Media community leaders, representatives of the state authorities, civil society and media industry discussed the Draft Law “On Media”

On 10 March 2021,  Aspen Institute Kyiv, together with the Project “EU and Council of Europe working together to support freedom of media in Ukraine”  held a moderated dialogue “Regulation of media in Ukraine: dialog to find the common formula” in the format of round table.

Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of Aspen Institute Kyiv and Olena Lytvynenko, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine joined the event with welcoming remarks.

The aim of the discussion was to identify the positions of the main stakeholders with regard to the key innovations, challenges and risks of the Draft Law “On Media” No. 2693-d of 02 July 2020 (hereinafter – the Draft Law). This Draft Law is to become a framework of the whole media sphere in Ukraine and, therefore, it drew great attention of the representatives of the media organisations, journalists, experts, state officials and the members of Ukrainian Parliament.

During the discussion the participants focused on two thematic blocks: functions, authorities and ensuring independence of  the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine and regulation of online media. The Draft Law envisages the extension of the scope of regulator’s authorities to new types of media. Also, the chapter of the Draft Law on online media regulation is an innovation for the media sphere.

The participants discussed the key provisions of the Draft Law, and focused on the following:

• Mechanism of appointment of the members of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine under quotas of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the President of Ukraine;
• Ensuring financial autonomy of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine;
• Cooperation of National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting with the courts and other bodies while exercising their powers;
• Responsibility of media and sanctions that can be imposed for the violation of the legislation in the sphere of media;
• Key principles of online media regulation;
• International experience and examples of online media regulation;
• Voluntary nature and mechanism of media registration as well as the scope of regulation.

The majority of the participants of the dialogue agreed on the need to adopt the law as soon as possible, despite the fact that it does not address all the challenges of the media sphere and would need amendments and innovations when it is implemented.

It is important to continue working on the law in the open and transparent manner engaging media and civil society organisations and also all groups, that the law implementation will influence in the future.

Media community leaders, representatives of the state authorities, civil society and media industry and international organisations took part in the event.

The round table was held off-the-record. It was moderated by Andriy Kulakov, program director of CSO “Internews-Ukraine”, coordinator of Aspen Institute Kyiv Community Program and Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Kyiv.

We are grateful to the Council of Europe Office for the initiative of holding the event. 

For initiatives on holding and participating in events, please contact Olena Fomina, Director of Justice, Law, and Society (of@aspeninstitutekyiv.org).