The Academy of Ukrainian Press conducted the research with participation of scientists from the Institute of Sociology of Ukraine, National Academy of Science, applying the content-analysis method to prime-time news (19:00-23:00) of seven top Ukrainian channels – ‘Inter’, ‘1+1’, ‘Ukraina’, STB, ICTV, UA:1 and the 5th Channel.
[1] This year in June, 32% of messages in news programs refer to the political events in Ukraine (46% in September, 2015). The most of them are introduced by ICTV – 41%, Ukraina Channel and the 5-th Channel (both 36%) and the least of them are traditionally presented by 1+1 (25%).
Official sources are more frequently used as the information sources (49% versus 28% in October, 2014, 44% in September 2015) than ATO commanders and militants as well as ATO speakers (3% versus 9% and 8% respectively). As earlier, the channel’s own correspondent is leading (53%).
National domestic policy, activity of authorities is the most frequent topic of news - 16% (in September, 2015 – 23%), 13% – the war in the East of Ukraine (last year 12%, in October 2014 – 28%), 10% – social sphere. The percentage of reportages about countering corruption somewhat changed – 11% versus 13% in the last year as the essential and additional topics. It is the most frequent at the UA: 1 Channel (20%) and Inter (19%). The events in Kyiv (35%, 44% in September 2015) and in the East (26% in September, 2015 – 27%) are in focus of weekly news. In average, just 3% of news is reported from uncontrolled territories and Crimea.
[1] From Ukrainian part, among the conflict participants the most attention is given to the government and its structures (34%, last year in September 22%) as well as armed forces (15%, 19% last year). From another part, the attention is given to civil people of Eastern regions – 7% (5% in September 2015), to Russia and its authorities (7%, минулого року 8%), to military formations DPR and LPR – 5% (last year 6%).
It is most frequently reported about civil people, refugees and displaced people at ‘Ukraina’ Channel, about volunteers at 1+1 Channel, about the armed forces of Russia at the 5th Channel.
From Ukrainian part, the most positively mentioned are civil society organizations and volunteers – 26%, captives from Ukraine (20%). Civil people from the East are predominantly assessed neutrally (94%, last year in September 91%), and illegal military formations DPR, LPR as well as Russia, its authorities, Armed Forces of Russia are assessed negatively from 2/3 to 100%.
Ukrainian conflict participants are most frequently nominated as patriots, activists, volunteers, people of good will (8%), and the nomination became more unified. The opposite side, as in the previous year, was called as terrorists, militants, mercenaries and bandits (12%), however, the nominations became more miscellaneous.
In comparison with the previous year, the share of news about Russia and its leaders reduced from 15% to 9%, and the share of news about G7 countries increased from 5% to 11%.
12% of news generally contained different opinions (in September, 2014 – 14%). Most of them as in the previous year were reported at STB Channel – 17% (in September, 2015 – 22%).
16 main events were discussed in September news from different points of view. A fight near Lviv Municipal Council (83%) and corruption in Mykolayiv Regional Administration (the case of M. Romanchuk, 46%) were introduced mainly in negative color.
17% of news is followed by negative context (last year 10%). It is most frequent at STB Channel (24%) and 1+1 – 22%, and it is the most seldom at the 5th Channel – 8%. Positive context makes in average 11% (last year 12%), it is most frequent at ICTV and 1+1 – both 17%, and the most seldom at Inter Channel – 2%
Official representatives are commenting events more frequently than citizens (33% versus 31%). In September, 2015, citizens (28%) were doing it more frequently than official representatives (24%).
The attention to political parties, political persons and political institutes makes respectively 14%, 41%, 78% (last year in September 24%, 46%, 80%). Among political institutes the most frequently mentioned are law enforcement agencies - 40% (in September, 2015 – 43%), Court and Prosecutor’s Office – 16% (last year 18%). Controversial and negative assessments are most frequently addressed to the Constitutional Court (35%) and local authorities (31%). Political institutions as in the previous year (22%) are assessed most critically at STB Channel.
The leaders of attention to political organizations in September news programs are Narodnyi Front (‘National Front) and Opozytsiynyi Bloc (‘Oppositional Bloc’) – both 1.9%. Narodnyi Front (‘National Front’) is mentioned only in a positive context. The government is assessed most negatively.
[1] The most attention in news is given to P. Poroshenko – 10% (last year 10%), V. Hroisman -5% (last year Yatsenyuk – 6%), M. Romanchuk – 4%. Most frequently positive assessment is given to R.Akhmetov (53%), V. Rabinovych (20%), N.Savchenko and A. Yatsenyuk – both 14%. Ironic and negative assessments are most frequently addressed to S. Kurchenko (100%), O.Zaizburg (80%), H.Levchenko (75%).
48 politicians and state authorities had direct speech share more than 20 seconds (last year in September 49 politicians had more than 40 seconds). The most direct speech share had K.Dekanoyidze (13%), H. Zubko (11%), P. Poroshenko, V. Hroisman, Y. Lutsenko – each 6%.
News conveys the new political configuration of authorities, and the attention to its components is divided in the following way: current coalition – 40%, former coalition – 11%, ‘old opposition’ – 2%, ‘new opposition’ – 1%, non-partisan ‘other’ – 46%. The most attention to opposition is at 1+1 Channel - 4% and 3% respectively. The most attention to opposition is at 1+1 Channel - 4% and 3% respectively. Direct speech share is divided in the similar way: current coalition – 51%, former coalition – 9%, ‘old opposition’ – 3%, ‘new opposition’ – 1%, non-partisan ‘other’ – 36%.
Among political parties the most attention was given to central authorities – 20% (last year in September 21%), representatives of P. Poroshenko Bloc – 14% (last year -18%), Narodnyi Front (‘National Front’), Samopomich (‘Self-reliance’) and Batkivshchyna (‘Motherland’) – each 6%. The most attention at UT-1 Channel is given to Central Election Committee, the Highest and Constitutional Court (26%).
The highest direct speech share have the workers of central government institutions – 36% (at UT-1 Channel – 74%), representatives of P. Poroshenko Bloc – 19% (last year – 14%), Narodnyi Front (‘National Front’) and Samopomich (‘Self-reliance’) – 6%. At ICTV Channel the highest direct speech share have Opozytsiynyi Bloc (‘Oppositional Bloc’) representatives (24%, at Ukraina Channel – 16%, Inter – 13% ). Narodnyi Front (‘National Front’) representatives have the highest direct speech share at the 5th Channel and STB (19%, 17%), Samopomich (‘Self-reliance’) at the 5th Channel, 1+1 Channel (10%, 9%), Batkivshchyna (‘Motherland’) representatives at 1+1 – 9%.
All detailed information about the mentioned research can be found at AUP website under this link www.aup.com.ua in section ‘Monitoring’.
This research was conducted due to the support of the American people given by the project of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - 'U-Media' that is carried out by the international organization Internews. The contents expressed in materials are the responsibility of the Academy of Ukrainian Press and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, U.S. Government and Internews Network.
