Visti Vodolazhchyny is the only printed source of information in two front-line communities – the Nova Vodolaha and Starovirivka ones.
Due to the occupation of Balakliya, where the newspaper was printed, we had to limit ourselves to provide news via social networks. Editor-in-Chief Polina Afanasenko said in a comment to SPILKA News that due to the fact that they had nowhere to get information from, elderly people often called the editorial office and asked when the newspaper publishing would be resumed. Not always was there communication and the Internet, so users of modern gadgets were often left without information.
Publishing was resumed in December. But it is extremely difficult to revive the a media in the front-line territory in modern realities. Therefore, the editors turned to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU).
“I have been in the Union for a very long time. But now for the first time I felt such significant support. We were able to pay for the services of the printing house in February with the help of the Union, we were able to provide our readers with information again,” says Polina Afanasenko. She added that the main topics of the newspaper now are donors, volunteers, as well as stories about fallen soldiers of the community.
Restoration of newspapers in the de-occupied and near-front territories is one of the priorities of the NUJU team!