Purdue scholar, Ukrainian journalist embraces free press during war

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. − While Ukraine has appeared many times in media over the course of this year, one Ukrainian journalist is looking to change the narrative of her country's representation: from spotlighting the refugee experience to focusing on broader Ukrainian voices.

Tetiana Gordiienko is a media analyst at Media Development Foundation and a native to Kyiv, Ukraine. Gordiienko is in the West Lafayette area for the next year as part of Purdue's Ukrainian Scholars Initiative — a program meant to host Ukrainian students so that they may continue their studies.

Gordiienko is a media and communications Ph.D. student in Ukraine. In the second year of her program, the February 2022 invasion occurred.

"It was really, really complicated to keep up with (her studies,)" Gordiienko said. "And a lot of students started looking into international program to keep going with studies and research."

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After applying for several European-based student program, Gordiienko ended up having Purdue's Ukrainian Scholars Initiative work out best for her.

Gordiienko's work at MDF has served to aid journalists with many aspects of their work from safety to relocation.

MDF is a non-governmental organization that "(aims) to help independent media become sustainable by developing business skills, forming strategic plans as well as reviewing and optimizing their organizational structures, improving newsroom management..."

The past, present and future status of media in Ukraine is something that is not highly focused on in today's news. Many news outlets focus on the "refugee experience." As important as those stories can be and have been, sharing a wider range of voices from Ukraine is important to every Ukrainian, especially to journalists like Gordiienko.

History of independent media in Ukraine

On Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine became independent when the Soviet Union dissolved. During this time "independent media" began.

"Ukraine became independent quite recently," Gordiienko said. "So the history of independent media in Ukraine is (around) 30 years (old)…We don't have this long-established tradition of having independent media like (the United States does). Because before that, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union and all media was under control of the Communist party. You could not talk about independent media during that period."

As independent media found its footing in Ukraine, media advertising became a main source of income for journalists.

"(Independent news sources) started to emerge only after the independence of Ukraine," Gordiienko said. "They are not really established, and also the market is quickly shifting. So, the main source of income for Ukrainian media is advertising."

According to Gordiienko, print media was initially the top choice for news sources. Magazines, multiple options for news sources and more were not options for citizens during the time of the Soviet Union.

However, come 2007-2008, rising inflation prices caused many media outlets to switch to mainly online-based media due to cheaper prices.

"The Ukrainian oligarchs, they realized that media can be a really good tool for influencing people," Gordiienko said. "So they started like buying media or establishing their own. And it's competition. It's all really connected to the advertisement market."

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This is one area that draws parallels to media from the United States and in Ukraine; with competitive prices and powerful influences from the affluent.

"For instance, I'm doing independent, small media outlet. And I cannot compete with (larger news sources.) I will have less of the advertising money because the audience that I'm engaging is smaller. This is one of the imbalances in Ukrainian media market that I was mentioning," Gordiienko said. "It's really hard to compete with someone who has such huge resources."

The Present

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, the advertising market in Ukraine has crashed. This has caused a problem for Ukrainian journalists who rely on such markets for their income.

"With the onset of the full-scale war invasion, I think you can understand that the advertising market collapsed," Gordiienko said.

According to Gordiienko, progress in Ukrainian media' recovering is beginning to show. However, it is going to take years, if not decades, to return to the state the market was previously at.

"I mean, now we can see small, tiny signs that it's bouncing back," Gordiienko said, "but (with) the economy shrinking, it will take years and years (before the) advertising market will go back to the same level as before the invasion. And it wasn't that big before."

Due to Ukrainian media's reliance on advertising funds, the MDF has been working on supplying funds, resources and housing for journalists in need, especially since the invasion earlier this year.

As a media analyst, for the last six months or so, Gordiienko has been working towards providing fundraising, safety gear and more for Ukrainian media outlets.

"In February, (it) was really, really scary," Gordiienko said, "and not everyone was really well equipped for doing (journalism during the invasion.) And one of the issues was not all media outlets had safety gear. So we had a partner based in the UK for buying bullet proof vests, helmets, first aid kits. We had to transfer it through Lviv... and distribute it inside of the country.

"...(Another effort is) relocating whole news rooms from more dangerous parts to safer (areas)," Gordiienko said. "West of the country is more or less safe...We can never be sure but it's safer because no Russian troops. This was another part of the efforts."

According to Gordiienko, many Ukrainian people relocated to the western part of the country in an effort to make it to a safer area. This shot up apartment rental prices to well above what the average Ukrainian income could afford, such as monthly rent of $1,000 when the average monthly income is about $400.

The future of independent media in Ukraine

The future of independent media in Ukraine relies heavily on support from the international community, Gordiienko says. Encouraging Ukrainians to continue working in the profession, despite unprecedented working conditions, has been an obstacle to overcome.

"Now we see a lot of support from the international community," Gordiienko said. "Like we have a lot of donations from the United States Embassy, (the) European Commission, smaller donor organizations in Europe.

"So for now, we can say that we will be able to keep on going with this effort to the end of the year. But it's really hard to say, will the level of attention be the same next year? And in case we don't connect enough of donors with independent media, we cannot make sure that they will have the necessary sources to keep on going."

To learn more about MDF's efforts and how to support it, visit www.mediadevelopmentfoundation.org.

Margaret Christopherson is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email her at mchristopherson@jconline.com and follow her on Twitter @MargaretJC2.