FACES AND PLACES: Kontakt connects the community (03/03/96)

FACES AND PLACES

by Myron B. Kuropas

Kontakt connects the community

You've seen their ad in The Ukrainian Weekly and Canada's Ukrainian News many times. The headline reads: "Modern Technology Linking Our Communities Together. North America's Ukrainian TV offers news from Ukraine, a kids' corner, a youth segment, as well as information about travel, entertainment, business, sports." It advertises "Kontakt," an innovative program that truly delivers on its promise. "Kontakt" connects. All of us. Not yet, but soon.

Now that "Kontakt" is a household word throughout many North American Ukrainian communities, where does the program go from here?

First, "Kontakt" plans to expand to Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Detroit, Philadelphia, Florida, Washington and Cleveland. The next major step is a weekly broadcast to Ukraine.

Impossible, you say? Perhaps. But think of this. "Kontakt" got started in 1992 in only two markets, Toronto and New York. By 1994, "Kontakt" was producing 42 original shows per year, with 10 re-runs in the summer. Annual costs included $380,000 for the Toronto operation and $275,000 for New York.

Today the program airs in southern Ontario, the New York-New Jersey area, Chicago, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Saskatoon and Edmonton. Actually, it is transmitted by satellite across northern Canada from coast to coast with plans for similar expansion to the United States.

How is it that "Kontakt" has connected so well with the Ukrainian public in North America, while other organizations, institutions, programs and individuals in our community are struggling? There are three major reasons.

The first is a clear mission. Knowing what one wants to accomplish is the first step in any successful venture. According to Jurij R. Klufas, "Kontakt's" executive producer, "our mission is to use the most effective media of influence and communication in a professional manner to tie and link our various communities together into one 'global village.'" Mr. Klufas believes our communities exist as "independent islands." The aim of "Kontakt" is to serve as a vehicle for promoting familiarity among all communities.

A second reason "Kontakt" is so successful is professional personnel. Knowing where one wants to go is one thing. Getting there, however, requires talented people who know how to get there.

"Kontakt" has a team that includes, in addition to Mr. Klufas, Ola Szczuryk, a TV professional who is both an entertainment host on mainstream TV and a regular in TV commercials. Ms. Szczuryk gives "Kontakt" an elegant touch of class. Then there is Adrian Tanchuk, a 19-year-old first-year student of radio and television at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. Mr. Tanchuk provides the show with youthful appeal and a sense of humor. Yulia Drozdowsky is host for the children's segment and is working hard to bring the youngest segment of our community into the "Kontakt" fold. The congenial Michael Curry is the entertainment host.

Lidia Prokop, Natalia Chimiak-Kulas and Katrusia Labach serve as reporters and hosts, respectively, in New York, Chicago and Edmonton.

Finally, there is the technical crew, the people who work behind the scenes to make it all come together. Markian Radomsky, Arko Rymarczyk and Petro Hordylan work as editors with state-of-the-art digital computer editing facilities. Ihor Krut is "Kontakt's" newest cameraman. Local producers express mail local footage to Toronto, where it is edited and inserted into the final one-hour TV segment. Ihor Klufas produces the news from Ukraine, which comes to "Kontakt" weekly from state TV in Ukraine. He is also the executive director of the Ukrainian Media Center and handles the distribution of the program throughout North America.

A third reason "Kontakt" connects is its sponsorship of various community projects and events. "Kontakt" helped produce the feature video "Ukraine: The Land and Its People" in 1992 and "Ukraine's Olympic Debut" in 1994. The program also has served as media sponsor of the annual "Kontakt" Children's Festival in Toronto, Ukrainian Day at Ontario Place, the Verkhovyna Festival in Glen Spey, N.Y., the annual "Kontakt" Cup Baseball Tournament, and the New "Kontakt"-Cup Ice Hockey Tournament.

According to Ukrainian News, 10 teams competed for the "Kontakt" Hockey Cup in 1995. Included were the Detroit Hetmany, the New York Kozaks, the Montreal Ukes and Chicago's Black and Blue. Following elimination rounds, the championship game was between Halenda's Oshawa and ODUM Toronto. The final score was 6-3 in favor of Halenda's Oshawa.

In 1994, "Kontakt" sponsored a television commercial scriptwriting contest for teenagers in each of its markets. Twenty-two young adults won a flight to Ukraine and a cruise along the Dnipro River and the Black Sea. Students in Ukraine participated in a similar contest sponsored by the Chervona Ruta Cruise Co. and were on the ship along with the North American winners. Air Ukraine also was one of the sponsors.

A more recent "Kontakt" project was the first ever Ukrainian telethon for "Help Us Help the Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fund." Over $80,000 was raised.

Finally, "Kontakt" provides our community with valuable news and commentary. Panel discussions on a variety of topics and personal interviews with significant Ukrainians are an integral part of "Kontakt" broadcasts. They provide the kind of information our community needs if we are to move into the 21st century.

Vision, a dedicated, competent and self-confident staff, and creative ideas are the secrets behind "Kontakt's" current success. For me, the fact that such an enterprise has not only survived but appears to be thriving is a reason to rejoice. Ukrainian youth is involved, monies are being raised, and our community is benefiting.

"Kontakt" is one enterprise that deserves the support of all Ukrainians in North America. It is no longer a shoestring operation surviving from day to day. "Kontakt" already plays an important role in our community. It promises to become even more significant in the future.

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