On October 26, 2021, 12:00 - 13:30, a discussion on state support for local print media, as well as a presentation of the report of the Council of Europe expert Marius Dragomir “State financial support for local print media: Council of Europe standards and European practices” will be held. The event is conducted online with the support of the Joint Project “EU and Council of Europe working together to support freedom of media in Ukraine” and in cooperation with the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine.

Participants will discuss the current state of local print media in Ukraine, forms of state financial support for print media on the example of the Council of Europe member states, the impact of new information and communication technologies and the Covid-19 pandemic on local print media, relevant Council of Europe standards, etc.

The 2015 Law on Reforming State and Municipal Print Media created the basis for the privatization of the local press, a process that began in January 2016. As a result, a total of 615 publications were reformed, which is about 96% of the total number of state and municipal media that were actually published at the end of 2018. The financial condition of many local print media in Ukraine is on the verge of collapse, so there is an urgent need to introduce an effective model of state support.

Representatives of the media, civil society, government, international organizations and missions as well as lawyers and judges are invited to participate.

Speakers:

• Oleh Nalyvayko, Chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine;
• Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine;
• Steen Nørlov, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine (TBC);
• Marius Dragomir, Council of Europe Consultant (Hungary);
• Oleksiy Pogorelov, President of the Ukrainian Media Business Association;
• Kostyantyn Hryhorenko, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper "Obrii Izyumshchyny".

Registration for the event is required until 24 October inclusive at the link. Confirmation of participation will be sent by e-mail. Should you have any questions please contact us at: [email protected].

Background information:

The project «EU and Council of Europe working together to support freedom of media in Ukraine», funded by the EU and CoE, aims to enhance the role of media, its freedom and safety.

Follow the news of the project on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoEUPSIS/