Saturday, March 05, 2011

Massive increase in anti-opposition TV air-time bias

This from the 'Telekritika' media watchdog website:

100% of video clips on the [state-run] First National Television Channel are on the ruling authorities - opposition is not represented at all

In February, an imbalance unprecedented since 2002 was recorded

In December 2010, the duration of time granted in news programme [political reports] on Ukrainian TV channels to representatives of the authorities was, on average, 70%. Only 26% was granted to the opposition. Other politicians received the remaining 4%.

These were the results of the Academy of Ukrainian Press [AUP] - "Monitoring of political News: December 2010, February 2011". In February the imbalance increased: 84% to the authorities; 14% to the opposition, and 2% to other politicians.

AUP President Valery Ivanov said that the situation at the First National Television Channel [NTU] was especially disturbing: in December, the news channel [political reporting] was 95% dedicated to politicians in power. In February no-one else apart from them was granted air-time.

He added that bias of this magnitude has not been recorded on any Ukrainian channel since [his organisation] started monitoring television news broadcasts in 2002.

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