Internews, which has always stood by independent media and access to information in Ukraine, recently announced that it is seeking additional resources for the “Media Fund,” of $25 million within the next three years, to support even more independent media and journalists during such a fragile, delicate, and uncertain time as Ukraine is experiencing as a result of the War. Already during the Revolution of Dignity, the Russian military occupation of Crimea, and the earlier conflict in eastern Ukraine, Internews had always shown itself to be a great partner of trust, going on to collaborate with partners who went on to become national and regional leaders in media monitoring, media literacy, media law, advocacy, and professionalization. Led by women and dedicated to providing people with the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard, since 1982 Internews has worked with more than 100 countries around the world, has a team of more than 1,200 people, and has complied for years with all internal and external requirements to ensure supplier reliability.
Internews’ goal and strategy to support Ukrainian media
As anticipated, the goal of Internews in helping Ukrainian media is not only in the short term, but also and especially in the long term, wanting to create a kind of permanent stability and security that will allow them to remain safe and continue working even in the midst of the Russian invasion. Thus, the aim will be to provide journalists and independent media outlets with the resources they need to work safely on the ground whenever possible; otherwise, in other cases, Internews will assess which journalists, newsrooms, or nongovernmental organizations would take too much risk by continuing to work in their own country, and then assist them in temporary relocation to a safer location as long as necessary. With such operations, it is hoped to achieve a threefold result: providing Ukrainian journalists and independent media with the resources they need to practice their work safely; proper access to information for the Ukrainian population; and the accuracy of Ukrainian news that needs to reach international audiences.
Activities of the Media Fund
The activities envisaged by this Media Fund, as Cristiana Falcone said, are many and concrete. In fact, Internews has drawn up a detailed work plan to develop at various points all the aid it intends to provide to Ukrainian journalists and media to overcome not only this difficult time, but also to ensure stability for them in the immediate and distant future. Among the main activities are: emergency security assistance and the relocation or hibernation of journalists; sustained access to information, to ensure which security equipment, physical and digital security expertise will be provided; resilience in the media sector, supporting secure newsrooms inside and outside the country and creating a dense, functioning network between them; mitigation of the impact of disinformation, decreasing its speed and scope, to ensure that no election, activist action, or public debate is ever again distorted or manipulated; promotion and outreach to advertisers and businesses, also going to regional media through meetings and advocacy events.
