more in Southern and Eastern Ukraine,
less in Central and Northern regions
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On September 25, according to the project implementation plan,
a press conference was held in the Interfax-Ukraine to present a
preliminary report on monitoring results.
More: http://prostir-monitor.org
ACADEMY OF UKRAINIAN PRESS
Project description: Content-analysis of news reports in
electronic media; monitoring of adherence to the standards for
journalists covering election campaign
Project coordinator: Valeriy Ivanov
During the monitoring of mass media, the Ukrainian Press
Academy carried out the following activities: identification of the
status and dynamics of political contents in the news programs
on 10 major TV channels; monitoring survey of the scope
and contents of political advertisements of parties and blocs
broadcast by 10 TV channels.
Content-analysis of news and advertising covered 10 leading
Ukrainian TV channels (UT-1, “1+1”, “Inter”, STB, “New Channel”,
Channel 5, ICTV, “Tonis”, NTN, TRC “Ukraina”).
The snap parliamentary election in Ukraine was the major
subject of the news programs. The topic was additionally
stimulated by active discussion of social problems in the news,
gradual reduction of conflict and negative context of political
news, increased attention to political parties because of political
personalities and political institutions.
During the monitoring, the following advertising strategies of
various channels were identified: preference was given to
advertising clips; channels were greatly differentiated in terms of
the scope of advertising and anti-advertising.
In September, the most active players on the political advertising
arena were the major figures of the 2007 election (4 out of
21 participants). Survey results demonstrated greater share
of advertising messages depicting the leaders than before.
Another intrinsic part of advertising products is anti-advertising.
In terms of shares of the pro і contra in advertising, more time
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was allocated to the contra. In the focus of anti-advertising
were the main candidates for the majority in the newly elected
parliament.
More: http://www.aup.com.ua
CENTER FOR UKRAINIAN REFORM EDUCATION
Project description: creation of a network of regional press
clubs of the Center for Ukrainian Reform Education in 24
Ukrainian oblasts to ensure unbiased and impartial coverage of
election process in regional media.
Project coordinator: Iryna Movchan
Contact information: 490-6988, [email protected]
The project Development of Network of Independent Public
Press Centers for Unbiased and Impartial Coverage of Election
Process in Regional Media was aimed to ensure dissemination
of true and unbiased information about preparation for and
conduct of the early parliamentary election in Ukraine. Since the
election race 2007 is limited in time, political parties carry out
active and even aggressive election campaigns and promotion
of their platforms. In order to make it easier for the voters to cope
with the immense amount of information and receive unbiased
impartial data about the participants of the election process, the
CURE regional press clubs were used as a basis uniting regional
journalists in order to establish a network of independent public
press centers (IPPC). Each regional IPPC organized and held
media events (press conferences, briefings, debates, etc) on a
daily basis for all participants of the election process – political
parties as well as mass media representatives and experts. The
IPPC served as the source of information that provided everyone
with the most complete and updated information about the
current status of the election process. Each IPPC also prepared
a periodical digest of election campaign developments and
events. Before a launch of the project (August 1, 2007), the
Center for Ukrainian Reform Education held consultations with
all press clubs belonging to the CURE network. Participants of
the consultations agreed to organize a series of joint meeting
for all press clubs. The topics for discussion at such meetings
included:
19
Election [Odesa] Style: Getting Acquainted with Principal
Players of Season 2007 (with the following agenda):
•
What are the main differences between the current
campaign of your headquarters and the previous one?
•
Election-2007: what does your party offer the voters in
[Odessa] region?
•
What s the meaning of “freedom of speech” and “freedom
of press” as seen by your party?
•
How is your headquarters going to organize its work with
the local press? What were the selection criteria for the
press secretary of your headquarters?
•
To which extent will activities of your headquarters be
open and transparent for the regional press journalists?
Party Election Lists: Gender Aspect (invited participants were
heads of the major election headquarters who spoke about the
number of female candidates on their party lists and explained
their reasons).
Election Programs: Business Aspect (invited participants
were 5-6 heads of the major election headquarters. Each of them
presented the views and intentions of their party on development
of small and medium business in the region.)
In addition to the aforementioned general topics for discussion,
each independent public press center held 5-10 press
conferences, briefings and media events for individual parties
and blocs. Furthermore, the IPPC staff prepared regular
“election” digests. Media events organized by the IPPC
were usually attended by 10-15 journalists from the printed
media, radio and television; after the results of a media event,
3-5 articles in average appeared in the press and 5-10 reports
were broadcast on local television and radio. The project was
implemented in all Ukrainian oblasts.
DONETSK PRESS CLUB
Project description: organization of an oblast conference for
local media on mass media activities during elections, discussion
of shortcomings and peculiarities of election legislation,
possible violations, etc with invited leading Ukrainian experts
20
in election law; preparation of 9 issues of an electronic bulletin
to be circulated among local media and NGOs; publication of
4 insertions to a periodical with unbiased presentation of the
election campaign developments; dissemination of an instruction
booklet for journalists
Project coordinator: Tetiana Stroy
Contact information: (062) 345 17 95,
[email protected]
September 4, 2007 one-day oblast conference Legal Aspects
of Media Coverage of 2007 Election Campaign was held
for representatives of oblast and local mass media to discuss
media activities during the election, shortcomings and specifics
of election legislation, explain amendments to the Law of
Ukraine On Elections of National Deputies of Ukraine, possible
violations, ways to avoid them, etc. The conference was held in
cooperation with Donetsk oblast organization of the Committee
of Voters of Ukraine. The main presenters were representatives
of oblast state administration, CVU, representative of the OSCE
Coordinator Office in Ukraine and representatives of various
NGOs. Conference participants also were editors-in-chief of
oblast and local printed media, representatives of TV and radio
companies, Internet publications, journalists’ trade unions and
journalists who covered the election campaign (total – nearly
50 persons).
Within the project framework, a weekly newsletter was also
published (first newsletter appeared on September 8), which
covered the main developments of the election campaign-2007
that took place in Donetsk oblast. The newsletter was distributed
to local mass media and NGOs via e-mail. About 70 local mass
media outlets as well as about 30 NGOs received regular
impartial information about political developments in Ukraine.
Besides, digests were posted at http://donetsk.cure.org.ua.
There were also published three separate columns for an insertion
to a periodical “Express TV” (circulation – 50,000 copies) that
informed the voters of Donetsk about political events, specific
details of election legislation and results of various sociological
surveys. The last insertion issue appeared on September 27
and contained information about the rights and responsibilities
of voters, behavior at a polling stations as well as changed
requirements for submission of a request for voting at home.
21
We also published an instruction booklet for journalists who
covered the course of voting to tell then about their rights and
responsibilities and rules of behavior at a polling station (number
of copies – 200).
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA-CENTER ALLIANCE
Project description: Organization of round tables in Luhansk
and Sverdlovsk to discuss articles of the Election Law
on mass media activities. Involvement of authorities into the
discussion
Project coordinator: Natalia Tereshchenko
Contact information: (0642) 53-00-35,
[email protected]
August 30 and September 6, round tables were held in Luhansk
and Sverdlovsk. Project consultants prepared handouts with
information about the fundamental legal principles of journalists’
activities in the information space during the lection campaign
period – available in electronic form and in hard copies. Answers
to participants’ questions were provided. The round table held
in Luhansk was attended by 40 persons – representatives of
mass media from 24 towns of Luhansk oblast: Melove, Popasne,
Krasnyi Luch, Bilovodsk, Kremenna, Sverdlovsk, Novopskov,
Stakhanov, Lysychansk, Slovianoserbsk, Rubizhne, Markovka,
Novoaidar, Perevalsk, Alchevsk, Brianka, Bilokurakino,
Starobelsk, Lutuhyno, Kirovsk, Antratsyt, Troitsk and Pervomaisk,
departments of journalism and law studies of Eastern Ukrainian
National University named after V.Dal. The round table held in
Sverlovsk was attended by 20 participants who represented
printed and electronic mass media from 5 cities and towns in
Luhansk region: Krasnodon, Sverdlovsk, Rovenky, Antratsyt and
Krasnyi Luch.
More: http://timeofchange.com.ua/index.php?lang=ru&section=
project&sub=USAID/IRF&id=84
22
COMMITTEE FOR MONITORING OF FREEDOM OF PRESS IN CRIMEA
Project description: Monitoring of violations of a right to
freedom of speech and information inn the Autonomous
Republic of Crimea; publication of monitoring results and
provision of qualified legal and information assistance for
journalists
Project coordinator: Volodymyr Prytula
Contact information: (0652) 27-69-65,
[email protected]
With relation to the early parliamentary election in Ukraine,
the Committee for Monitoring Freedom of Speech in Crimea
monitored the status of adherence to the norms of Ukrainian and
international legislation in this sphere and in the sphere of mass
media freedom as well as respect for journalists’ rights in the
Autonomous Republic of Crimea during the election campaign.
The project continues to provide legal advice to independent
media and journalists of mass media regardless of the form
of ownership. The project envisaged monitoring of the status
of freedom of speech in Crimea during the election campaign
and assistance for journalists and mass media at a local level.
Within the framework of the project, information was gathered
and published on a regular basis about violations of freedom
of speech principles in Crimea, petition campaigns to protect
journalists were organized and legal assistance provided.
On the eve of the election day (September 29), on the election
day (September 30) and the day after the election day (October
1, 2007), a “hotline” to provided assistance and consultations for
journalists was working.
Within the framework of the project, the Committee cooperated
with the Legal Consulting Center whose qualified specialists
(Emine Avamilieva, Arsen Osmanov and Safia Shabanova)
provided legal advice to independent mass media and journalists
from the media of all forms of ownership.
23
ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA LAWYERS
Project description: training for judges of administrative courts
and media lawyers to prepare them for work during the 2007
early parliamentary election in Ukraine; provision of information
to regional journalists about the specifics of election campaign;
protection of journalists’ rights through provision of legal
assistance.
Project coordinator: Liudmyla Pankratova
[email protected]
The project envisaged organization of a competition to select
participants training workshops. Over 50 lawyers from all regions
took part in the competition; 25 participants were selected.
July 28 through August 2, 2007 the workshop was held on
“Practices of Resolution of Conflicts Related to Election Process”
attended by 26 media lawyers.
it was also organized a conference for media lawyers and editors
of mass media: “Media Activities during Election Process”
held in Kyiv in the Conferences Hall of the hotel “Ukraina” on
August 18, 2007. Participants of the conference were lawyers
of the “Halychyna” TV (Ivano-Frankivsk), “UT-1”, Channel 5, TVchannels “Inter”, “К1”, Volyn Oblast TV and Radio Company,
“New Channel”, “Business Channel”, World Service UTR, radiochannels “Melody”, “Kyiv”, “Gala”, newspapers “Democratic
Ukraine”, “Chernihiv Monitor”, “Gazette 24”, “Evening News”
and other. 63 participants attended the conference.
On the eve of the election day, a series of round tables was
organized for journalists in all regions of Ukraine – “Election Day
for Mass Media” to discuss: 1) journalists’ rights during election;
2) claims against mass media during the election process; 3)
claims against mass media from the ex-candidates; 4) grounds
for discharging the media from liability.
The round tables were held in:
1. Kherson (September 24) – 12 journalists, trainer О. Burmahin,
М. Hrinishak;
2. Rivne (September 24) – 11 journalists, trainer Т. Holuboka;
3. Kyiv (September 25) – 29 journalists, trainer L. Oprishko,
T. Kotiuzhynska;
24
4. Kyiv region (September 25) – 14 journalists, trainer
L. Oprishko, L. Pankratova;
5. Lutsk (September 25) – 17 journalists, trainer V. Hurskyi,
T. Holuboka;
6. Simferopol (September 25) – 12 participants, trainer
P. Oviechkin;
7. Poltava (September 25) – 20 journalists + students, trainer
I. Fedorenko;
8. Donetsk (September 17) – 30 journalists of regional media;
25 September - 14 journalists, trainer N. Hranovska;
9. Kharkiv (September
I. Fedorenko;
26)
–
14
journalists,
trainer
10. Vinnytsia (September 26) – 11 journalists, trainer D. Vahin;
11. Khmelnytskyy (September 25) – 9 journalists, trainer
D. Vahin;
12. Chernihiv (September
О. Burmahin;
27)
–
11
journalists,
trainer
13. Mykolaiv (September
М. Hrinishak;
27)
–
23
journalists,
trainer
14. Odesa (September 27) – 15 journalists, trainer О. Burmahin,
М. Hrinishak;
15. Sumy (September 18) - 14 journalists, trainer I. Fedorenko;
16. Luhansk (27
O. Kovalenko;
September)
–
10
journalists,
trainer
17. Ternopil (September 27) – 12 journalists, trainer V. Hurskyi;
18. Zhytomyr (September
T. Levchuk;
27)
–
25
journalists,
trainer
19. Ivano-Frankivsk (September 27) – 12 journalists, trainer
U. Vasylyk;
20. Uzhgorod (September
A. Bachynska;
27)
–
16
journalists,
trainer
18. Chernivtsi (September 26) – 6 journalists, trainer V. Hurskyi;
21. Kirovohrad (September 28) – 15 journalists, trainer
О. Burmahin;
22. Cherkasy (September
L. Oprishko;
27)
–
8
journalists,
trainer
23. Zaporizhia (September 26) – 12 journalists, trainer
L. Oprishko;
24. Dnipropetrovsk (September 26) – 25 journalists, trainer
L. Oprishko, І. Voron
25
ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA LAWYERS
Project description: Provision of on-going legal and advisory
support to journalists of mass media from all Ukrainian regions to
protect their rights provided for in Ukrainian election legislation
during the election process
Project coordinator: Tetiana Kotiuzhynska
[email protected]
The following activities were carried out in accordance with the
project objectives:
26
•
In August-September, journalists and mass media
received 168 legal consultations;
•
In September, interests of mass media were represented
in 4 court proceedings;
•
Regular publication in printed media and on webresources of report on activities of the Coordination
Center for Journalists’ Rights during the election.
Information was published by over 100 resources
(60 Ukrainian-language; 40 Russian-language);
•
Materials were updated: amendments to the Election
Law, new resolution and explanations from the Central
Election Commission, court decisions – were added to
the manual for journalists “Election Day for Mass Media:
journalists’ rights during election; claims against mass
media during the election process; claims against mass
media from the ex-candidates; grounds for discharging
the media from liability”;
•
Press-releases about activities of the Coordination Center
were prepared, posted on web-resources and distributed
in hard copies;
•
Manual for journalists was published and circulated:
“Election Day for Mass Media: journalists’ rights during
election; claims against mass media during the election
process; claims against mass media from the excandidates; grounds for discharging the media from
liability” and a separate book “Law of Ukraine On
Elections of National Deputies of Ukraine” – total number
of copies: 1, 200.
The manuals were handed out to the journalists within the
framework of the project “Training for judges of administrative
courts and media lawyers to prepare them for work during the
2007 early parliamentary election in Ukraine”.
Legal consultations were provided to media from all over
Ukraine. Consultations were requested mainly by the TV and
radio companies that were apprehensive of possible sanctions
from the National Council on TV and Radio Broadcasting of
Ukraine. Absolute leaders in terms of the number of applications
for consultations on compliance with the requirements of the
Lection Law by individual media were the TRK Ukraina and the
Sehodnia [Today] newspaper. One should also mention that the
organization provided legal support to the project “TV Debates”
on Channel 5.
Journalists’ questions concerned distinctions between
information and campaigning, legitimacy of publication of
information, interviews of candidates for national deputies as
well as publication assessment of presentations and reports of
chairs of various councils, publication of controversial materials
of the election campaign containing negative information about
other participants of the lection process. There were also many
questions concerning correctness of agreements on pre-election
campaigning.
A separate discourse concerned journalists’ and citizens’ access
to information about the candidates. The Election Law does not
require provision of detailed information about the candidates
or parties (blocs) and thus, information about the sources of
parties’ financing, incomes and houses of candidates was not
available.
KHARKIV OBLAST BRANCH OF
COMMITTEE OF VOTERS OF UKRAINE
Project description: organization of a workshop in Kharkiv
“Fundamental Legal Principles of Mass Media Activities during
2007 Early Parliamentary Election”
Project coordinator: Mykhailo Kamchatnyi
Contact information: (057)719 9936,
[email protected]
27
August 15, 2007 Kharkiv department of the Committee of Voters
of Ukraine held a workshop Fundamental Legal Principles
of Mass Media Activities during 2007 Early Parliamentary
Election for journalists, editors-in-chief and financial managers
of regional media of Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts. 4 workshops
were held:
•
Legislative regulation of media status during the early
parliamentary election campaigning
•
Financial aspect of cooperation between the mass media
and political parties (blocs)
•
Restriction of freedom of expression of views during
parliamentary election
•
Main functions of the media during election campaign.
Ethical aspect
Training was delivered in an interactive form; the trainers
involved participants into a discussion and resolution of practical
problems; critical discussions were held. Invited trainers were
specialists in election legislation and public figures. Workshops
were attended by over 40 journalists working for media of
Kharkiv, raion press of Kharkiv oblast and Poltava.
For the workshop, a manual (45 pages) was developed and
published to explain the workshop topics.
EAST EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF MEDIA PROBLEMS
Project description: ensuring independence and impartiality
of electronic media during the 2007 election through provision
of legal support to them by organizing work of a legal support
line and dissemination of a free methodological manual on
participation of electronic media in the snap election campaign
Project coordinator: Svitlana Seliutina
[email protected]
In the course of project implementation, a “hot line” for journalists
was organized. Information about its work was forwarded to each
TV and radio company. The companies received 8 announcements from August 3 to September 24. Respectively, during the
period of the “hot line” work since August 3, 127 consultations
were provided to 127 TV and radio companies of Ukraine.
28
The hotline worked 35 days and nights from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.
local time. 78% requests were received by phone and 22% - via
e-mail. 87% requests received immediate responses. 13%
requests were answered in writing within 24 hours after the receipt.
There was also developed a manual “Legal Regulation of
Activities of TV and Radio Organizations during 2007 Election”
(1,000 copies circulated).
Project’s activities from August 6, 2007 to September 24, 2007,
helped 78 TV and radio companies avoid violations of election
law and work in accordance with the applicable Ukrainian
legislation.
TELEKRITIKA
Project description: Monitoring of TV news, political talk shows,
election TV debates and summary political shows broadcast
by 10 central Ukrainian TV channels during the 2007 election
campaign and after-election period.
Project coordinator: Natalia Lihachova-Chernolutska
[email protected]
Within the framework of the project Monitoring of TV news,
political talk-shows, election TV debates and summary political
shows broadcast by 10 central Ukrainian TV channels during the
2007 election campaign and after-election period, 14 information
materials were prepared:
•
When Leaders of Political Forces are Campaigning, Other
Kind of “Speakers” are Working in Talk-Shows // Otar
Dovzhenko, September 20, 2007 Monitoring of Political
Tv-shows, September 10-16, 2007
•
Anatolii Hrytsenko Turned into Third Speaker of “Our
Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense” // Petro Burkovskyi,
Serhii Chernenko for “Telekritika”, September 17, 2007
...according to frequency of appearance on TV screens
and importance of messages. Monitoring of political
technologies in media: September 8 – September 15, 2007
•
Overtime Rituals // Petro Burkovskyi, Serhii Chernenko
for “Telekritika”, August 29, 2007 Monitoring of political
technologies in media. August 2007
29
TV News
•
Three Direct Speeches by Derkach in One Program of
“Era” – Channels’ Revenge for “Telekritika”? :) // Nikolai
Kuziakin, September 25, 2007 Main News Subjects on
September 17 –23, 2007
•
Plagiarism from Arsen Avakov’s Weblog on “Ukraina
Channel – Warning of Problems between Party of Regions
and Communists? // Nikolai Kuziakin, September 20,
2007 Main News Subjects on September
10 –14, 2007. The author, though it is unprofessional, is
fed up with PR-campaign of Andrei Derkach
•
Yaroslava Oblomova – A Start on the NTN? // Nikolai
Kuziakin, September 12, 2007. Main News Subjects on
September 3-7, 2007. The number of ordered materials
in the majority news programs has been stabilized. At the
same time, the virtual action of politicians are mutually
“destroyed” because the viewers are drown in the PR
campaign
•
”Iryna Boiko” and “Ivan Dryhailo” Return // Nikolai
Kuziakin, “Telekritika”, September 4, 2007. Main News
Subjects on August 27 –31, 2007.
•
More and More “Jeans” … // Nikolai Kuziakin, “Telekritika”,
August 30, 2007. Main News Subjects on August 20-26,
2007
TV Weeklies
30
•
“Inter” Has Worked for Party of Regions for All Its Worth //
Nikolai Kuziakin, September 26, 2007. Review of summary
TV shows broadcast on September 23, 2007. Maksim,
did you also take part in journalists’ revolution in 2004
as a journalist of the First National Channel. Are you not
ashamed today?
•
Alla Mazur’s Non-Failure Debut and Oksana Sokolova’s
Adequacy of // Nikolai Kuziakin, September 21, 2007.
Review of summary TV shows broadcast on September
16, 2007
•
Interview as Embellishment of Summary News Programs
on the “Inter” Channel // Nikolai Kuziakin, September 13,
2007. Review of summary news programs broadcast on
September 2 and September 9. Weekly programs on the
“Inter” and ICTV are broadcast as before the summer
vacations. The “TSN” on the “1+1” channel cannot make
up its mind as to where it belongs to – the “smart” or the
“beautiful”
•
“Slavko Used to be Small and He Used to Have Curly Hair
as Well” // Andrii Kokotiukha for “Telekritika”, September
3, 2007. If the First School Day celebration is not only a
weekend day but also a day that is 29 days before the
election, then only a bad politician can miss that chance
•
Gag and Prank. Top of PR // Nikolai Kuziakin for
“Telekritika”, September 3, 2007. ON that side of idiocy^
TV news programs abound in report about childhood,
adolescence and youth of Ukrainian politicians
•
We are sorry to disturb you … // “Telekritika”, July 3, 2007.
Review of summary TV shows broadcast on July 1, 2007
INTERNEWS-UKRAINE
Project description: Information campaign to support the
leection process in Ukraine
Project coordinator: Oleh Moskalevych
Contact information: (044) 4584440,
[email protected]
To fulfill the project objective – mobilization of voters during
the early parliamentary election campaign 2007 by means of
creation and broadcasting social advertisement clips on TV and
radio – two focus groups were held to identify the information
and motivation needs of the voters and formulate the key
message for the clips. Target audience: youth and middle class
representatives. Based on the results of study carried out by
the focus groups, messages were formulated for use in the
social advertisement clips. During the next stage, scenarios for
the clips were developed; 2 vide Duration of each clip was 30
seconds. At the final stage of project implementation aimed to
facilitate the election process and provision of information to
the voters about their rights and responsibilities during the 2007
early parliamentary election in Ukraine, the clips were broadcast
on the First National Channel and regional TV channels.
After production of clips, the latter were presented for consideration
to the Central Election Commission, National Council of Ukraine
on TV and Radio Broadcasting and Secretariat of the President
31
of Ukraine. The clips received necessary approval. A decision
was adopted to facilitate broadcasting of the clips on national
and regional TV and radio channels.
September 19, 2007 the Sales Department of the NGO Internews
Ukraine forwarded the social advertisement clips to the First
National Channel and regional TV and radio stations. In general,
the clips were sent to fifty regional radio stations. The clips
were accompanied by letters of support from the Presidential
Secretariat and National Council of Ukraine on TV and Radio
Broadcasting asking the channels to broadcast the clips.
Additionally, the clips were forwarded to the Teleradiokurier for
further broadcasting by regional TV stations. In general, the
Teleradiokurier is planning to broadcast the clips on 200 regional
channels.
UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF PRESS PUBLISHERS (UAPP)
Project description: delivery of training to regional printed
media to enhance quality of their coverage of the election
campaign developments
Project coordinator: Oleksii Pohorielov
[email protected]
Is August-September 2007 in line with the project schedule aimed
to provide assistance to regional mass media during the preelection period, the UAPP performed the following activities.
1. 4 (four) round table discussions were organized in: August
2 – Rivne, August 9– Odesa, August 22– Chernihiv, August
29– Poltava.
In Rivne, the discussion was attended by about 30 editors’in-chief, heads of advertising departments and media law
experts. 10 of them represented leading media published in
Rivne; the rest represented media of neighboring oblasts.
(For more details see: http://www.uapp.org/content/view/
3125/121/)
In Odesa, apart from 42 experts and representatives of
printed media, participants of the round table included
representatives of 4 local TV channels. (For more details see:
http://www.uapp.org/content/view/3175/121/)
32
A round table held in Chernihiv was attended by 25
participants – publishers, editors and journalists from
Chernihiv and Chernihiv region. For more details see: http://
www.uapp.org/content/view/3232/121/)
A round table organized by the UAPP in Poltava was held
simultaneously with a very similar event organized by the
Institute of Mass Information. Despite the similarity of two
simultaneous events, the UAPP was able to gather at its
round table 18 publishers, correspondents and journalists
from Poltava and the region. (For more details see: http://
www.uapp.org/content/view/3251/121/)
2. Simultaneously, starting from September 1, UAPP organized
work of a “hot line” to provide legal support for publishers.
During the business hours a media law expert in a Q&A mode
provides consultations on any issues related to activities
of printed media during the early parliamentary election
campaign. The “hot line” receives on average 2-3 phone
calls a day.
UAPP on its web-site at (www.uapp.org ) in the “Legal
Services” section organized a “hot line” part in order to (а)
answer frequently asked questions, (b) publish especially
important questions and answers and (c) present the
selection of standard forms, applications, requests and other
typical documents.
INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF TV
AND RADIO BROADCASTERS
Project description: Organization of 4 workshops on “Rights
and Responsibilities of TV and Radio Companies as Election
Process Participants”
Project coordinator: Kateryna Miasnykova
Contact information: 290-98-76,
[email protected]
Within the project framework, four regional workshops were held
on Legal Principles of Activities of TV and Radio Organizations
during the 2007 Early Parliamentary Election Campaign:
August 20, 2007 – Dnipropetrovsk; August 21, 2007 – Simferopol;
August 29, 2007 – Ivano-Frankivsk; August 30, 2007 – Vinnytsia.
33
Participants of the workshops were 68 journalists and heads of
TV and radio organizations.
The workshop agenda included the following topics for
discussion:
•
Meaning of election campaigning and political advertising
in practice;
•
Development and dissemination of campaigning
materials – different processes and different prices;
•
Should election campaigning materials be only in
Ukrainian?
•
Delimitation of responsibility of TV and radio companies
and parties (blocs) for the contents of distributed
campaigning materials;
•
What materials about the election are not campaigning
materials and can be published free of charge?
•
How can impartiality and unbiased presentation of all
parties (blocs) as well as balance of presented information
be ensured in practice?
•
How can results of public opinion survey can be
disseminated (including surveys conducted by a TV and
radio organization), results of an exit poll and parallel
vote counting?
REGIONAL PRESS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
Project description: “Your Choice – 2007” – facilitating
conscious choice through creation of an electronic variant of
a special election attachment and its circulation with Ukrainian
regional press
Project coordinator: Kateryna Laba
Contact information: 458-34-93,
[email protected]
Project implementers published and circulated three issues of an
electronic periodical Your Choice – 2007 to facilitate conscious
choice of Ukrainian citizens at the early parliamentary election in
2007. On September 3, 10 and 17, three issues were forwarded
to the national and regional media. The issues were entitled
34
Voters’ Guide – 1. Subject-Based Analysis of Party Programs,
Subject-Based Analysis of Party Programs and Voters’
Guide – 2.
MEDIA LAW INSTITUTE
Project description: support of functioning of the Independent
Expert Council on Media Activities during Election
Project coordinator: Taras Shevchenko
[email protected]
The Media Law Institute (MLI) carries out an on-going monitoring
of election campaigning and conflict situations around the mass
media. The Institute also presents the monitoring results for
further development of reports and proposals aimed to improve
the election legislation.
During the period of project implementation the MLI prepared a
number of draft decisions that were approved by the Independent
Council on Media Activities during Election. The Expert Council
chaired by the Director of the Media Law Institute during the
period in question received applications from both various TV
and radio organizations, including regional organizations, and
political forces such as Party of Free Democrats and the Election
Bloc KUCHMA. During the period of project implementation, the
expert council adopted 13 resolutions; about half of them were
developed by the Media Law Institute.
There were also held two press conferences in the information
agency Interfax at which resolutions adopted by the expert
council were presented. The presentation for journalists included
the resolutions and dissenting opinions as well as the election
campaign materials in question.
Resolutions of the expert council were handed out not only
to the stakeholders but were also forwarded to the National
Council on TV and Radio Broadcasting of Ukrainian and posted
on the Internet publication “Telekritika” and distributed through
other internet-resources. This facilitated not only dissemination
and promotion of ideas but also evaluation by independent
observers.
35
INFORMATION PRESS-CENTER
Project description: ensuring transparency of the election
campaign and guarantees of the rights of journalists, mass
media and citizens to free access to information through creation
of a press center “Election -2007” on the basis of the Information
Press Center in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
Project coordinator: Vira Sobolieva
Contact information: 0652 25 15 48,
[email protected]
Within the framework of the project that strived to provide more
quality and true information to the citizens about the election
campaign developments and participants in the Autonomous
Republic of Crimea, it was organized a press- center “Election2007” in Simferopol. The press center provided equal
opportunities to the campaign participants for organization
of press conferences and round tables to discuss violations
of election legislation. It was also organized a workshop for
journalists and heads of mass media outlets for discussion
of violations of ethical norms and professional standards by
journalists and media in order to enhance their professional and
legal awareness level.
During the period of project implementation, the press center
held 7 conferences and 1 training session for journalists and
editors of TV and radio companies on Professional Standards
and Journalists’ Ethics: Election Specifics.
36

Kyiv - 2007

Transcription

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