Fast Facts RFE/RL's Radio Svoboda is Ukraine’s most popular and trusted international broadcaster. Radio Svoboda celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2009. Language: Ukrainian Coverage: 2.5 hours/day, one hour weekend news talk show on regional affiliates Established: 1954 Distribution: Radio (FM, UKW, CBL, Satellite, Radio ERA (FM), Internet (www.radiosvoboda.org) Locations: Prague headquarters, Kyiv bureau Staff: 10 (Prague), 22 (Kyiv), and dozens of stringers

Media Environment

• Freedom House Freedom of the Press Index, 2012: Partly Free (130/197)
• Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, 2012: 116th/179
• The primary obstacle to media freedom in Ukraine is not government interference per se, but the oligarchical nature of the media market. Media coverage frequently follows the will of a wealthy owner who might also be an influential political figure. Therefore, despite private ownership and the relative freedom that exists in the Ukrainian media environment, the quality and independence of the country’s media as a whole is still limited.
• Freedom House reports that local governments often control the local media, and journalists who investigate wrongdoing at the local level still face physical intimidation.

Highlights

• Radio Svoboda celebrated its 55th anniversary on August 16, 2009. The work of the Service was commended by members of the U.S. Congress and the State Department as well as by the President and the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
• The Service has established a special website that closely monitors the trial of former governmental officials in Ukraine, currently paying the most attention to the trial of Yulia Tymoshenko.
• Radio Svoboda’s, January 9 interview with Oleksandr Tymoshenko has been quoted in over 75 Ukrainian media so far. In addition, 1+1 TV, a popular channel founded by former President Alexander Rodnyansky, asked for permission to use parts of the video with attribution to RFERL.
• In April 2011, the Service produced a special video report “25 Years in the Exclusion Zone” that took an in-depth look at the Chernobyl area and at the lives of the villagers directly impacted by the nuclear disaster.
• A video report by Iryna Tuz entitled “Welcome to Chernobyl” was recognized as the “Best TV Creative Feature” at the Association for International Broadcasting Awards in November.
• Radio Svoboda’s investigative report in March 2010 uncovered that Ukraine cuts down forests in natural reserves for so-called “sanitary purposes,” but, in fact, sells the wood for export. Soon after this report, the chairman of the State Committee for Forestry Mykola Tymoshenko was fired and authors of the report received local journalism prizes.

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Population
46.3 million (2008 World Bank estimate)

Most Common Languages:
Ukrainian, Russian, Crimean Tartar, Yiddish

Press Freedom Index (Freedom House):
Partly Free, ranked 130 out of 197(2012)

Press Freedom Index (RSF):
116 out of 175 (2012)

Corruption Index (Transparency Int.):
142 out of 183 (2011)

Global Peace Index (IES):
69 out of 153 (2011)

Human Rights Watch:
Report on Ukraine (2010)

Amnesty International:
Ukraine Report (2010)