Telemarathon co-produced by 6 broadcasting stations Yonhap News
Viewership rating dropped from 40% to less than 10% in March 2022
The need for national sacrifice due to the prolongation of the war is not known.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 3rd (local time) that a news program run by the Ukrainian government is being criticized for presenting only an overly rosy outlook on the war.
Since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the only TV program that provides war-related news is Telemarathon Yonhap News, jointly operated by major TV stations.
This program, which is broadcast 24 hours a day, broadcasts images of Ukrainian tanks attacking Russian troops, medical staff working on the front lines, and political leaders traveling abroad. They are also busy praising the authorities who appear to boost the morale of the people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in January last year that the program was a “weapon.”
However, as the war continues for nearly two years, Ukrainian citizens are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the program. The criticism is that the program, which was once a representative means of national unity, has been reduced to a government propaganda medium.
Viewers point out that this program only presents the war situation in a rosy light. The idea is to hide the news of the defeat of the Ukrainian army and the weakening of Western support to prevent the public from preparing for a long-term war.
Accordingly, the viewership ratings of Telemarathon Yonhap News also plummeted. Western experts attribute this to a decline in trust in the Ukrainian government as victory in the war becomes more difficult.
◆“We win. Everyone in Ukraine is fed up with the news that “everyone is helping us.”
“Everyone is fed up with the portrayal of ‘we are winning and everyone supports us,’” said Oksana Romanyuk, director of the Institute for Public Information in Chiu.
The government covers the production costs of this program, which is produced with the participation of six broadcasting stations by presidential decree. Channels critical of President Zelenskyy were excluded. Until July last year, Ukraine’s Minister of Culture and Information Oleksandr Dkashenko attended news program production meetings.
Immediately after the outbreak of war, the Telemarathon program’s viewership rating reached 60%, and the majority of Ukrainians supported the program. As Russian troops approached Ukrainian cities, Telemarathon reported the situation and instructed residents to evacuate.
He also played a significant role in boosting the morale of the Ukrainian people whenever necessary. President Zelenskyy’s passionate speech is also broadcast on this channel.
This program consists of reporting on the war situation, interviews with commanders at each level, and discussions between officials.
The viewership rating of this program, which reached 40% in March 2022, fell to 14% at the end of 2022. Now it is less than 10%.
Viewers point out that even though the threat of Russian occupation has diminished, the program is increasingly exaggerating the threat. “The only news is that everything is going well,” said Bohdan Chuprina (20), whom we met in Kiiu. “It’s like victory is just around the corner,” she said.
Chuprina said last summer’s prospects for a major Ukrainian counteroffensive were overly optimistic, giving him the impression that the Russians would soon be driven out. However, the great counterattack ended in failure.
Ihor Koulias, a telemarathon monitor expert, said that throughout last year, program participants emphasized “the outstanding capabilities of the Ukrainian military” and that the Russian military “is in a state of panic, suffering heavy losses and surrendering in large numbers,” which is different from the actual situation. He pointed out that it was completely different.
Olena Frolyak, one of the program’s hosts, said she only broadcasts what the government tells her about the situation on the front lines. She said, “We wait until the official position is decided.”
Ukrainian residents’ trust in the program fell from 69% in March 2022 to 43% last month. Additionally, more than two-thirds of Ukrainians said they wanted the program to be abolished. It is pointed out that the program does more harm than good.
Jarosław Yurchshyn, the parliament’s freedom of expression chairman, this month questioned the need for the program, saying “disappointment has grown after only presenting an optimistic outlook.”
Experts, including Chairman Yurchshin, criticize the program for hiding the fact that the people will need to make more sacrifices as the war prolongs. Ukraine is having difficulty recruiting troops as residents in the rear areas do not feel the war.
Another problem is that this program portrays President Zelenskyy, whose approval ratings are falling, as the most respected politician.
According to Koulias’ analysis, politicians from President Zelenskyy’s People’s Worker party accounted for 68% of all appearing politicians last year.
Oleksandr Bogutsky, CEO of Star Media, a broadcasting station participating in the production of the program, said, “Public opinion cannot be determined through Telemarathon alone,” and emphasized that Telegram’s influence is much greater.
Romunuk, director of the Public Information Institute, pointed out that as the war prolongs, Telemarathon must move away from imitating Russian propaganda. He emphasized, “We must protect democracy even while going to war.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.