News

The Ukrainian public service broadcaster UA:PBC is facing a 50 % cut to its funding in this year’s budget, as well as layoffs of 36 % of its staff. These cuts will lead to severe deficiency in terms of resources of the organisation and to a financial situation of UA:PBC that is both unsustainable and in breach of its responsibilities defined in its service guidelines and in the Public Broadcasting Law. Cutting of funding and jobs will undermine the independence, quality and diversity of public service broadcasting. Quality and independent information of citizens is the basis of our democratic societies.

UNI MEI urges the Ukrainian government to ensure that the funding of UA:PBC is adequate for its role and functioning, so that it can keep providing independent and quality information to the citizens of Ukraine.

For our full statement in English and in Russian, please see Related files below.