Directors of VOA and RFE/RL visit Kyiv, criticize state of press freedom in Ukraine (04/04/04)

Directors of VOA and RFE/RL visit Kyiv, criticize state of press freedom in Ukraine

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - In an unprecedented move, the directors of the two major United States broadcast services held a joint press conference in Kyiv on March 31 to level heavy criticism on the current state of Ukraine's press freedoms.

"It is true that the directors of Voice of America and RFE/RL do not hold joint press conferences," explained David Jackson, Voice of America director. "But, while we are different organizations, we share the same values. Those values are liberal democracy, free speech, free assembly and freedom of thought. What has taken place here is a serious blow to those values."

Mr. Jackson and Tom Dine of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty told journalists that the sudden termination of a broadcast contract with Radio Liberty by the Ukrainian station Radio Dovira after it changed ownership, followed by the forcible closing of the station Radio Kontynent, to which RL moved afterward - which also resulted in VOA being taken off the air inasmuch as it had broadcast on that station's airwaves - forced the two directors to travel to Kyiv.

They believed they needed to assess the extent to which Ukraine's state leadership may have been involved in the closings, as had been alleged, as well as to find new avenues for the broadcast of their news and information programs.

Mr. Dine said that, based on what he had determined, Ukrainian state officials were intricately involved with the termination of the RL contract at Radio Dovira and the subsequent closing of Radio Kontynent.

"When Radio Liberty agreed with Radio Kontynent to bring Ukraine radio programming again, Ukraine's leadership at the highest levels decided to bring the thing down," explained Mr. Dine. "It was a decision made by the Ukrainian leadership at the highest levels to suppress the press."

Mr. Dine cited figures, which he said refuted claims by the new owners of Dovira Radio that RL news programming was not commercially profitable. He explained that the relationship with the former owners had been fruitful for 5 years and that the RL programs remained popular.

The RFE/RL director noted that RL programs on Dovira Radio had received an 8.4 percent audience share in 2003, when most commercial stations consider a five percent audience share acceptable. He rejected reports that the new owners wanted to attract a younger audience noting that a good portion of the new listeners RL programming had attracted belonged to the younger generation.

"Most commercial radio stations would do anything to get the influential, well-informed, youthful audience we were attracting," said Mr. Dine.

The RFE/RL director explained that during their visit he and Mr. Jackson had met with several commercial radio stations located in different parts of Ukraine about transmitting RFE/RL and VOA news and information programs. He confirmed that the two men had spoken with representatives of Voice of Kyiv as well, but would not state whether the parties were close to an agreement.

Mr. Dine suggested that what was taking place in Ukraine in the run-up to the presidential election in October was the stifling of independent mass media based on the methodology that had been used in Russia by the presidential administration of recently re-elected President Vladimir Putin. Most international observers agree that Mr. Putin has taken control, directly or indirectly, over much of Russia's largest mass media outlets in the last year.

Both Mr. Dine and Mr. Jackson tied the takeover of Radio Dovira and the closing of Radio Kontynent - which had carried the transmissions of most of the major foreign state broadcasters in addition to RFE/RL and VOA, including BBC, Deutsche Welle and Polish Radio - directly to the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine.

"I have been coming here for 10 years," explained Mr. Dine. "I have heard a basketful of proclamations that this is a democracy. But that is not the case when there are questions of a free press."

Mr. Jackson added, "The world is watching what is going on in Ukraine."

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