Canadian observers declare the pressure on the Ukrainian media

Anna Shiptur

Canadian specialists and observers declared the fact of the increasing pressure on the Ukrainian media and lack of freedom and pluralism in the field of information in Ukraine.

Anna Shiptur, coordinator of the special Canadian group, stated that even despite the huge amount of different independent media sources in Ukraine, especially operating in Internet, there is still not so much freedom of expression and access to the information. Another problem of Ukrainian media is the increasing of merger of the media and their owners what reduces the independence of the state and media. Ukrainian media space could be described as the domination of the big corporation groups which have the ties with Ukrainian authorities. It makes the pressure on the media and information sources more obvious and significant, think Canadian observers.

Canadian observers’ team also focused on the increasing pressure of the Ukrainian authorities and government on the independent media. It’s worth mentioning here the conflict with the prominent independent media source TVi, the arrests and investigations, threats of closing the media companies and shutting down the TV channels, searches at the offices and even confiscation and withdrawal of the issues from the market.

In addition to that Canadian team and its representatives also mentioned that nearly a half of the election campaign budget is being used for the distribution of the information about different political powers and faction in the media sources.

The head of Canadian observers’ team also reminded that there are some media sources and TV channels which get paid for the special publications of the materials regarding the specific candidates and for inviting their representatives and candidates to participate in the prominent shows.

The controversial law about the criminal responsibility of the journalists and media sources for the slander has been discussed too as it considers being a big mistake and a real threat to the freedom of information and expression and violates the basic human rights.

We would remind here that the law about the information was cancelled today in the Ukrainian parliament.