IDPs of Donbas

in the mirror of the Ukrainian press and TV Research of the community initiative "Restoring Donbas”

March, 2015

Information about research

Frequency of use of marked words

Topic of IDPs on Ukrainian TV

Key topics from the life of IDPs, most frequently covered by TV channels

Rating of newspapers, writing about IDPs

Key topics from the life of IDPs, most frequently covered by newspapers

Lack of useful information for IDPs in newspapers

Topic of IDPs in magazines

What information is needed by IDPs: results of online voting

What information is needed by IDPs: Donbas experts

Main conclusions of the research

Contents

Information about research 3

The research has analyzed more than 25 thousand materials of Ukrainian newspapers, magazines and TV

channels news reports that have come out within the period from February, 1 to February, 28 2015. Media

materials were studied for the presence and context of references to marked words “IDPs" and "refugees“.

The following printed media and TV channels were used in the course of the study:

Newspapers: «Argumenty i Fakty (Ukraine)», «Business», «Vesti», «Vechernie Vesti», «Gazeta po-ukrajinki»,

«Golos Uktainy», «Delovaya stolica», «Den’», «Zerkalo nedeli. Ukraine», «Commentarii», «Komsomolskaya Pravda

in Ukraine», «Segodnya», «Selskie vesti», «Trud in Ukraine», «Ukrajina moloda», «Uriadovy Courier», «Fakti i

kommentarii».

Magazines: «Forbes. Ukraine», «Dengi», «Correspondent», «Krajina», «Novoe vremya», «Pyblichnie ludi», «Vesti

Reporter», «Ukrainian Tyzhden», «Focus».

TV channels: «112 Ukraine», «24 channel», «1+1», «5 channel», «Business», «ICTV», «Inter», «Novij kanal»,

«STB», «ТVi», «Tonis», «Ukraine», «Pershiy natsіonalny», «Perviy delovoy», «UBR».

According to the monitoring, during the month

monitored media issued 807 materials with the

word “IDPs" and 409 materials with the word

"refugees". This is 4,8% of the total number of

analyzed materials.

Most attention was paid to the problems of IDPs on

the air of Ukrainian TV channels (671 references to

marked words). Newspapers are on the second place

(476 references), magazines on the third (79

references ).

476

311

30

195 165

49

TV Newspapers Magazines

807

409

IDPs Refugees

Frequency of use of marked words 4

Breakdown of marked words

Breakdown of marked words

according to the type of media

Among Ukrainian TV channels are three leaders in

terms of covering the topic of IDPs: "24 channel",

“Ukraine" and "ICTV“. “Inter" and "1+1“ are slightly

behind them.

Among TV channels of the news format, only “24

channel” is among the top 5 in terms of coverage of

topics relating IDPs.

Among Ukrainian TV channels, the “story” format is

popular in terms of presenting materials about IDPs.

In addition, a number of TV channels have discussed

the topic of IDPs with studio guests. First of all, we

are talking about TV channels “Ukraine", “Inter" and

“Pershiy natsionalny“.

The majority of TV channels’ pieces do not carry any

useful help information for IDPs. On this count they

are similar to Ukrainian newspapers (see

p. 9).

Topic of IDPs on Ukrainian TV 5

Key topics from the life of IDPs, most frequently covered by TV

channels 6

Rating of newspapers, writing about IDPs

Among daily newspapers, Top 5 leaders, covering

topics of IDPs in February 2015, are: "Golos Ukrainy",

“Fakti i kommentarii“, "Den’“, "Komsomolskaya Pravda

in Ukraine" and “Uriadovy Courier“.

Topics related to IDPs have also been covered by

newspapers “Segodnya", “Vesti", “Ukrajina moloda"

and “Gazeta po-ukrajinki“.

Reports from ATO area and from Donbas territories,

controlled by Ukraine have become the most common

format of presenting materials about IDPs in February.

First of all, the following newspapers were presenting

information about IPDs in this format: "Den’",

"Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine" and “Segodnya“.

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Key topics from the life of IDPs, most frequently covered by

newspapers 8

Lack of useful information for IDPs in newspapers

Both in daily and in weekly newspapers one can

feel an obvious deficit of useful information for

the IDPs themselves.

Information about distribution of humanitarian

assistance, opening of mobile camps for IDPs, etc.

is placed in the newspapers without contact

information, thanks to which people could use the

offered assistance.

As an example of materials that carry useful help

information for IDPs one can name an article in

“Gazeta po-ukrajinki" of 17 February about a free

hostel in Odessa with indication of its address.

The minimum amount of useful help information for

IDPs was placed in the newspapers " Golos Ukrainy"

and “Uriadovy Courier", which are being printed for

taxpayers' money.

Thus, "Golos Ukrainy" writes about the difficulties

the official registration and employment of IDPs,

preparation of housing in modular towns, work of

the Red Cross in Donbas. But at the same time,

none of the materials on these topics contains

contact information or clarification about further

actions for IDPs.

9

Among Ukrainian magazines that wrote about IDPs in

February, are, first of all, weekly magazines "Krajina",

"Novoe Vremya" and "Focus".

"Vesti Reporter", "Ukrainian Tyzhden" and

"Correspondent” have also paid attention to topics

related to IDPs.

In February, Ukrainian magazines indirectly touched

upon topics of IDPs in the context of conflict in the East

of Ukraine ("Ukrainian Tyzhden", "Focus"), wrote about

social adaptation of IDPs and social policy of the state

in their regard ("Krajina", "Correspondent", "Novoe

Vremya"), humanitarian assistance and work of

volunteers ("Novoe Vremya").

Magazine "Vesti Reporter“, more often than others,

prepared stories about leaving the ATO area and living

conditions of IDPs.

Topic of IDPs in magazines 10

What information is needed by IDPs: results of

online voting

Within the framework of the study of information needs of IDPs "Restoring Donbas" conducted a survey

among its subscribers in Facebook. Between March 2-4, 2015, 208 respondents have participated in it.

The survey is not a representative study, but it provides an opportunity to understand the big picture of

IDPs’ queries for information in the media.

6%

11%

12%

14%

23%

34%

Psychological assistance (incl. children)

Contact info of volunteers and foundations

Legal counseling

Humanitarian assitance destribution points

Assistance in finding housing

Assistance in finding jobs

SURVEY FOR IDPS FROM DONBAS

What useful information would you like to get from printed media and TV?

11

According to experts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, surveyed by "Restoring Donbas" in December

2014 - January 2015, today IDPs from ATO area are in need of provision of a number of information

services :

-- Legal counseling (92,4% of respondents).

-- Information assistance (85,6% of respondents).

-- Psychological counseling (84,6% of respondents).

-- Remote consultations with medical professionals(54,5% of respondents).

-- Remote tutoring service (school, interest groups) (40,7% of respondents).

- needed - hard to tell - no

What information is needed by IDPs: Donbas

experts 12

40,7%

54,5%

84,6%

85,6%

92,4%

Remote tutoring services

(school, interest clubs)

Remote consultations with

medical professionals

Psychological counselling

Information assistance

Legal consultations

Main conclusions of the research

• In February 2015, Ukrainian press and TV gave special priority to the issue of IDPs’ leaving from the

area of combat operations. This is connected with the commencement of access regime in the ATO

area and active hostilities in the area of Debaltsevo. Related topics were also popular - providing of

humanitarian assistance to IDPs, accommodating refugees on peaceful territories.

• Most frequently marked words “IDPs" and "refugees" are used by the press and TV in the context of

information about the new statistics (leaving from the ATO area, unemployment, etc.).

• Stories about the life of IDPs from Donbas in other regions most often are focused on two issues -

finding housing and employment.

• Ukrainian press and TV, in the first place those publishing houses, that are financed by the state, pay

little attention to the help information that could be useful for IDPs. We are talking about contact

information for obtaining humanitarian and other assistance, as well as the course of actions in each

specific situation - when receiving an official IDP status, receiving humanitarian assistance, finding

housing and employment.

• Materials of the state media hardly covered the possibility of obtaining state assistance by IDPs (for

example, formalities to receive targeted assistance). Also, there are no explanations regarding the

possibility of obtaining assistance in the framework of international programs. Thus, in February, there

were no materials in the state media related to issuance of UN grants to Ukraine for IDPs with the

purposes of business development and reconstruction of housing. Neither conditions, nor the cases of

obtaining of such grants by IDPs from Donbas were reported.

• According to the survey in social networks, IDPs from the ATO area, first of all, are in need of

informational support to find housing and employment, of information about obtaining humanitarian

assistance.

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© Community initiative "Restoring Donbas". 2015