leaflet of the i session, new ukraine school of professional journalism (english)

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INFO BRIEF: May-June, 2011

First School Session

On May 28 – June 2, 2011 in the Crimea (Simeiz) the 1st session

of the School of Professional Journalism “NEW UKRAINE” was

held. The Agenda of the 1st session of the School consisted both

of general theoretical and philosophic lectures, as well as practical

workshops. Since the venue for the session was the AR Crimea,

key attention was paid to peculiarities of the Crimean policy, na-

tional minorities, etc.


May 28, 2011

The 1st session of the School of Professional Jour-nalism “NEW UKRAINE” started with a welcome ad-dress by Ihor KOHUT, the director of the School of Professional Journalism “NEW UKRAINE”, the Chair of the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, Vitaliy ZAM-NIUS, the director of the “Mass Media” program of the International “Renaissance” Foundation, a mem-ber of the School Project Board, and Olexiy POG-ORELOV, the Director General of the Ukrainian As-sociation of Periodicals Publishers, a member of the School Project Board. They informed the participants about the content, format and key directions of the School’s work, after which the participants had the opportunity to participate in the roundtable on “Modern Challenges of Journalism”. The speakers were Valentyna SAMAR, Chair of the Board of NGO “Information Press-Center” and Olexiy POGORELOV, the Director General of the Ukrainian Association of Periodicals Publishers, a member of the School Project Board. During the roundtable, partici-pants of the School shared their experience of work in journalism, discussed key problems of modern journalism and solutions for them. The discussion was conduc-ted around such key topics as definition of the key target audience for mass media, opportunities for development of media as a business and of creating convergent editor boards which include radio and television, print and Internet platforms.

Valentyna SAMAR, Ihor KOHUT, Olexiy POGPRELOV

May 29, 2011

On the next day, May 29, 2011, Natalia AMELCHEN-KO, Associate Professor of Political Science depart-ment, National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, PhD, delivered a lecture on “Modern Ideologies: chal-lenges of globalization”. The lecture by Mrs. Amelchen-ko concerned emergence and development of mo-dern ideologies, namely: conservatism, liberalism and socialism. The lecturer told participants of the School about transformation of modern ideologies in the era of globalization, noting that no “pure” ideologies cur-rently exist and emphasizing that liberalism has won in the geocultural aspect, all modern ideologies support the idea of market economy. Besides, Mrs. Amelchenko described mediatization of politics based on works by such prominent philosophers as Jean Bodriyar, P. Bourdieu and M. McLuhan.

Nataliia AMELCHENKO

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After this, Andriy MELESHEVYCH, Dean of the Fa-culty of Law of the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Ph.D. in Political Science of Syracuse University (USA) delivered the lecture on “Ukrainian Parties: unreliable partners of democracy”. Mr. ME-LESHEVYCH told participants about key milestones in development of the party system in Ukraine, namely adoption of the new law on parliamentary elections, abolition of the constitutional reform and the Orange Revolution. Mr. MELESHEVYCH high-lighted strengths and weaknesses of the constitu-tional reform. He also noted the important role of the Orange Revolution, which promoted establishment and legitimation of transparent and fair elections as the exclusive mechanism of formation of public authorities. Summing up, the lecturer mentioned that the legal framework for the national political parties system develop-ment created in 2004-2005 is currently under the threat of being cut down.

Andriy MELESHEVYCH

Сonstitutional reform of 2004 contributed to decentral-ization of power, strengthening of the role of political parties in Ukraine’s political system.

After that, Vsevolod RECHYTSKY, constitutional ex-pert of Kharkiv Human Rights Group, associate pro-fessor of the National Law Academy of Ukraine named after Yaroslav the Wise, PhD of Law, told participants about the philosophy of the freedom of speech, which is, in his opinion, a fundamental value of the society and a post-political and post-legal phe-nomenon. The key topic covered during the lecture was the symbolic reality, its formation and functions. Thus, one of the most important properties of the

symbolic reality is its capacity of providing the opportunity to combine freer than in the “real reality” objects and phenomena of life, connect them with one another in any way, to speed up or slow down their movement according to the design generated by imagination. The most important qua-lity of the symbolic reality is the possibility of crea-ting. The focus of the lecture was on the freedom of speech as one of fundamental freedoms of the indi-vidual.

Vsevolod RECHYTSKY

The freedom of speech should exist but should be controlled with natural filters of a person, which due to knowledge ob-tained acquires the capacity of sifting in-formation and choosing the most useful and high-quality relevant information.

The final chord of the day was presentation by Olexiy POGORELOV, the Director General of the Ukrainian Association of Periodicals Publishers, of the lecture “Trans-formations of Modern Journalism: what? when? why? and who is responsible? Stake-holder discussion to define vectors for professional development”. The lecturer identi-

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fied key issues for professional journalists, such as: target audience and interests of the reader; own uniqueness/specialty, use of various channels for in-formation dissemination, business model, i.e. indi-vidual contribution into the publishing house’s income and personal development. Mr. Pogorelov provided students of the School with statistical data on the number of periodicals based on subscription, the au-dience of newspapers, magazines and websites, the audience of the Ukrainian Internet, the most interes-ting topics for readers and more. Finally, he asked the journalists the following rhetorical questions for further reflections: “Why are the typical epithets to characterize Ukrainian journalists currently “lazy”,

“corrupt”, “unprofessional”, “shallow”?, “Why are Ukrainian media so unattractive and uninteresting for the reader / viewer who is an intelligent person?”, “Why are audi-ences of online media growing so quickly?”.

Olexiy POGORELOV

Social networks cannot replace professional media, since the latter undertake responsibil-ity for accuracy of information.

May 30, 2011

May 30, 2011 was dedicated to workshops. On this day, the workshop by Myhailo MINAKOV, president of the Foundation for Good Politics, lecturer at the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Doctor of Philosophy, on the subject of social capital was conducted. When preparing for the lecture, journal-ists had to familiarize themselves with works by P. Bourdieu, R. Putnam and F. Fukuyama. The work-shop consisted of a lecture and a practical compo-nent. The aim of the lecture was to introduce partici-pants to the concept of “social capital” and options of using it in analysis of social events in Ukraine. The immediate objective of the practical part was to offer an opportunity to assess one’s own attitudes that condition the opportunity of social capital operation; to analyze the concept of “social capital” and its application to understanding of social processes in Ukraine; to examine decision-making processes based on compromise and consen-sus, as well as their application for analysis of collective decision-making processes; to assess own social experience and discuss whether a correction is needed. Thus, during the practical part the participants took part in simulated negotiations between

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Myhailo MINAKOV


factions in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The result of the role play revealed that participants of the Third School of Professional Journalism “NEW UKRAINE” ma-naged to find common grounds and, in the imaginative exercise, work not only for their own interests, but also in interests of the state.

At the end of the day, Volodymyr PRYTULA, Head of the NGO “Committee for Freedom of Speech Moni-toring in the Crimea”, focused on issues connected with peculiarities of the Crimean region, which differs significantly from other regions of Ukraine. Mr. Pry-tula dispelled the myth that the Crimea is a pro-Rus-sian region, in fact it is inhabited by the category of people who consciously and subconsciously consid-er themselves as Soviet-thinking ones. This is ex-plained by the fact that in Soviet times huge invest-ments were made into the peninsula, which could not but impact the people’s mood. The lecturer dedi-cated a significant part of his presentation to the is-sue of Crimean Tatars, who make up 12-13% of the Crimea’s population, their repre-sentation in governmental bodies and institutions and their relations with representatives of authorities.

Volodymyr PRYTULA

Besides, on this day Ali SAFAROV, lawyer, media expert, held a workshop on rights and responsibili-ties of journalists. Special attention was dedicated to analysis of the new law “On Access to Information” and introduction for participants of the School of practical cases for this law’s application. Among positive features of the law, the expert only empha-sized tighter deadlines for providing information. At the same time, he found a lot of “cons” there. Thus, journalists are deprived of the right to work at de-

monstrations, rallies, as well as are attributed with the same rights as ordinary citi-zens in the issue of priority of providing information upon request, plus cutting downs rights in evaluative judgments, etc.

Ali SAFAROV

Journalists should verify reliability evidences carefully in order to protect themselves against lawsuits and provide only objective information.

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May 31, 2011

The next day was dedicated to national issues, in particular Oleg GABRIELYAN, rector of the Crimean University of Culture, Arts and Tourism, Head of the Crimean Armenian community, Chair of the “Luys” Foundation, Ph.D., addressed students of the School with the lecture on “National Issues: features of poli-tics in the Crimea” and focused his report on features of interethnic relations in the Crimea both in the his-torical context, and in the context of modernity. In par-ticular, journalists learned more about the connection between the ethnic composition of the Crimea and the historical destiny of the peninsula. Thus, during at least the recent 200 years the ethnic composition of the Crimean population was several times subject to significant transformations and radical changes. Moreover, all of these changes were caused by inter-ference of external factors, such as a deliberate poli-cy of power centers, consequences of wars and revo-lutions. Besides, the students learned about characteristics of each historic period in development of the Crimea. According to the speaker, after col-lapse of the USSR, only starting from 2000 there are signs of gradual recovery of economic and social development in the region. However, according to O. Gabrielyan, from the beginning of its independence Ukraine, unlike the imperial and modern Russia and the USSR, has not had and still does not have a holistic Ukrainian project. So far, according to O. Gabrielyan, such project of the future Crimea only exists in the Crimean Tatar community and can be characterized as fol-lows: “From a national-cultural autonomy within Ukraine – towards own national state”.

Oleg GABRIELYAN

Development of the Crimea in the last few centuries was characterized by a kind of a pendulum principle, i.e. each period of devastation was followed by a period of accelerated development. Moreover, each historical development stage was characterized by its own unique “Crimean project”, which re-flected ideas prevailing at that time re-garding the role, place and mission of the Crimea within the overall picture of a great country – whether the imperial Russia or the USSR.

Besides, on this day School participants visited the Naval Museum Complex “Balaklava”, which in Sovi-et times hosted a factory repairing submarines, and now at the underground level of the Museum they created exhibitions highlighting the history of mo-dern naval forces of Ukraine, and Bakhchisaray his-torical and cultural reserve “Salachyk” where Oleksa GAYVORONSKY, deputy director for humanitarian work of the reserve, spoke about the history of the reserve, within the territory of which there are ruins of the Khan’s palace, mosque, Khan’s cemetery, hospital, baths, and madrasah.

Oleksa GAYVORONSKY

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Then, Refat CHUBAROV, MP of Ukraine of the 3rd, 4th and 5th convocations, Deputy Chairman of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, shared with journalists his views on the ethnic and national policy of Ukraine through the prism of the Crimean Tatar issue, having finalized discussion of this topic within the 1st ses-sion. Lots of students of the School of Professional Journalism “NEW UKRAINE” after Refat Chubarov’s introduction started seeing problems of Crimean Ta-tars with different eyes, as if having experienced the events of 67 years ago, when they were deported to Uzbekistan, in their hearts.

Refat CHUBAROV

June 1, 2011

June 1, 2011 was dedicated to new media. Maxim SAVANEVSKY, consultant on Internet communica-tions, the author of the project Watcher.com.ua, con-ducted a training on this subject. The lecturer told participants about more efficient use of new media in a journalist’s work, modern formats of content on the Internet, in particular – use of video, podcasts, info-graphics, web conferencing, posting of comments, etc. There was also a discussion on how the Internet is changing the media structure and which online tools should be used in work of editorial boards. It should be also noted how online media are actively integrating into social networks. Almost every web

site has on its pages a button or plug-ins of Facebook, VKontakte, Twitter. However, the most high-quality audience interested in news is still on Facebook. With social networks one can promote one’s web site, post links to news, report certain innova-tions, inform the editorial board about news. Readers, in their turn, only receive links to the most interesting materials of the website. But, according to Mr. Savanevsky, despite all the listed advantages of new media, most of online news resources remain unprofitable. Out of the whole Ukrainian advertising market the Internet still accounts for only 1%.

Maksym SAVANEVSKY

An important element in operation of an online edi-torial board is interaction with the audience: users submit their own content, register and comment on articles, participate in contests, conduct their own blogs.

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In the end of the day, Olexander KHORUZHENKO, director of the Center for Regional Politics Studies, editor of the media platform and magazine SumyNews, shared his experience of use and successful opera-tion of Internet media taking the example of the me-dia platform SumyNews. Despite the relatively short period of existence of the resource (2 years), this project has quite a significant social value, because it is based on politically-oriented topics. Accordingly, its target audience includes the politically active public. The media platform focuses primarily on development of regional online media. Due to its impartiality and non-commercial orientation and, sure, efficiency SumyNews is a rather significant factor shaping public opinion. The main goal of the project is reforms and their implementation.

Oleksander KHORUZHENKO

The last day was dedicated to topical problems of international relations. In particular, Igor SEMYVOLOS, executive director of the Center for Middle East Studies, research-

er at the Institute of Oriental Studies named after A. Krymsky of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, told participants about current events in the Middle East and challenges and consequences for the world and Ukraine. The lecturer touched upon the topic of arising of Arab nationalism, the “jasmine” revolution in Tunisia, the revolutions in

Egypt and Libya. Besides, the expert informed partici-pants about the theory of social movements, focused on its stages – the stage of origin (concern), the stage of association (excitation), the stage of formalization and bureaucratization and the stage of decay. In con-clusion, Mr. Semyvolos answered the questions as to in which countries revolutions might take place in the future, what they may result in and whether the Middle East faces Islamization.

mediaschool.parlament.org.uamediaschool.parlament.org.ua

June 2, 2011

Igor SEMYVOLOS

Among the key causes of the revolutions, the lecturer mentioned mass poverty of population, social lifts’ blocking, corruption, intensification of perception of social injustice and emergence of new social groups and social entrepreneurs.

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IMPRESSIONS OF PARTICIPANTS WITH THE 1ST THIRD SESSION OF THE SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM “NEW UKRAINE”

Olexandra Babenko, freelancer (Kyiv) “We did not study, we were cognizing the world from different angles, and some discov-ered it again. Each lecture is a slice of knowledge, a chance to look at the world and processes in it through different eyes. And after each topic, and there were lots of inter-

esting ones, you constantly ask yourself questions that you try to answer. The feeling is that you “grow”, and, probably, it is the main impression from the first se-ssion”.

Olexiy Bilovol, political columnist, interviewer of the information agencies “Ukrainian National News”, “RBK-Ukraine” (Kyiv)

“We are the new Ukraine, i.e. Ukraine in the future, and the future has no prospects if one lives with the past. And “looking in the faces...” I could not understand why should we be merged? We are different, and it’s great. Vehemence of Lviv, sincerity of Sumy, armor of Lugansk, freshness of Mykolaiv, pride of Lutsk, fairness of Dnipropetrovsk, status of Kyiv... Lots of things can be list-ed. But we are different. And before convincing someone of one’s truth one must learn to accept the truth of others. And “New Ukraine” united all of us to introduce to each other for the first time. The introduction has taken place. Within hardly five days. We argued, laughed, and admired the beauty of the Crimea, became acquainted with its history, discovered new horizons with the experts, made the first attempts to develop our start-up capital...”

Lidia Yakusheva, editor of the section “Economics and Finance” of the publishing group “Nash Pro-duct” (Kyiv) “These are “our people”. We are from different cities, but we speak the same language, and not only in the literal sense of the word. It is felt in the same way as when one person is hit and this hurts another one, be-cause we have similar problems – all of us face the

backside of our profession. And that is why we had this rich dialogue, and sang songs with one voice and the sense of unity, one family. And intellectual games, like games of good old friends who have known each other for ages”.

Volodymyr Haluzinsky, journalist, proofreader of the TV company “Your Universe”, CJSC BC “Vsesvit” (Pervomaysk, Mykolaiv region)

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“First of all, we found ourselves in the environment of colleagues – this is a holiday already, and more so – professional colleagues! Substantive lec-tures, interesting tours, unique entertainment – everything was there! I can hardly say that the session was easy – no, hardly. But at the same time it is a powerful impetus, an impulse to reflect on topical issues of today, which cannot be over-estimated. Moreover, the atmosphere of live communica-tion always prevailed at the sessions”.

“…Being at the School ... I consider as an honor, and I am sincerely glad that I was one of the students”.

Kateryna Besedina, news editor of the First Business TV Channel (Kyiv) “... And one should start with oneself, with how a journalist presents information. We must look for its originality and importance. In order to not only influence people’s opinion, but also be able to earn from this. After all, journalism – it’s also a good business project. You just need to intelligently think over the strategy. Social relations, legal aspects of the pro-

fession, working with the World Wide Web, television on the Internet – this is an incomplete list of the topics that we, the audience of the first session, had a chance to hear and discuss”.

Maryna Moroz, section editor of the Ukrainian news-paper “Express” (Lviv) “New Ukraine” made me wake up. It provided the founda-

tion for reflections, made me analyze... During the sessions, I met very interesting people – practitioners and theorists of journalism, media lawyers, philosophers... I have found likeminded people and real friends among students of the School. Finally, I have spent very meaningful and interesting time, because we did not stop debating even between lectures...”.

Nadia Suprunyuk, freelancer (Kyiv) “I seemed to feel thirsty, eager to drink each gram of new information. Or, maybe, it was understanding of that one does not have to bear knowledge on your back? But, I think, to a greater extent it was still due to selection of themes and those who revealed them to us. Now I proudly boast to my colleagues whose lectures I had the chance to attend, with whom I disputed, whose views collected in the operation arsenal of the journalist“ .

Nazar Vakula, editor of the website Gazeta.ua (Kyiv) “I was pleasantly impressed by the perfect organization of our stay at the school, diversity of teaching methods: lectures, training, watching movies, tours; Myhaylo Minakov and the workshop on social capital; rich content of lectures, the visit to Bakhchisarai”.

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Viktor Orel, correspondent of the newspaper “Litsa” (Dnipropetrovsk) “Learn and cultivate. These are the thoughts and desires that arise after the 5 days spent at the School of Professional Journalism “New Ukraine”... “...At the session, I remembered the meeting with one of organizers of Norilsk insurgence of 1953 Stepan Semeniuk, who in the 1930’s studied in the Czech Republic at the “Ukrai-nian Free University”. When Stepan Semeniuk came to the University, the first thing he heard from teachers was: you can learn rhetoric, philosophy, political science without us – our task is to teach you the most important – to think and learn. It seems that at the School of Professional Journalism one can also learn the most important. The main thing is that each of us had a positive goal. I have one...”

Sergiy Livadny, journalist of the “Kyiv Time” program of Kyiv State TV Company (Kyiv) “...It all happened quickly, swiftly, like first love. One did not have time to come round – and it (the session) was over – passed, leaving the need to look back and, without slowing the pace, draw conclusions – organize what we have seen, heard”.“Now I really miss the warm, humid Crimean evenings

spent in the company of intelligent people. I would be grateful to my destiny for a deja vu”.

Kateryna Rybij (Em), author and presenter, journalist of the program “Who Lives Here?”, TV Channel “ZIK” (Lviv) “Over time, every journalist starts being reluctant when they tell him/her to go for a trai-ning. Sort of, what else can I learn there, as I already know everything. I confess that I felt this resistance as well. I was convinced that this training was completely different. That no theory would be taught to me there. However, what they would tell me would be of use in my further development – not only mental, but also the career one. So when I received the first package of lectures – it became clear that this would be really something quite different”. “The name in general justifies the cause of the school. Thus, the new Ukraine, new journalism, new global think-ing – that is what the school teaches”.

Roman Myroshnychenko, correspondent of the re-gional weekly “Krugly Dvir” (Trostyanets, Sumy re-gion). “So, the first session of the School of Professional Journalism “New Ukraine” is over. In September the meeting of journalists will continue in Kyiv. This event really broadens ho-rizons of media representatives in respect of many things, enriches young personalities with new ideas about how to build a truly New Ukraine”.

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The New Ukraine School of Professional Journalism is an educational and networking project, it is a platform for communication between pro-fessional journalists aimed at the interchange of information, experience, ideas and innovations, as well as at extending knowledge and skills in different genres. Prominent attention is paid to expansion of horizons and promotion of values, as well as personal development of journalists.

The program includes 60% of general topics (politics, economics, fight-ing corruption, education, environment protection, medicine, culture etc.) and 40% of professional educational topics (freedom of speech, media business, new media, journalistic investigations, PR in media etc.).The curriculum includes lectures, discussions, trainings, role plays, and round tables where Ukrainian and foreign experts, civil and political acti-vists will act as moderators, trainers, lecturers.

Trainers and lecturers are the leading Ukrainian and foreign public and political figures, journalists, experts and scientists. Among the school speakers in previous years were: Oleksandr Bohutsky (Director of the International Commercial Television and Radio company "ICTV"), Yulia Mos-tova (Deputy editor-in-chief of "Dzerkalo Tyzhnia" newspaper), An-driy Shevchenko (Ukraine MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary Commit-tee on freedom of speech and information), Dariia Chepak (Press secre-tary of President of Ukraine), Natalia Lyhachova (Editor-in-chief of "Telekritika" project), Oleksandr Martynenko (General Director of “Inter-fax-Ukraine” Information Agency), Andriy Kulykov (Presenter of "the Freedom of speech" programme), Yehor Soboliev (Coordinator of “Svido-mo” Independent Bureau of investigative journalism), Bjoern Erichsen (Former director of television department of the European Broadcasting Union), Herhard Gnauck (Correspondent of "Die Welt" newspaper in Warsaw), William Horsley (Representative of free Media Association of European Journalists, Chairman of the British Section of the Association of European Journalists) and many others.

Successful candidates should: be practicing journalists; have an active life position and demonstrate leader qualities; be able to use the know-ledge acquired for the benefit of the society; be under 35 years old; rep-resent different kinds of media.

There is also the Alumni Conference which aim is to support alumni net-work of journalists. Annual meetings bring the opportunity for communi-cation of different years alumni. Moreover, alumni are involved into other

Contacts:

Ihor KOHUT,Chairman of the Board of the Agency for Legislative [email protected]

Oleksandr SYNIOOKYDeputy Chairman of the Board of the Agency for Legislative [email protected]

Natalya MATVIIENKO,Project [email protected]

Mariia KOVALProject [email protected]

Galyna TYSHCHENKOProject [email protected]

Tel.: (+38 044) 531 37 68For letters: mail box No. 20Kyiv, 04070, Ukraine

leaflet of the i session, new ukraine school of professional journalism (english)

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