International Renaissance Foundation • 2007 Annual Report

Partnership and Cooperation 
IRF’s partners in its Mass Media Program are: the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech 
and Information, the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting, authoritative 
international organizations, namely the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine, the Internews Network, 
and of course, domestic NGOs that work on protecting freedom of speech, as well as the media and 
journalists themselves.

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Expenditures by Region of Ukraine:
Region
Projects 
Supported
All-Ukrainian 
Projects
Total 
Amount
Total for All-Ukrainian 
Projects
AR Crimea
4
2
$ 28,680
$ 16,680
Volyn Oblast
1
-
$ 5,000
$ -
Donetsk Oblast
2
-
$ 18,645
$ -
Kyiv
52
49
$ 764,843
$ 736,943
Kyiv Oblast
3
3
$ 38,276
$ 38,276
Luhansk Oblast
3
-
$ 21,020
$ -
Lviv Oblast
2
-
$ 24,336
$ -
Poltava Oblast
2
2
$ 15,030
$ 15,030
Sumy Oblast
1
-
$ 10,440
$ -
Kharkiv Oblast
2
-
$ 12,080
$ -
Kherson Oblast
1
-
$ 9,780
$ -
Khmelnytsky Oblast
1
-
$ 7,380
$ -
Chernivtsi Oblast
3
-
$ 35,786
$ -
Chernihiv Oblast
3
-
$ 34,376
$ -
Total:
80
56
$ 1,025,672
$ 806,929
Promotion of the Establishment  
of Public Broadcasting 
Number of Projects: 
5  
Total: 
$ 73,562 
Share of the Total Grant Amount:  1.10 %
Projects Supported by the Program:
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Financing the study visit by Ukrainian 
experts to Estonia with the aim of studying the 
experience of organization and functioning of public 
broadcasting. The delegation included representatives 
of the relevant Verkhovna Rada Committee, 
National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio 
Broadcasting, National Committee for Establishment of 
Freedom of Speech and Development of Information 
Sector, and public experts. 
Total:
 $ 11,962 
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Organization of study visit by Ukrainian 
experts – specialists in the media field to one of the 
Scandinavian countries with the aim of studying the best 
experiences in the functioning of public broadcasting. 
Total:
 $ 16,910 
MASS MEDIA PROGRAM

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Grantee: 
“Laboratory for Legislative Initiatives” NGO 
(04070, Kyiv, PO Box 20, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Oleksandr Syniooky 
Project Summary:
 Analyzing the effective use of budget 
funds allocated for financing the production of television 
and radio programs – supporting state television and 
radio companies. Preparing an analytical report on 
the state of affairs in the production of television and 
radio programs ordered by the government; presenting 
the international experience in this field; announcing 
the results of the study; conducting a roundtable 
with participation of interested parties; preparing 
recommendations on changes to state policy on 
financing state television and radio companies based on 
the results of the project. 
Total:
 $ 14,810 
Grantee: 
All-Ukrainian Public Organization “Independent 
Association of Television and Radio Broadcasters” 
(01015, Kyiv, PO Box 34, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Svitlana Selyutina 
Project Summary:
 Preparing and conducting the 
roundtable “Public Broadcasting in AR Crimea. Possible 
Way of Creating;” two seminars in Crimea “Public Radio: 
As Close as Possible to the Listener.” The aim of the 
events was to develop proposals on creating a public 
radio station in AR Crimea, as well as selecting and 
training creative personnel for this radio station.  
Total:
 $ 15,000 
Grantee: 
Institute of Applied Legal Studies “Pravo” NGO 
(04071, Kyiv, Obolonska St., 7,  
tel. [phone]) 
Project Manager:
 Tetyana Dubinina 
Project Summary:
 Conducting a study on public 
broadcasting in those European countries where there 
has already been a switch to digital broadcasting; 
discussing the results of the study at an expert 
roundtable; informing experts and the public about the 
results of the study; submitting developed proposals to 
interested government bodies. 
Total:
 $ 14,880 

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Support for Denationalization of State  
and Municipal Media 
Number of Projects: 
5  
Total: 
$ 82,720 
Share of the Total Grant Amount:  1.24 %
Projects Supported by the Program:
Grantee: 
“Association of Network Television and Radio 
Broadcasters “Merezha” (Network) NGO (01015, Kyiv, 
PO Box 34, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Iryna Pestryakova 
Project Summary:
 Conducting regional discussions on 
“Positive Aspects of Denationalization of Media for the 
Local Public.” Regions planned to be covered by the 
project: Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr and Ivano-Frankivsk 
oblasts and AR Crimea (Simferopol). 
Total:
 $ 13,450 
Grantee: 
Center of Press and Television Reforms “Prostir” 
(Space) NGO (04213, Kyiv, Pivnichna St., 54а, Office 2)
Project Manager:
 Lesya Sukhenko 
Project Summary:
 Collecting and summarizing important 
information about typical problems of local state and 
municipal television and radio organizations (TRO). 
Conducting the roundtables “Reforming Local State and 
Municipal TROs: Ukrainian and European Experience.” 
Preparing recommendations for relevant state bodies 
on involving municipal TROs in the process of creating a 
system of public broadcasting in Ukraine. 
Total:
 $ 14,550 
Grantee: 
All-Ukrainian Public Organization “Independent 
Association of Broadcasters” (01015, Kyiv, PO Box 34, 
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Svitlana Selyutina
Project Summary:
 Supporting the work of the Independent 
Association of  Broadcasters legal center’s hotline with 
the aim of providing television and radio organizations 
that are members of the association with timely legal 
consultations. Attracting new regional TROs to the 
project. 
Total:
 $ 25,000 
Grantee: 
Institute of Applied Legal Studies “Pravo” NGO 
(04071, Kyiv, Obolonska St., 7, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Andriy Pukalsky 
Project Summary:
 Preparing a review of mechanisms and 
positive results of the denationalization of foreign and 
national print media. Conducting regional roundtables 
with the participation of representatives of information 
departments of local state administrations and 
councils (Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv) and roundtables 
with the participation of representatives of municipal 
publications. Preparing and distributing an electronic 
version of the methodological manual “State and 
Municipal Media: Ways of Denationalizing.” Presenting 
the manual. Preparing proposals for the further 
improvement of the draft law “On reforming state and 
communal media.” 
Total:
 $ 14,810 
Grantee: 
“Eastern European Institute of Media Problems” 
NGO (01015, Kyiv, Moskovska St., 37/2, Office 79,  
tel. [phone]) 
Project Manager:
 Svitlana Selyutina
Project Summary:
 Conducting a series of master classes 
by the best producers and media managers for leaders 
of state and regional television companies. The aim 
of the project was to provide managers of state and 
regional media with work skills under market conditions 
and prepare them for the process of denationalization 
of media. 
Total:
 $ 14,910 
MASS MEDIA PROGRAM

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Development of Media Law and  
Supporting Public Control over the Activities of 
Government Bodies in the Media Field 
Number of Projects: 
8  
Total: 
$ 111,610 
Share of the Total Grant Amount:  1.67 %
Projects Supported by the Program:
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Increasing the effectiveness of the 
work of the Secretariat of the National Committee for 
Establishment of Freedom of Speech and Development 
of Information Sector by involving authoritative public 
experts in its work, supporting public events held by 
the Committee. Creating a webpage with the aim of 
increasing public awareness about the work of the 
Committee.  
Total:
 $ 19,700 
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Supporting the activities of the Public 
Council on Freedom of Speech and Information. 
Fostering the effective work of its secretariat by involving 
authoritative experts. Financing events dedicated to 
pressing problems related to the development of the 
information field. 
Total:
 $ 19,600 
Grantee: 
Poltava Oblast Press Club (36013, Poltava, 
Democratychna St., 34, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Yana Kalashnyk 
Project Summary:
 Continuous monitoring of activities of 
state bodies in the Poltava oblast as a whole and the 
Kremenchuk raion specifically involving the media 
field. Launching a hotline for legal and consultative 
assistance on issues of cooperation with executive 
bodies. Conducting roundtable with the participation of 
journalists, representatives of government structures, 
experts and NGOs. 
Total:
 $ 3,030 
Grantee: 
“Institute of Mass Information” NGO (01133, Kyiv, 
Lesi Ukrainky Blvd, 36-b, Office 68,  
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Viktoria Syumar 
Project Summary:
 Daily monitoring of violations of 
journalists’ rights in all the regions of Ukraine (murder 
and disappearance of journalists, arrests, detentions, 
beatings, attacks, intimidation, censorship, interference 
in professional obligations, economic and political 
pressure). Preparation of the “Freedom of Speech 
Barometer” report. Posting of the report on the websites 
of the Institute of Mass Information and Telekritika. 
Preparation of publications about typical violations of 
the rights of journalists and media in Ukraine. 
Total:
 $ 14,850 
Grantee: 
“Eastern European Institute of Media Problems” 
NGO (01015, Kyiv, Moskovska St., 37/2, Office 79,  
tel. [phone]) 
Project Manager:
 Svitlana Selyutina 
Project Summary:
 Creating the electronic bulletin “News 
of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and 
Radio Broadcasting.” Email distribution of the bulletin 
to regional television and radio companies. The 
bulleting contains information about meetings of the 
National Council (agenda, approved decisions), along 
with the text of approved documents, competition 
announcements, etc. 
Total:
 $ 13,800 
MASS MEDIA PROGRAM

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Grantee: 
“Information Press Center” NGO (95005, AR 
Crimea, Simferopol, Sevastopolska St., 8, Office 106, 
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Naryman Abdureshytov 
Project Summary:
 Providing legal assistance to media 
(preparaing replies to claims, submitting complaints, 
etc.). Constant monitoring of decisions by state 
and local self-government bodies in the AR Crimea 
regarding the activities of journalists and the media. 
Conducting four seminars for journalists from media 
of all types of ownership. Holding a press conference 
on every violation of the rights journalists and media 
by state and local self-government bodies in AR 
Crimea. Publication and distribution of a booklet with 
information on violations of the law by government 
bodies in AR Crimea with regard to the media, analysis 
of media lawsuits, legal problems of media. Conducting 
the roundtables “Accreditation” and “Legal Aspects 
of the Work of Television and Radio Journalist and 
Cameramen.”  
Total:
 $ 12,830 
Grantee: 
“Institute of Legal Technologies” NGO (04071, 
Kyiv, Shchekavytska St., 51, Office 1,  
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Andriy Nechyporenko 
Project Summary:
 Consulting journalists and the media 
on cooperation with government bodies. Creating an 
around-the-clock hotline on these issues. Creating 
and maintaining a webpage that will contain legal 
explanations on access to government information and 
relevant standard forms of documents. 
Total:
 $ 14,800 
Grantee: 
Information Media Center “Information 
Community” (04070, Kyiv, Kostyantynivska St., 63/12, 
Office 59, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Oleksandr Kyrychenko 
Project Summary:
 Continuous monitoring of the legislative 
activities of state and local self-government bodies in 
the information sphere. Conducting an expert analysis 
of the results of legislative activities. Circulating the 
results of the expert analysis through the media and 
Internet. 
Total:
 $ 13,000 

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Fostering the Growth of Social  
Responsibility of Journalism 
Number of Projects: 
5  
Total: 
$ 50,355 
Share of the Total Grant Amount:  0.75 %
Expenditures by Region of Ukraine:
Region
Projects 
Supported
All-Ukrainian 
Projects
Total 
Amount
Total for All-Ukrainian 
Projects
AR Crimea
1
1
$ 3,850
$ 3,850
Kyiv
4
3
$ 46,505
$ 36,505
Total:
5
4
$ 50,355
$ 40,355
Projects Supported by the Program:
Grantee: 
“Independent Center for Political Researchers and 
Journalists” NGO (95000, AR Crimea, Simferopol, PO 
Box 142, tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Yaryna Volvach 
Project Summary:
 Organizing an internship for a group 
of Crimean journalists at Radio Liberty in Prague, with 
the aim of increasing the professionalism of Crimean 
journalists and familiarizing members of the group with 
the standards and ethical principles in the work of their 
European colleagues. 
Total:
 $ 3,850 
Grantee: 
“Regional Press Development Institute” NGO 
(04112, Kyiv, Pechersky Uzviz, 3, Office 404,  
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Kateryna Laba 
Project Summary:
 Conducting a seven-day training for 
workers in the media sector who have significant 
experience in the media business, with the aim of 
preparing them for independent training activities. The 
training will be dedicated to the issues of media viability; 
increasing professionalism; increasing experience and 
knowledge of best practices in the newspaper business; 
preparing municipal newspapers for denationalization. 
Total:
 $ 6,202 
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Conducting educational events for 
representatives of media covering the main problems 
and answers to typical questions that are posed by the 
public regarding the concept and stages of introducing 
independent external assessment and monitoring the 
quality of education in Ukraine. 
Total:
 $ 11,000 
Grantee: 
International Charitable Foundation “Academy of 
Ukrainian Press” (01030, Kyiv, PO Box 26,  
tel. [phone])
Project Manager:
 Valeriy Ivanov 
Project Summary:
 Institutional support for the development 
of professional growth programs for media workers. 
Supporting new initiatives of self-organization of 
the media and expert community. Increasing the 
professionalism of workers in the media sector. 
Total:
 $ 10,000 
Grantee: 
International Renaissance Foundation
Project Manager:
 Vitaliy Zamnius 
Project Summary:
 Conducting the international conference 
of donors and partners of the “School of Journalists’ 
Safety. In Memory of Heorhiy Gongadze and Anna 
Politkovskaya.” The conference agenda included a 
training plan for the international school for journalists 
and searching for sources of financing. 
Total:
 $ 19,303 
MASS MEDIA PROGRAM

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Open Media Fund for Ukraine
Number of Projects: 
48  
Total: 
$ 585,523 
Share of the Total Grant Amount:  8.78 %
The  Open  Media  Fund  for  Ukraine  is  a  joint  initiative  of  the  Internews  Network  and  the  International 
Renaissance Foundation. Throughout 2007, the International Renaissance Foundation and the Internews 
Network  announced  competitions  under  the  program  “Strengthening  Independent  Mass  Media  in 
Ukraine” within the framework of the Open Media Fund for Ukraine. The Open Media Fund is financed by 
a contribution from the International Renaissance Foundation and a grant given to the Internews Network 
by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The International Renaissance Foundation is 
responsible for receiving and reviewing projects. 
Initiative Goals in 2007:
• 
Promote reform and implementation of media legislation; 
• 
Improve government responsibility and accountability by supporting projects that prepare and 
disseminate informational products. 
Competitions in 2007:
Tender  for  the  creation  of  a  virtual  media  library  (portal)  that  is  intended  to  collect  translations  of 
documents and articles on media, proposed draft laws and other documents in the field of state policy 
related to the media. 
The competition “Promoting Reform and Implementation of Legislation in the Information Sphere” 
was  intended  to  monitor  the  observance  and  implementation  of  medial  law,  monitor  violations  of 
freedom of speech and information and release results; analyze the legal preconditions and results of 
introducing digital television in Ukraine; analyze the effects of Ukraine’s joining the European Convention 
on Transborder Television; analyze election law related to the media with the goal of improving it. 
The competition “Preparing and Distributing Informational Products with the Goal of Increasing 
Government Responsibility and Accountability” supported projects for creating new informational 
products  with  the  aim  of  realizing  the  media’s  function  of  control  over  the  government,  increase  its 
responsibility and accountability, battle corruption, organize public dialogue and debate. All materials 
had to deal with the most important problems of local communities or simply pressing public topics (sale, 
purchase and distribution of land, increased tariffs for housing and communal services, etc.) and the 
most successful examples of NGO activities and the third sector in general.  
The  competition  “Information  Exchanges  between  Ukrainian  Regions”  was  intended  to  support 
the exchange of information and professional experience between regional media through exchanges 
of  journalists.  Under  competition  requirements,  journalists  from  one  media  outlet  in  a  certain  region 
temporarily  work  in  a  media  outlet  in  a  different  region,  and  vice  versa,  and  produce  informational 
MASS MEDIA PROGRAM

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materials (series of articles, television and radio programs) that appear in print or are broadcast in the 
author’s region. 
The competition “Independent Coverage of the Snap Elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine” 
was intended to support: the monitoring of journalisms standards in coverage of the election campaign 
and monitoring standards of freedom of speech and violations of the law in the government’s relations 
with the media and journalists; a series of media training seminars in the regions on the specifics of 
legal aspects of covering the election campaign; hotlines that provide consultative legal assistance to 
the media during the election campaign; providing legal assistance to journalists and media on how to 
protect their rights, including by representing their interests in the courts during the campaign.   
Important Initiatives and Supported Projects: 
• 
The  “Laboratory  for  Legislative  Initiatives”  NGO  project  “Virtual  Media  Library”  focused  on 
creating and maintaining a virtual media library that is accessible to all interested organizations 
and  government  bodies  and  is  an  easy  to  use  web  resource  (www.media.parlament.org.ua).  
It contains information on: work of think tanks that study problems of media law, state and local 
self-government bodies in Ukraine; news about the main trends in the development of the media 
market  in  Ukraine  and  abroad;  EU  and  European  legislation  in  this  field;  media  competitions 
announced  by  grantmakers;  information  about  national  and  international  events  that  can  be 
attended by media experts from Ukraine. Since the library was presented on January 18, 2008, 
the project implementers have begun actively cooperation with NGOs and the media to present 
information about the activity of third sector organizations in the media field, provide all interested 
parties with the opportunity to obtain direct systematized information about projects that have 
already been implemented and their results, priorities for future surveys in the media field and 
directions of legislative work, etc.  
• 
The  Rivne  Press  Club,  together  with  the  Rivne  Agency  for  Journalism  Investigations,  began 
implementing  the  television  project  “Fourth  Authority.”  Every  two  weeks  a  program  aired  on 
the  television  channel  “Rivne-1”  with  journalist  investigations  on  important  social  problems: 
distribution of land, corruption in higher education and internal affairs bodies, etc. Before that, 
there had been no similar projects on television, radio, press or Internet in the Rivne region. The 
need for such a program was evident by the constant complaints filed by residents (especially of 
villages and raions) to the media and controlling bodies (or about controlling bodies), in particular 
to (about) the prosecutor’s office and the head of the President reception office in the Rivne 
oblast, about judicial bodies, the militia and doctors regarding corruption and bribery, abuse of 
power, non-fulfillment of court decisions, etc. The program “Fourth Authority” not only fostered 
the strengthening of investigative journalism programs in the oblast, but the development of this 
genre in other media in the Rivne region. The descriptions of the journalistic investigations are 
used as examples in trainings on investigative journalism. In total, 9 programs were produced 
and broadcast live.         
• 
During the 2007 election campaign, the Association of the Media Lawyers (Kyiv) organized the 
Coordinating Help Center for Journalists During the Elections. From August – September 2007, 
the Center provided 168 consultations to journalists and the media and represented the media 
in  4  court  cases.  Announcements  were  constantly  placed  in  print  media  and  web  resources 
about the work of the Coordinating Center and the rights of journalists during the elections. The 
information was posted on more than 100 resources (60 Ukrainian language and 40 Russian 
language). Project implementers also took part in introducing changes to the text of the Election 

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Law.  The  Association’s  website  contained  new  resolutions  and  explanations  by  the  Central 
Election Commission and court decisions. A manual was published for journalists “Election Day 
for the Media: The Rights of Journalists during the Elections; Claims against the Media during 
the Election Process; Claims against the Media from Ex-Candidates; Grounds for Releasing the 
Media from Responsibility” and a separate booklet containing the Law of Ukraine “On Elections 
of People’s Deputies of Ukraine” with a print run of 1,200 copies.    
• 
 Legal consultations were provided to media from throughout Ukraine. Consultations were mainly 
requested  by  television  and  radio  companies  that  were  afraid  of  sanctions  from  the  National 
Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting. The questions posed by journalists were 
related to the difference between information and agitation, the legality of presenting information, 
interviews  with  candidates  for  parliament,  expert  analysis  of  speeches  and  reports  by  heads 
of councils of various levels, as well as placing controversial campaign materials that contain 
negative information about other subjects of the election process. Many questions applied to 
the correctness of signing agreements on election agitation. A separate topic was access by 
journalists  and  the  public  to  information  about  candidates:  because  the  election  law  doesn’t 
require detailed information about the candidates and parties (blocs), information about sources 
of party funding and candidates’ incomes remained unknown. 
Expenditures by Region of Ukraine: