NGO Newspaper Safeguards Ukrainians’ Rights
At the top of the front page of the newspaper Vgoru (Upward), one finds the ambitious motto “high journalism.” The phrase speaks for itself, and fully reflects the content of a newspaper that has most everything – from analytical articles and investigative reports, to event coverage, photo profiles and interviews with interesting people, and comments from prominent political and government figures. Just read the headlines to get a sense of what the paper is ready to address: Kherson in Mafia Clutches, What is Oblast Prosecutor’s Office Hiding?, Children are in Fashion Again. Vgoru is considered to be the second most influential paper in the region and one of the few competitive NGO publications in Ukraine. Vgoru is run by two NGO publishers – Kherson Oblast Charity and Health Foundation, and Pivden (the South) Kherson City Association of Journalists.
 |
A Kherson resident reads a fresh issue of Vgoru
Photo Credit: Maksym Solovyov |
Ten thousand copies of the independent social and political weekly sell briskly at newsstands and from curbside vendors; rolling off the presses every Thursday and sold out by Sunday. The extraordinary demand for the paper has been achieved through objective and balanced coverage, accessibility and a non-partisan political approach. After five years of arduous work, the Vgoru team has managed to turn its paper from merely a source of information into a medium that provides advice and consultations, protects human and civic rights, and addresses the problems that are faced by the regional community.
“Back in 1998, when we started Vgoru, the media in Kherson Oblast was providing biased coverage, particularly in anything that dealt with advocacy and human rights. The views presented in their articles were too bleak – they did not show any way to resolve problems, and they did not expose corruption. Journalists did not demonstrate how people can oppose this corruption or human rights violations, or how they can influence government. More than that – the Oblast’s journalists did not have any idea what the “third sector” (NGO) was, or how it worked,” explained Vgoru’s Editor-in-Chief Alla Tiutiunnyk.
An approach and principles that were radically different from those shared by other local press guided Vgoru. For NGOs, the paper became an opportunity to show what people can do once they are united, and how problems can be resolved by legal means. The road to becoming independent and self-sustaining was not easy. But thanks to the Charles Mott Foundation, which supported the newspaper from the beginning and UCAN/USAID which provided support in 2003 and 2004, Vgoru obtained the ability to rise to its feet and move toward financial independence. The newspaper increased its circulation, created new sections, and began to concentrate more on long and costly investigative reports by its journalists. It also improved its focus on advocacy, became more business-efficient, and started its own advertising and distribution departments.
The paper owes much of the trust it has developed and earned among its readership to the high standards it maintains; and it is confidence and respect that it cherishes most. Since Vgoru is trusted like no other regional paper, people come to its offices looking for personal help and advice as well. They also write a lot of letters. For instance, six officers from local police precincts recently told the paper about abuse in the region’s police force, including among senior officers who forced subordinates to plant drugs or weapons on people to move investigations along and improve prosecution success rates. Lately doctors, prosecutors and business people who no longer want to give or take bribes and are committed to building a rule-of-law have increasingly besieged the newspaper with their views.
On October 2, 2006, Vgoru will be celebrating its fifth anniversary. A small coalition organized five years ago to fight corruption, do investigative journalism and mount advocacy campaigns today has nine member NGOs. It also has a newspaper that seeks to resolve specific concerns and safeguard the rights of community members who have come to think of it as a friend, and a source of good advice.
Back to Top ^ |
