Kyiv's International Media Center
to Open Center for Journalists

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The International Media Center, founded in 1993, has as its main goals:

• the development of a pluralistic mass media in Ukraine;

• encouragement of journalistic reform;

• raising professional standards;

• increasing the flow of information in and out of Ukraine.

Hewryk, a Ukrainian-American graduate student in history at the University of Pennsylvania, indicated interest in obtaining the following resources for the Journalists' Center:

• detailed information about U.S. non-governmental organizations that focus on the mass media. One of the major problems in Ukraine, said Hewryk, is that journalists do not know of the various activities and programs of the nonprofit sector in the United States.

• information about institutions or organizations that make grants or offer internships in journalism. The Center wishes to compile information on all organizations worldwide which offer media assistance or professional development programs.

• either current or slightly-dated reference guides (such as Gale's Directory of Associations and other more specialized directories).

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in June 1993 provided a three-year grant to support the work of the International Media Center (IMC). Following is more detail on four major IMC programs:

Television

IMC produces regular shows such as the popular weekly news magazine show Vikna (Windows), now in its second year and currently seen on UT-3 on Mondays, and the weekly economics show Parahraf (Paragraph), produced for independent TV stations in Ukraine. Other IMC TV productions are in preparation.

For local independent TV stations and independent producers IMC offers state-of-the-art equipment to produce their own half-hour programs. Ten of these are currently in production or completed. They range from documentaries on current affairs to shows on unknown or forgotten aspects of the history of Ukraine. Grants for these productions are awarded on a competitive basis by an outside board of judges.

After a program is completed, IMC helps distribute it to stations. Once IMC's satellite dish is in place, rapid distribution of its programs and exchanges with broadcasters virtually anywhere in the world will be possible.

Radio

At present, IMC is putting together similar state-of-the-art facilities for radio broadcasters. Once equipment is in place, independent radio producers will be able to make use of these facilities to turn their ideas into audio products.

Meanwhile, IMC has gathered data on some 40 independent radio stations around Ukraine and maintains ties with them in order to determine their immediate and long-range needs. Plans are under way to launch IMC's own regular radio programs, too.

Print

The news agency UNIAN (Ukrainian Independent Information Agency Novyny), was started with the help of IMC and now operates on its own, continually expanding the number of its clients, thanks to its reputation as a reliable source of news.

IMC's Information and Press Center maintains databases in computers, files of clippings, and reference books for use by print and other journalists. It also translates into Ukrainian the best available reference books and teaching materials in the field of journalism, and has plans to commission its own works.

Training

An important component of the International Media Center project is training. Throughout the year, IMC brings together broadcasters, station managers, reporters, camera people, and producers for seminars or special lectures-all of them based on surveys of current needs.

In July 1994, for example, IMC held a two-day seminar on copyright, specifically on the ethics and legal aspects of broadcasting pirated tapes.

Seminars and courses arranged by the IMC typically use staff composed of Americans, West Europeans, East Europeans and Ukrainians.

International Advisory Board

• Marek Halter, president of the Association des Amis du College Universitaire Fran�ais de Moscou

• Flora Lewis, an American journalist, currently associated with the Institut Fran�ais des Relations Internationales (IFRI)

• Roman Melnyk, president of William F. Cooke Television Productions in Toronto

• Niels Jorgen Thogersen, director of information at the European Commission

• John Tusa, former managing director of BBC World Services

• David Webster, chairman of the Trans-Atlantic Dialogue in Washington

International Media Center--Internews

Information and Press Center,
Center for Journalists, and
Internews Representative Office

4, Khreshchatyk Street
Kyiv, Ukraine 252001
044/229-31-10 (voice)
044/229-36-90 (fax)
E-mail: [email protected]

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Center for Civil Society International [email protected]