59,2% of journalists predict US international grant suspension to have catastrophic impact – IMI survey

59.2% of media professionals surveyed by the IMI believe that the suspension of US support programs for the media could have catastrophic impact and lead to the closure or significant downsizing of many independent media outlets. This figure reflects the critical level of Ukrainian independent media outlets' reliance on international financial support, especially from the US, and the lack of effective alternative funding mechanisms in the face of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

These are the results of an anonymous quantitative online survey of journalists conducted by the Institute of Mass Information on January 27 to February 2, 2025, using a targeted questionnaire method. 120 representatives of various types of media outlets from all regions across Ukraine took part in the survey*.

Another 30% of the media professionals surveyed said that they expected a significant negative impact, but believed that finding new solutions to support their media outlet was possible. 5% of editorial offices said that the impact would be moderate and they would be able to survive thanks to other resources. Only 4.2% of respondents said that the impact would be minimal and they would continue to work as they had been working. 1.6% were unable to answer the question.

The IMI survey shows that the sudden cessation of financial support from the United States was a shock to the media market due to the war-induced lack of sustainable financial models for Ukrainian media. As a consequence, the stability of media organizations largely depends on international support and any delays or cuts in funding could have long-term impact not only on the media, but on the country as a whole as well.

According to the IMI survey, only 15.8% of respondents reported receiving no grants from American organizations. 35% of media outlets had been receiving more than 75% of their funding from American grants. Another 15.8% of editorial teams relied on these funds for 50–75% of their budget. 12.5% ​​of respondents said that American grants used to make up 50–25% of their budget and for another 10% that figure was 25–10%. Only 4.2% said that such grants made up less than 10% of their budget.

US funding suspension. Impact on the media. Survey by the IMI. Diagram by the IMI

The first issues that media outlets had to address following the abrupt suspension of American funding were:

• downsizing the team (7.5% of respondents);
• office rent issues (9.5%);
• reducing the volume of content produced (11%);
• salary cuts and switching to part-time employment (10.5%).

If international funding for the media sector is not resumed within three months, the surveyed media professionals said they expected the following consequences (multiple options could be selected):

• 41% of respondents will definitely reduce content production;
• 40% of media outlets and media organizations will have to lay off some of their staff;
• 35% will switch to part-time employment or cut salaries;
• 35% will lose access to critical resources for content production;
• 32% will be unable to rent an office and will switch to remote work;
• 12% will have to resort to non-transparent sources of financing (gambling ads, jeansa, etc.);
• 8.5% of surveyed media and NGOs will close down;
• only 19% of surveyed media outlets said they would continue working same as before after the suspension of grant support.

If grants are not resumed in six months, 33% of media outlets and media organizations said they would have to close down. A year without international support could cause 51% of the surveyed media outlets to close.

However, 49% of the media outlets surveyed by the IMI did not consider closing down as an option at all and were ready to keep fighting, look for new solutions and support the work of their media outlet even with the funding ceased or significantly cut. This means that Ukraine's media sector is quite healthy and capable of developing and adapting even in the harshest conditions.

In a year without grants, 84.5% of the surveyed media outlets will definitely reduce the volume of content they produce and lay off some employees.

As for jeansa and non-transparent ways of earning money, 28% of the surveyed media outlets said they would be forced to resort to such sources of income in six months without grants in order to survive. In a year without financial support, 34% of the media outlets surveyed by the IMI will have to make such a decision.

This shows that the closure and weakening of independent media may give more space to actors with less editorial independence and increase the influence of pro-Russian structures that may operate undercover.

The surveyed media professionals are now considering the following alternative funding sources (selecting multiple options was possible):

• 84% – looking for grant competitions by European donors;
• 53% – looking for commercial partnerships, more advertising;
• 48% – crowdfunding, taking donations and creating communities to support the media outlet;
• 11% – state funding;
• 10% – advertising gambling businesses and cryptocurrency;
• 9% – introducing paid subscriptions to the media outlet;
• 8% – publishing jeansa (covert promotion of businesses and politicians).

Earlier, the annual IMI survey showed that 80% of journalists used various forms of international support during 2024.

*The study was conducted through a quantitative anonymous online survey of a simple random sample of potential respondents (working journalists and editors). A total of 120 responses were received from media professionals from all regions across Ukraine. The maximum margin of error is 5%. The survey took place on January 27 – February 2, 2025.

**The sum of responses does not equal 100% because respondents could choose multiple options.