Journalists without a media, a media without journalists: the paradoxical situation of wartime Ukraine

Is it appropriate to talk about new trends in the media during a time of war? The answer is yes it is, and moreover we should.The world is constantly moving forward and developing, and fortunately that includes the Ukrainian media. If any journalist tells you the contrary, or that the Ukrainian media has ceased to exist, they are not following an ongoing situation. 

A number of media outlets have indeed become defunct because of the war, but new ones have emerged and keep emerging, mostly online. Ukraine's National Union of Journalists, together with international partners, continues to provide invaluable support to the country's media.

Here are some new trends in the Ukrainian media.

1. Journalists are creating their own online platforms

Many journalists who have lost their jobs have created their own online platforms, such as Telegram and YouTube channels. In some cases, these have become very popular, and have taken the journalist to a new stage of their career. Some journalists simply use their personal Facebook pages as media outlets. However, such personal media is clearly a form of blogging. It would be better if it were complementary to traditional journalism. I am convinced that it is possible to remain a professional journalist only if one works for or cooperates with professional media outlets.

2. Publications without exclusive content have no prospects

Journalists without media organisations is a sad reality. But the situation is even more paradoxical: there are also media outlets... without journalists. Many such publishers are now prioritising content writers whose job is to increase traffic in order to attract advertising. Journalists have often become "superfluous", underestimated in every sense. There is one important twist, though: Google attributes a poor ranking to media outlets which do not publish exclusive content (interviews, investigations, etc.) because it does not consider such publications worthy of attention. Such outlets have no prospects.

3. Today's main topic is war, but peacetime topics are no less popular

Of course, readers are interested in war news, interviews with military experts, and so on. But peacetime topics are also in demand. These include economics, sports, culture, science, lifestyle (gastronomy, fashion, design, etc). For example, the topics of home renovation and interior design have huge viewing numbers on online media. Why? People have started to value family life and home comforts in a special way. Those who have been forced to leave their homes miss them and want to return as soon as possible. Life goes on despite the war.

In my opinion, it has become extremely important to preserve the professional specialisation of journalists. For example, sports journalists should keep covering sports, and economic journalists should keep covering economic news. Today there is an urgent need to discuss the rebuilding of Ukraine and the restoration of its industries after the war is over. In order to do this effectively, professional journalists need to know their subject inside out, to follow what is happening in their field.

4. Focus on fact-checking 

The checking of facts is both important and in demand. For example, Ukraine's Ukrinform news agency has a section called "Factcheck". "Ukrinform guarantees its readers 100% accuracy and helps them recognise and debunk fakes", it says. The agency says that its fact-checking is carried out by a group within its foreign section. Training in fact-checking skills was provided to the editorial staff by experts from the AFP news agency, which has world-leading expertise in information verification, and the Austrian news agency APA.

5. The most promising topic is IT 

Almost every generalist media outlet now has a section devoted to technology. In addition, new professional IT publications are being launched in Ukraine. The popularity of the topic is explained by the fact that IT is an economic powerhouse. It will be important for Ukraine’s development now and after the war.

6. Business content

Business news has become another focus of the Ukrainian media. The subject is clearly essential for the country's recovery. Often the subject is the construction business, agriculture, or the hospitality industry. A related journalistic niche is material on lifestyle topics (fashion, food, design, tourism, and so on). This kind of content ranks well on the social internet, which helps to attract advertising. As the first lifestyle-specialised editor in Ukraine, the topic of trends and lifestyle is special to me. It is a new niche in Ukrainian journalism, the subject of much interest and potential. Understanding social trends, even at the forecasting stage, is a key to the success of businesses and the country's economy as a whole.

7. Quantity determines quality

A recent phenomenon in the global media is so-called gatekeeping. This is about avoiding an overabundance of news and selecting it more carefully. It can also increase views on online media, including in Ukraine. Articles in leading publications are simply becoming shorter, while remaining just as informative.

8. Welcome, AI! But live journalism is more important

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is being felt all over the world. Leading media outlets are starting to deploy content management systems that recommend high-profile topics for publications, that pick tags, headlines, etc. AI is starting to replace writers. At the same time, live journalism, which cannot be replaced by AI, is becoming increasingly valuable.

This article is published in partnership with the Voices of Ukraine project by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom.

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