The Cherkasy edition Procherk is one of dozens of media companies that received support from international partners of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) thanks to participation in creative projects. In particular, participation in the project entitled We are from Ukraine! enabled the publication to receive some funding from the Ukrainian Media Fund initiative, which was launched by the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation together with partner organizations of media companies in the Scandinavian countries.
Today, Procherk is among the leaders of the Cherkasy region’s media, the resource publishes more than 30 news articles daily. The site is visited by over 200,000 people per month.
We publish a review by Editor-in-Chief of the Procherk website Nazarii Vivcharykabout the importance of international media support at the present time.
“Indeed, now journalism is in an extremely difficult situation, because editorial offices have become impoverished due to the collapse of the advertising market, because there is a war in the country. And that’s why the help from the NUJU and partners was extremely important. It was valuable that the funds were provided not just for equipment or safety equipment, but for editorial life, editorial maintenance, development and salaries. This is a significant addition to our earnings, I would say it was a critical help that determined further work. After all, the situation is so difficult that we work from home, the office is closed in order to pay the minimum for utilities, the number of employees has decreased, as well as the number of trips, business trips, because this also requires money.
That is why the addition to the editorial financial basket was extremely important and made it possible to support us financially for the further work of the editorial office and the performance of journalistic functions. Otherwise, I just don’t know how we could do our work, maybe someone would change their profession…
At the same time, during cooperation and the existence of projects, not only did we manage to receive funds, but also to embody a number of ideas and submit a number of materials within the framework of the projects. So, during the implementation of creative projects We are from Ukraine! and Journalists are Important! we published a number of interviews, made portraits and stories with our volunteers and journalists who either changed their profession and went to the front, or started volunteering at the same time with their work. The topics were timely and the attendance showed that the stories resonated with people and they were genuinely interested in reading them. That is, the number of site visits increased. The materials within the framework of the social component were also useful, because, for example, in materials about volunteers, we familiarized readers with the help that can come from certain organizations or institutions, with people who volunteer and deliver this assistance, with the mechanism of providing it.
I believe that materials about journalists were also necessary for the popularization of our profession. In addition, we did not remain silent, but on the contrary, focused on those mass media where journalists work, or worked before going to war. In this way, readers were introduced to our local media landscape, we support our colleagues with information.
We greatly appreciate the support from international donors and from the trade union. We make efforts to continue to inform society professionally, we know that we are read, and especially the materials that we try to prepare within the framework of constructive journalism, where not only a positive story is presented, but also solutions. We are ready to join new projects, we are grateful for your support and we hope for a quick victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine! Glory to Ukraine!”.
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During the program of assistance to Ukrainian media in 2022, the NUJU, with the strong support of partners Ukrainian Media Fund and Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation, have provided financial assistance to 43 editorial offices.
36 media outlets on a permanent basis took part in the content projects entitled We are from Ukraine! and Journalists are Important! and initiated by the NUJU. They were receiving financial assistance from partners for a period of two months or more. In particular, 29 regional and local newsrooms are among the participants in the projects. Seven all-Ukrainian media companies, with a total audience of over 3.5 million readers, also received assistance from the NUJU and the Ukrainian Media Fund. Thanks to the help, 25 Ukrainian media companies – participants in the NUJU projects – were able to pay for the printing of their newspapers.
During the operation of the project We are from Ukraine!, initiated by the NUJU with the support of the Ukrainian Media Fund and the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation, more than 480 author materials about strong-spirited Ukrainians who help their compatriots during the war were published or broadcast in local and national media. In two months of implementation of the initiative called Journalists are Important! media participants of the project published over 80 materials about the work of their colleagues. The project is still underway.
The Ukrainian Media Fund initiative was founded by the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation together with partner organizations of media companies in the Scandinavian countries. The fund was founded as a sign of solidarity with journalists and photographers who report daily from the frontline in Ukraine. Its main goal is to mobilize international support – both financial and material – for local mass media in Ukraine. through the Ukrainian Media Fund, protective equipment and equipment for work, in particular, laptops, power banks, photo and video cameras, tripods, and smartphones were transferred to Ukrainian journalists.
