Six months before the Parliamentary elections news programs of the leading TV channels keep living outside the scope of social and political problems and pay major attention to law enforcement agencies.
- Political news. Overall, April further confirmed the trend towards depolitization of news programs revealed during previous 2011-2012 monitoring research. If six month before the previous elections (2007), two of five news messages (23%) of the leading TV channels were related to country’s political news, currently only one of five news messages is dedicated to this topic (21%). The share of political news is the highest at TVi (30%), and the lowest at 1+1 (13%). Only in 6% of news messages 2012 elections are mentioned by TV channels as an important event. Moreover, even in this case the election topic is not discussed. In most political news messages and on all TV channels only one point of view is presented, and conflictual/conflict shaded context of discussion constituted 50%. Overall, only 16 % of messages presented two (or more) points of view (in February this share was 21%). The largest share of different presented points of view is at TVi (25%, in Feb. - 32%), СТB (24%) and Inter (21%). The lowest share in this respect was observed at the First National Channel (8%) and Novy Kanal (9%). In April - unlike the previous wave of monitoring research – only one point of view is presented in political news messages – from 71% at TVi and 1+1 to 92% at ICTV.
- Crime. Crime was the main topic of news messages in April (18%). The topic of economy and finance – as the main topic – accounts only for 3% of news messages. Prices situation and inflation in Ukraine were practically silences (0.5%).
- Political institutions and political parties. Like in February, law enforcement agencies are the most frequently mentioned institutions among all political institutions (21%). Among political parties the leaders are BYT- Batkivschyna (3%) and opposition in general (2%). Negative and ironic shading of news messages most often accompanies scarce information about Party of the Regions and state power in general. However, it does not reach even 1%.
- Politicians. Attention. Preference in allocating attention in favor of ruling coalition and representatives of state power decreased compared to the previous wave of monitoring research. The least balanced allocation of attention and sync/soundbite was observed at the First National Channel, the most balanced allocation – at Tvi and СТB. Among politicians, leaders of attention in the news programs were Y. Tymoshenko (12%), President V. Yanukovych (7%), and Prime Minister M. Azarov (5%). Y. Tymoshenko was twice more often mentioned in positive and neutral context compared to negative and ironical context. (11.1% vs. 5.7%). In case of V. Yanukovych this proportion is 6.6% vs. 2%. In terms of being mentioned in the news programs, 48% of all news messages about politicians refer to representatives of ruling coalition and state power, 35% - opposition, and 17% - other politicians. In April, politicians from ruling coalitions and state power were most often mentioned on the First National Channel (62%), while opposition politicians were most often mentioned on Novy Kanal (52%) and Inter (43%).
- Politicians. Soundbite/sync. Half of V. Yanukovych soundbite was on the First National Channel; direct speech of representatives of state power and ruling coalition on the First National Channel constituted 88%. Overall, soundbite of politicians in April is 1.8 times less compared to February. Soundbite share of President Yanukovych and Prime Minister Azarov constituted 19% (in February - 22%, in September 2011 - 30%, in June 2011 - 47%). Prime Minister’s soundbite is 1.4 times higher compared to the soundbite of the President. Soundbite of Y. Tymoshenko’s daughter ranked sixth by volume. Overall, 67% of soundbite are allocated to state power, 22% -to opposition, 11% - to other politicians. Soundbite of opposition representatives is the largest on Novy Kanal (39%) and TVi (35%).
Monitoring research was carried out by the Academy of Ukrainian Press (AUP) with participation of scientists of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine through the method of content analysis of prime-time news programs of 8 leading Ukrainian TV channels – Inter, 1+1, Novy Kanal, TRC “Ukrayna”, СТB, ICTV, UT-1, and TVi.
Proposed analysis is part of continuous media monitoring conducted by the Academy of Ukrainian Press since 2002.
This monitoring research became possible due to the support of the American people. Monitoring results shall be the exclusive responsibility of the Academy of Ukrainian Press and not necessarily reflect the opinion of USAID and Internews Network.
One of the founders of this monitoring research is International Renaissance Foundation.
Contact persons:
Oksana Voloshenyuk, AUP Director
Tel: +38- 067-504-9802
Email: info@aup.com.ua
