On 6 July 2017 a press-conference “Underfinancing of the Public Broadcaster – threat to its independence and effectiveness” was held at the premises of information and news agency “Ukrinform”. The event was organised by the Supervisory Board of PJSC “National Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Company” (UA:PBC) with the support of the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening Freedom of Media and Establishing a Public Broadcasting System in Ukraine”,

Head of the Supervisory Board of UA:PBC Tetiana Lebedieva emphasized the importance of full financing of the Public Broadcaster: “Though it may seem to someone that the issue of UA:PBC is an narrow departmental matter, but in our opinion, it a question of national importance. After all, establishment of Public Broadcasting is one of the key reforms which brings Ukraine closer to the club of civilized countries. Therefore, the entire world, without any exaggeration, is following at the moment how this reform is being implemented”.

According to Мårten Ehnberg, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine the independence of public broadcasters is achieved through the independent management, independent editorial policy and proper financing. “The Council of Europe support with setting fully-fledged public broadcaster in line with the legislation in force was and remains the Council of Europe’s key priority”, he underlined.

Head of the Management Board of UA:PBC Zurab Alasania said: “We have to present a product in autumn. Viewers and listeners do not care about the reason why we are slow - they need to see the product. We have looked at the figures carefully and come to the conclusion that for the production of content for 28 TV and radio companies we have 13 million left. Underfinanced parts have to be added. These parts include funds not only for maintenance of the company but also for those changes which have to lead to real changes both in broadcasting and structure wise. This is step-by-step work which should be started now”.

Bohdan Chervak, First Deputy Head of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine (hereinafter – the State Committee) has assured that the State Committee as a shareholder is aware of its responsibility for not only steps that have been made already, but for the further steps as well. “We have given the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine all the documents related to the underfinancing sum. We have pointed out to the Ministry of Finance that it is a violation of the law, and that full financing of UA: PBC shall be ensured. We have eliminated the problem of underfinancing was possible due to bureaucratic procedures”, he said.

In his turn, Artem Bidenko, State Secretary of the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine said: “The Minister assured that he would lobby the issue of full financing of the Public Broadcaster before the Government. And that is actually happening. So, everything that the Public Broadcaster is entitled to get shall be paid. Premier Minister has recently stated that as well”.

Igor Rozkladai, lead expert of the RPR-Media Group, recalled that in 1994 the Minister of Information and Press of Ukraine signed the public broadcasting guidelines that defined the development and transformation of former state media in Eastern Europe. “In 2009 Council of Europe reminded that for independence and impartiality of the broadcaster there should be an proper financing. Our law stipulates that the public broadcaster is to receive UAH 1,28 billion. European Broadcasting Union recommended to set funding at the level of 2 billion. The state has to fulfil its financial obligation so that the broadcaster is able to change structure-wise and content-wise, which is the overall reason for the reform. We call upon the Parliament and the Government to ensure the amount of funding that belongs to Public Broadcaster by law”, the expert noted.

During the press-conference members of the UA:PBC Supervisory Board announced about their public appeal to the Parliament. They expressed their deep concern regarding the underfinancing of the Public Broadcasting in 2017 that poses a threat to the reform process.

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The Council of Europe Project “Strengthening Freedom of the Media and Establishing a Public Broadcasting System in Ukraine” aims to enhance the role of media and the Public broadcasting in particular as instruments for consensus building in the Ukrainian society. The Project is implemented in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2015-2017.

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