1 December 2004
JOURNALISTS REVOLT AGAINST BIASED MEDIA COVERAGE
As hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians continue to demonstrate in Kiev in support of opposition leader Viktor Yuschenko, a growing number of journalists are criticising the censorship and intimidation that has marked media coverage of the presidential elections, report the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).
IFJ's local affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, has issued a stinging rebuke of state-owned media outlets whom it accuses of pressuring journalists to "tell lies and distort the truth" during the election. The union has called on the country's journalists to maintain professional standards in the wake of the electoral crisis.
RSF reports that more than 200 journalists from the state-owned broadcaster UT-1 have gone on strike to protest the "one-sided coverage that deprives Ukrainian citizens of important news." Staff at the privately owned broadcasters, 1+1 and Inter, have also taken a stand against so-called "temnyks," - memos issued by the presidential office telling editors what to report on. UT1, Inter and 1+1 are controlled by Viktor Medvedchuk, the presidential chief of staff who is a supporter of Yushchenko's opponent, Viktor Yanukovych.
The protests are bearing results. On 25 November 2004, managers at 1+1 and Inter struck a deal with their employees under which both political sides would get equal airtime. Since then, the broadcasters have aired footage of the massive demonstrations in Kiev in support of Yushchenko.
RSF says journalists covering the elections came under intense pressure from authorities and pro-government media outlets. "Censorship, physical assault, unfair dismissals and blocking of access to news were among the methods deployed in a bid to stifle proper election coverage," the organisation notes.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has expressed similar concerns over the attacks. The regional security watchdog's Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, has urged Ukrainian authorities to "cease harassment of the media, give it due protection and allow their citizens to have access to all voices, including those that might not be in line with the views of the majority of the population in the region."
Most international observers, including the OSCE and the Council of Europe, have characterised the elections as unfair, saying they failed to meet international standards.
Visit:
- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=2833&Language=EN
- RSF Report on Attacks Against Journalists: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=11915
- Freedom House: http://www.freedomhouse.org/media/pressrel/112204.htm
- BBC Analysis: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4056025.stm
- OSCE: http://www.osce.org/news/show_news.php?id=4562
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