IMI media expert: Foreign media should invest more in protecting Ukrainian fixers
Foreign media outlets should invest more in protecting local producers in Ukraine, because they risk no less than foreign reporters, said Kateryna Dyachuk, the head of the freedom of speech monitoring department of the Institute of Mass Information, during the event "Media as a Pillar of Democracy: Shaping Ukraine's Future" organized by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) and Reporters Without Borders, and the EU Delegation to Ukraine on June 6.
"Being a fixer is quite a risky job in Ukraine, just like journalism, and Ukrainian law offers no protection for it. If you look at a fixer's work, you will see it is a multitasking job: they are drivers, negotiators, historians, journalists. A fixer is a person who introduces foreign media to the Ukrainian context, something that foreign media may not understand.
"It is beneficial to us, to Ukraine, for foreign media to be documenting the Russian war crimes, reporting them to the world, showing them. Because Ukraine's struggle and survival depends on the support of our partners," said Kateryna Dyachuk.
Kateryna called on foreign media to do more to protect Ukrainian fixers. She mentioned the case of Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova, who was killled by Russian shelling in March 2022 along with the Fox News operator Pierre Zakrzewski. Fox News did not recognize Oleksandra as their employee despite her having an ID badge, saying she was an "independent contractor," according to Business Insider.
"We would like foreign media to treat Ukrainian fixers more responsibly, because they risk no less than foreign journalists. Foreign journalists have insurance, a decent salary, they spend two or three months in Ukraine and then go back home and get som psychological relief. All while for Ukrainian fixers here the whirlwind never ends," Kateryna added.
She also mentioned the International Insurance Fund for Journalists – an initiative of six NGOs: AIRPU, "Souspilnist" Foundation, IMI, "Detector Media", CEDEM, RPDI. Any Ukrainian journalist, fixer, photo/video cameraperson may apply for insurance from the Fund for a period of 1 to 20 days. The insurance covers up to $100,000 for medical expenses in the event of an injury. In case of the journalist's death, their family receives $100,000.
She added that IMI's Monitoring of Russian Crimes Against Journalists and Media includes records of war crimes targeting fixers specifically. These data are shared with international organizations and institutions, diplomats, and reported publicly.
Earlier, the director of the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) Oksana Romaniuk called on the international community to support Ukrainian journalists.
Participants of the event by IMI and RSF, supported by the EU Delegation in Ukraine, discussed that there should be a critical partnership between the authorities and journalists which cannot be based on hostility, pressure or restriction of freedom of speech. The government should understand that journalists are not its enemies.
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