Public Council at Inter TV recorded regress of journalist standards after change of media-owners

According to the preliminary monitoring of the news after 14 February (when the top management of the TV-channel was changed, as a result of a change in ownership), experts recorded a regress in the information-analytical segment. Weekly information-analytical programs on February 17 fully restored the previous unbalanced format – with a positive covering of actions of the President and Ministers, without any mentions of the opposition. The program still has relatively critical individual materials, however, experts say, there is nothing like a criticism of those in power.

The Public Council decided to turn with a private letter to the new managers of Inter Media Group reaffirming existing commitments under the Memorandum of Cooperation with International Renaissance Foundation, and giving their vision of the future prospects of cooperation in the framework of the Memorandum. The Public Council and Renaissance Foundation want to understand the position of the other side in the framework of the Memorandum for making their own decisions about the possibility of further cooperation.

At the same time, the Public Council stated that Inter TV-channel showed positive dynamics in observing standards of journalism and balance of the access of various political forces to the air in the first stage of monitoring of informational programs from December 2012 to February 14, 2013 (pursuant to a Memorandum of Cooperation with the International Fund " Renaissance ").

According to a content analysis of the Ukrainian Press Academy, Inter TV-station gave the biggest share news from two or more viewpoints.

"As of February 14, namely Inter was the “antithesis” of UT-1 on all baselines: balance, level of attention, the presence of experts, according to APM President Valery Ivanov, fully in line with European standards," – the Public Council claimed.

According to the results of a qualitative analysis of news, carried out by Telekritika, Inter expanded the range of socially important topics addressed by journalists in the news, and broadened the circle of heroes, whose comments could be heard in their materials, and experts who commented political, social and economic issues . However, despite  the positive dynamics, the TV-channel had problems with adherence to the reliability standard - namely, links to information sources.