The left bank should be constantly talked about: Kherson journalists share their experiences reporting the TOT situation
The media should be talking about Ukraine's occupied territories, namely about the left bank of Kherson oblast, constantly. However, the longer the Russian occupation lasts, the more difficult it is to get reliable information and prepare high-quality reports about the situation on the occupied left bank of the Dnipro.
Kherson journalists discussed this during a meeting about reporting on the issues related to the temporarily occupied part of Kherson oblast. The meeting was organized by the regional hub of the Institute of Mass Information "Mediabaza Odesa, Kherson".
According to Freedom TV correspondent Darya Litovchenko, who has personal experience of living in occupation in Slovyansk in 2014 and used to be especially focused on the reintegration, journalists should be more proactive in reporting on the occupied territories for people living in the occupied territories.
"We are losing contact with these people bit by bit. They may be supportive of Ukraine, but now they live in a situation where they are constantly under pressure from all sides. The Russian media, the government, the army, tone deaf statements from Ukrainian officials. We need to constantly keep in touch with people living in occupation and calmly explain what is happening there, without blaming them for being hostages," Darya believes.
MOST editor-in-chief and the Institute of Mass Information representative in the oblast Serhiy Nikitenko says that his team at MOST has set a goal for themselves to be a media outlet where residents of the left bank can learn about the events in their communities.
"We have many sources, we often talk to and write news that concern the lives of ordinary people, and the occupation administrations, and the Russians' war crimes. These are always difficult topics and it's not easy to fact-check or find additional confirmations, but we do it and get positive feedback. People there read us and expect these news from us," Serhiy Nikitenko says.
Serhiy Nikitenko also notes that the work of journalists can help the people in the occupied territories not to lose the connection they need.
"If we report on the life in the occupied territories, we are known and read, we are trusted. It helps us communicate with people. We may not even use our sources in articles. But talking with people living in occupation helps to better understand what is happening there, and to convey information to them objectively. This is very important," says the regional IMI representative.
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