IMI - December broke records of sponsored stories in national press

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Point of View

Does it honour you?

By Victoria Sumar

Today Vecherniy Kharkiv daily and Status quo online edition came out with a report that police officers had suffered bodily injuries as a result of a search operation at the apartment of Vyacheslav Ismaylov.

Actually, the both editions referred to a press release issued by the ministry of the Interior saying “when the above-cited citizen was informed through the house intercom we had to proceed with a search, he began uttering some obscenities and said he would use a firearm, if police officers approached his apartment”.

“Thus, we took a decision to call “Berkut” special force unit officers with the intent to force the entry door. The operation was conducted in presence of search witnesses and a representative of the local government body.

“As the apartment was searched, the journalist’s behaviour, as well as this one of his sons and wife was cynical, they used bad language, threatened the police officers with a physical violence and dismissals from the ministry of the Interior.The police officers recorded all that on video”.

Frankly, it is hard to imagine how some unarmed persons could threaten the armed cap-a-pie “Berkut”-men with a physical violence.

Our journalist who is investigating the Klymentyev’s case now, was present at the scene. He said several times they called an ambulance for Ismaylov's wife, in order to prevent syncope. Not only she was unable to threaten anybody, she could not speak, as she was shocked by such a number of masked men armed with Kalashnikovs assault rifles.

There were five “Berkut”-men for each person in the apartment, and these brave soldiers, as it was found out, suffered physical violence…

Ismaylov was crying they tried to plant some white powder to his apartment, the journalists heard it. And today the police reported they did find drugs in the apartment…

So, I would like to ask these men with shoulder straps, who had signed this press release, and maybe this is a naïve question: have you ever heard what honour is?

All this smells a bad movie. But, unfortunately, this is Ukraine's reality. This is a semi-criminal state where human rights is nonentity, where nor law, neither legitimacy exist. This is a country where its citizens are totally unarmed in front of the arbitrary rule of those who are supposed to protect them. This is Ukraine in 2010.

Is this Ukraine for people?

IMI outcome

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December broke records of sponsored stories in national press

Monday, 25 January 2010

As one expected, the election campaign made highly increased the number of contradictory stories in printed press outlets. In December 2009, the experts enlisted by IMI have revealed 72 of such stories. To compare, at the beginning of this monitoring in July, this number was of 28 stories.

The most of articles having signs of disguised advertisement had been placed in the daily Fakty i kommentarii. These articles covered all leaders of election race. The most often persons covered were: Julia Tymoshenko, Victor Yushchenko and Victor Yanukovich.

1. Fakty i kommentarii: 69

2. Segodnya: 0

3. Economicheskie izvestia: 2

4. Korrespondent: 1

Stories improperly marked, having breaches to journalistic standards

№	Title of the article	Mass media	Issue №
1	Yanukovich: «Wish to get situation changed made us struggle inefficient authorities»	Fakty	231
2	Yatsenuk: «In Ukraine there is no government as such»	Fakty	231
3	Yanukovich: «I appeal to all candidates to sign code of honour»	Fakty	233
4	Yushchenko: «Ukrainian government should not neglect its soldier»	Fakty	233
5	Tymoshenko: «If presidential election succeeds, parliamentary majority to be formed in 3 minutes»	Fakty	233
6	Tymoshenko: «Chernobyl disaster has not to happen once more»	Fakty	233
7	Vladimir Semenozhenko: «It is time to render state to people and power to render to its best representatives»	Fakty	233
8	Presenting EURO-2012 logo PM congratulated Ukrainians with victory and said much of work to be done	Fakty	233
9	Yanukovich: «Authorities will rig election»	Fakty	230
10	Vera Ulyanchenko: «President Yushchenko standpoint is clear: Our home is Europe»	Fakty	230
11	Tymochenko: «Bureau we form to fight corruption don’t depend on any government bodies»	Fakty
12	On the eve of New Year people cars became more available	Fakty	230
13	«We highly estimate strong PM Tymoshenko»	Fakty	230
14	«I could not imagine it: a free journey to Brazil!»	Fakty	230
15	Tymoshenko: «We do not abandon anyone who had lost its deposits»	Fakty	232
16	Yushchenko: «I aim to bring Ukraine in EU»	Fakty	222
17	Yatsenuk: «All will work better than Swiss watch, all screws will be tightened»	Fakty	222
18	Tymoshenko: «First half a year 2010 we forget about crisis»	Fakty	222
19	Tymoshenko: « Since November 1^st, pensions of persons working under the ground are to increase 225 hryvnias more»	Fakty	223
20	«Crimea had all Ukraine issues in acute form»	Fakty	223
21	Yushchenko offered broncho fibroscope to Kyiv regional hospital	Fakty	225
22	New year festivities Yanukovich visits orphan’s homes and old people’s homes	Fakty	225
23	Tymoshenko: «My task is to protect state properties»	Fakty	237
24	3 millions of voters in east and south regions to be crossed out of registers?	Fakty	237
25	Yushchenko: «Always I assumed responsibility for Ukraine and brought it out of crisis»	Fakty	237
26	Tymoshenko: «Government philosophy to take away all barriers out of disabled persons’ life»	Fakty	226
27	Valeriy Konovaluk: « Without efficacious army Ukraine won’t become part of Europe»	Fakty	226
28	Tymoshenko: «Even in crisis Ukraine has its positive elements: EURO-2012 sites»	Fakty	224
29	«Kyiv got its leader of world construction market: 56 000 square meters hypermarket»	Fakty	224
30	Tymoshenko: «I am not used to avoid responsibility»	Fakty	227
31	Yushchenko: «I won’ be PM, I won’t be involved in intrigues with forces which don’t work for Ukraine»	Fakty	228
32	Tymoshenko: «We completed local communities unification cycle and we can advance on as united Ukrainian team»	Fakty	228
33	Vladimir Lytvyn: «Local government should function»	Fakty	228
34	«Having visited the biggest construction hypermarket…»	Fakty	228
35	Tymoshenko: «Corruption must be prevented, better than to fight its consequences»	Fakty	229
36	Tymoshenko: «Until the end of the year the “School bus” program had to be fulfilled by 90% everywhere in Ukraine»	Fakty	229
37	«Ecology is the most important field where politicians have to implement researchers’ decisions!»	Fakty	229
38	Buying smth for 200 hryvnias, one could win Europe cruise or 100 thousands hryvnias for wide range construction work	Fakty	229
39	Theresia Yatsenuk: «When Arseniy is at home, daughters are stuck to him and stay like this all the evening long»	Fakty	235
40	Yushchenko: «We are so used to freedom, so we do not see all advantages it offers»	Fakty	235
41	Railway workers unanimously backed PM’s idea To form state group “Ukr-zaliznytsya” (Ukrainian railway company)	Fakty	235
42	Tymoshenko: «No raise for pension age»	Fakty	235
43	Vladimir Lytvyn: «Hungry people are worried with a few things»	Fakty	235
44	Tymoshenko: «Notwithstanding crisis, Ukraine not only reinforce oneself, but build up infrastructure for dozens of years ahead»	Fakty	234
45	Yushchenko: «I observe the best Ukrainian project being accomplished in the country»	Fakty	234
46	Yushchenko: «Five years ago 8500 kids waited to be adopted, now 1800 parents wait to adopt kids»	Fakty	238
47	Lytvyn: «Ukraine has no energy sources problem, we have lack of wish to spare of energy dependence»	Fakty	238
48	A real botanic garden opened in the biggest in the world construction hypermarket	Fakty	238
49	Tymoshenko: «Next months I try to deliver all 6,5 millions land documents»	Fakty	238
50	Tymoshenko: «Evidence, the government really work to get Ukraine energy independence»	Fakty	239
51	Musicians from «Tanok na maydane Congo» group went from Kyiv to Kharkov by auto stop	Fakty	239
52	Yushchenko: «My Constitution edition withdraws MPs and judges’ immunity»	Fakty	239
53	«Ceramic panneau with an authour décoration is to make your house exquisut and unique»	Fakty	239
54	Yushchenko: «Let God’s benediction protect our country and people»	Fakty	236
55	Tymoshenko: «Political chaos end is to open more powerful ways for Ukraine»	Fakty	236
56	Annie Lorak: «Resuming of «Alla Pugatcova’s Christmas meetings» in Kyiv will get its entry in history»	Fakty	236
57	Lytvyn: «We need to cleanse Ukraine from illegal migrants and not to become European sedimentation tank having simplified visa system»	Fakty	236
58	Skoda Oktavia and Skoda Yeti pretend to get title of Car of the year in Ukraine	Fakty	236
59	Oles Dovhiy: «This day, all kids dream to get any present, and we, adults, help Saint Nikolas»	Fakty	236
60	Yushchenko: «One of my missions to make my compatriots respect its past»	Fakty	240
61	Tymoshenko: «Properties seized at “Elita-centre” should be sold by auction and money to be used to cover its depositors expenses to get its apartments completed»	Fakty	240
62	Lytvyn: «Ukraine has millions of unemployed. And in medical field there are more vacancies than persons who want to work»	Fakty	240
63	Yushchenko: «We could speak about Ukrainians’ raise of wages only when economy will function in civilized way»	Fakty	241
64	Rating of election campaign favourites, Tymoshenko and Yanukovich, has almost equal one to other	Fakty	242
65	Tymoshenko: «I want there was no rich men and poor men division in Ukraine»	Fakty	243
66	Yushchenko: «I don’t want give idle promises, money, gold and paradise. I suggest the way how to get powerful and just country»	Fakty	242
67	Tymoshenko: «My rivals are afraid of public debates»	Fakty	242
68	Yanukovich: «As to public broadcast service I am ready to be your partner»	Fakty	242
69	«Nordstream» could be stopped	EI	234
70	Economy expect cheap money	EI	224
71	Presidential contenders answered European Business Association questions	Correspondent	49
72	Lytvyn: «If we don’t pay our Army, we will to feed a foreign one»	Fakty	222

The facts of failure to abide by standards of journalism were analysed by the experts: Taras Shevchenko (Media Law Institute), Ruslan Deynychenko (School of Journalism in National University “Kyiv Mohyla Academy”), and Ehor Sobolev (Bureau of journalistic investigations “Svidomo”). 4 national printed press outlets were monitored (Fakty i kommentarii daily, Segodnya daily, Economicheskie izvestia daily and Korrespondent weekly magazine).

Thus, 29 stories not properly marked as a publicity were examined.

1. Fakty i kommentarii: 0

2. Segodnya: 21

3. Economicheskie izvestia: 6

4. Korrespondent: 2

Unproperly marked stories (failure to be stated as “for publicity purpose”, or “an advertising”)”

№	Title of the article	Mass media	Issue №	How it is marked
1	Festivity commanded	Sehodnya	275	PR
2	Pavlo Slobodyanuk: «Our key aim is to protect consumers from mobile phones of poor quality»	Sehodnya	278	PR
3	Super-potency in any age	Sehodnya	277, 268, 289, 274,271, 280, 283, 286	PR
4	“Suuma telecom” arrives in Ukraine	Sehodnya	277	PR
5	Take your percentage in Credit-prom-bank	Sehodnya	268	PR
6	To reinforce our immunity with healthy food	Sehodnya	268	PR
7	Let’s take care of gingival health	Sehodnya	267	PR
8	Financial and industrial corporation «ВМS»: best presents for business	EI	235	Triangle
9	What kind of deposit to choose?	Korrespondent	48	Р
10	Ihor Hryhoriev and his ChB orchestra	Korrespondent	47	Р
11	SerhEy Kononov: «Ukrainians lost confidence to politicians»	Sehodnya	288	PR
12	New «Etalons» of Ukrainian bus construction	Sehodnya	290	PR
13	«Bayadera»: best drinks from market leader for New Year	Sehodnya	291	PR
14	Men will adore it!	EI	227	Triangle
15	New Year journey with 1^st Car TV channel	EI	222	Triangle
16	Struggle for politeness goes on	EI	218	Triangle
17	Africa Race, or dangerous beauty	EI	225	Triangle
18	«Commercial centre «NIKO»: rise in November	EI	228	Triangle
19	Try and get to know what is it!	Sehodnya	274	PR
20	Public letter of coach in chief of Ukraine national underwater sport team Evgeniy Yakovlev	Sehodnya	270	Public letter
21	«Up-to-date TV “Ogonyok” program» at new LCD TVset	Sehodnya	286	PR
22	Pangacius at festive table!	Sehodnya	286	PR

This monitoring is fulfilled within the project “Monitoring improvement in journalistic standards and media literacy among Ukrainian population” with support of U-Media Internews Network. The IMI partner in this project is Telekrytyka online edition that monitors the TV channels respecting or not journalistic deontology. The methodology is enclosed.

ІМІ

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