Jeansa in online media. Monitoring report for the third quarter of 2021
The quantity of jeansa in Ukrainian online media goes on growing, despite the inter-election period. Compared to the previous monitoring period, the number of news with signs of ordered texts increased by 9%.
These are the results of a quarterly survey of the NGO "Institute of Mass Information", which covered the period from August 30 to September 3, 2021 in 16 online media, the full sample was more than 20 thousand news items*.
According to the study, the custom-made commercial news continue to prevail in the media over the political ones: commercial jeansa accounted for 61% of all identified news with signs of an order, and political jeansa did 39%.
24.5% of news with signs of the order aimed at promoting various commercial companies. In the third quarter, the number of texts with signs of ordering in favor of companies, interests and image of one of the richest and most influential oligarchs of Ukraine Rinat Akhmetov increased. 20.8% of news with signs of an order were recorded in favor of Akhmetov's assets (in the previous period the level of materials in his favor was 16.3%). Most of the news with signs of ordering in a political sphere were focused on increasing the significance of the President Zelensky's project "Great Construction". Many media outlets keep publishing solely laudatory news on the issue, without any analysis or expert insight.
Obozrevatel (159 materials with order signs) and Politeka (67 materials) became anti-leader sites for placing materials with order signs. The news items with signs of the order were also found on the sites RBC-Ukraine (29 news items), Interfax-Ukraine (19), UNIAN (21), Segodnya (20), Censor (15), Kanal 24 (15), Gordon (10), TSN (10).
No jeansa was found on the sites of Liga, Ukraiynska Pravda, Dzerkalo Tyzhdnya, Suspilne, NV and Korrespondent.
The most improper marking among all sites was found on the sites of Kanal 24 (eight news), NV and UNIAN with seven materials each, TSN (five news). Improper labeling of materials was also found on the sites of Ukraiynska Pravda, Segodnya and Gordon.
OVERVIEW OF THE MAIN CATEGORIES OF JEANSA
- Commercial companies
24.5% of news with order signs were found in favour of commercial companies.
Among the socially irresponsible advertisers who violated the Law "On Advertising" and ordered disguised advertising, IMI experts have identified the Parimatch bookmakerùs office, mobile operators, carmakers, banking institutions, including those who like hidden advertising “Globus Bank”, "Credit Dnipro".
Diya’s signature appeared in “Globus Bank”’s application: how does it work / Obozrevatel
ALLO Money 2.0: loyalty at maximum / UNIAN
Going to Turkey : seeking after youth and beauty! / TSN
McDonald's launches anniversary charity campaign to support children's hospitals / Obozrevatel
In the third quarter of 2021, the number of ordered materials in favor of alternative smoking products glo and ikos got increased.
Wine, cigarettes and soda pop - the expert told how to keep teeth white / Obozrevatel
According to information on the website pfizermed.com.ua, there are some health risks when using tobacco heating systems. They are related to the nicotine yield, so these systems are addictive. They are unsafe and pose health risks, especially for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc., as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The World Health Organization emphasizes that there is currently no reliable evidence that heating tobacco products are safer for health.
The Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine also informed about the dangers of alternative smoking: "These products contain many harmful substances and ingredients. Actually, there is no clear evidence to support the idea that the electronic devices to heat tobacco (e-cigarettes) are safer than the traditional cigarettes or have not so important effect on health due to lower concentration of substances. This issue is being investigated. In addition, the assertion that not-burned tobacco is safer is offset by the proven danger of tobacco for chewing and sniffing. This plant contains some cancer-causing chemicals and other substances harmful to the human body, even in its natural form. "
IMI experts positively noted the appearance of the label, which began to be employed on the site of Kanal 24. If during the previous monitoring period we recorded a significant amount of unmarked commercial advertising on the site, then this quarter the editorial office acted responsibly and labeled this advertising as follows (previous and actual):
- Rinat Akhmetov and his companies
20.8% of materials with signs of ordering were placed in favor of the Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov and his companies, which is 4% more than in the previous monitoring period.
These are mainly image-building news, ie materials that do not promote the sale of any particular product or service, which is a characteristic for a typical commercial jeansa. Instead, such texts seek to improve the image of a certain person or company, which can increase the loyalty of society, certain people, government officials to the participants in such advertising.
Akhmetov improves his image by posting stories about the activities of his charitable foundation of him:
- or thanks to the social projects of his companies:
They focuses on investments and taxes paid by Metinvest:
The company attracts an "expert opinion" for its own PR. For example, political scientist Mykola Davydyuk claims that Metinvest's investments are extremely important: “Investments of such large companies as the Metinvest Group in the economy of their own country are extremely important in the period of crisis. They make it possible to develop the economy, infrastructure, create jobs, " as Obozrevatel reported.
Earlier IMI already wrote that Mykola Davydyuk was repeatedly mentioned in the news in favor of Akhmetov's companies. It is curious that earlier this expert was noticed in the news in favor of the Agrarian Party: " Mykola Davydyuk: If the Agrarian Party nominates its" Macron "for presidency, they will have a chance to win " (news in 2018).
There is another political scientist, Pavlo Okhotin who made comments in favor of Akhmetov: "The main industry that is now making a profit is the sale of steel and cast iron. The profits in this area in case if the coutry gets it, they entail other domains with them. The great example is "Metinvest".
In favor of Akhmetov's companies, the materials were published by Obozrevatel, Kanal 24, UNIAN, RBC-Ukraine, Gordon, and Politeka.
- "Great construction" as an image-building program of Volodymyr Zelensky
The third position in terms of the number of news with signs of ordering was taken by the President Zelensky's program "Great Construction", in favor of which 11% of the total number of the news of this kind were published. The percentage of these materials also gets increased with each monitoring on. Thus, compared to the previous analysis, the number of materials on large-scale construction increased by almost 3%.
Large-scale construction of Zelensky started on one of the longest routes in Bukovyna / Obozrevatel
Zelensky is very proud of his program, calling it "very cool": "President:" Large-scale construction "is a really cool program that helped save jobs during the pandemic," the website of the President of Ukraine reported.
- Lobbying
9.7% of news with signs of the order were of a lobbying nature, aimed at promoting solutions that benefit large oligarchic groups.
According to Wikipedia , lobbying, lobbying is a focused legal or illegal influence on state and local authorities, as well as their officers directed them on behalf of another person, organizations or groups. The purpose of lobbying is to consolidate their own interests or the interests of third parties (clients) in management decisions.
At present, IMI experts noted that this influence has been exercised, in particular, through the media.
For example, non-alternative promotion of the introduction of a ban on scrap exports:
Or this is the question of lobbying against the increase of tax pressure on mining and metals enterprises as to iron ore mining:
- OPFL
7.7% of the ordered materials were placed in favor of the OPFL (Opposition Platform -For Life ) party and directly its leader Viktor Medvedchuk, who is currently under house arrest on suspicion of treason.
The percentage of such materials in the previous monitoring period was many times lower, in the second quarter of 2021, experts recorded only a few news. Currently, the lion's share of materials in favor of Medvedchuk is recorded on the website "Politeka".
Ukraine might not survive another Maidan - Medvedchuk/ Politeka
A number of experts speak for Medvedchuk:
- political scientist Kyrylo Molchanov: Expert explained how Medvedchuk responded to Putin's article about Ukraine/ Politeka;
- political scientist Serhiy Hodny: Hodny: ECHR’s decision on Medvedchuk's lawsuit will definitely be in his favor/ Politeka;
- Interior Minister Anatoliy Mohilev: Mohilev: ECHR to issue decision in favor of Medvedchuk, and Ukraine will have to pay /Politeka.
- Vitali Klitschko
6% of news with signs of the order were recorded in favor of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Klitschko's PR also increased significantly compared to the previous monitoring period - the second quarter of 2021, when only some materials were recorded in his favor.
The Mayor sought the limelight on occasion of the Day of Knowledge (1 September) and implementation of tasks provided by his job responsibilities:
Klichko inaugurated a modern European school in Kyiv on Knowledge Day - photo / Obozrevatel
Klichko announced four more new trams purchased by capital to start running/ Obozrevatel
- European Solidarity party and Petro Poroshenko
4% of news with signs of the order aimed at strengthening the ratings of Petro Poroshenko and the “European Solidarity” party. Most of these materials appeared on the Obozrevatel website.
The battle between the current and former presidents is on, Poroshenko keeps preaching at Zelensky:
We remind you that the ordered materials are used for various purposes: to promote their goods or services (commercial jeansa), to obtainsome additional political dividends (political jeansa), to whiten their reputation (image-building jeansa). But the unic purpose of these news items is to manipulate public opinion.
Monitoring was conducted from August 30 to September 3, 2021 in 16 popular Internet media: Politeka, Obozrevatel, Channel 24, Gordon, Ukraiynska Pravda, UNIAN, Segodnya, TSN, RBC.ua, Liga, Interfax-Ukraine, Censor, Dzerkalo Tyzhdnya,Korrespondent, Suspilne, NV.
The sample covered all news in a row that appeared on the sites during the specified period (more than 20 thousand news).
This study was made possible by the support of the American people through the USAID Media Program in Ukraine, implemented by the international organization Internews Network. The content is under the sole responsibility of the Institute of Mass Information and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the US Government or the Internews Network.
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