International Ukraine Media Hub
About us…
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, it was accompanied by an enormous uptick in the global assault of disinformation which Moscow and its allies had been waging for many years. As Russian losers mount, experts at the Atlantic Council and other think tanks predict another surge in disinformation in the coming phases of the war. It is therefore extremely urgent to marshal the human, financial and technological resources to counter the onslaught of fake news and false narratives that will surely come.
Russian propaganda abroad operates not only through its official channels, such as Russia Today, but also through independent journalists, experts, etc., whose connection with Moscow is not obvious to the general public.
Unfortunately, until February 24, 2022, Russian media resources were not banned and had a significant impact on society in Ukraine itself.
The violence also forces countless journalists to flee the country for Western Europe. At the same time, the country’s main media channels were directed to enter into a 24/7 “tele- marathon” which continues to this day. That’s forced many Ukrainian TV channels, who were already in a precarious financial state pre-war, into a situation which has decimated their balance sheets. In addition, the oligarch owners of some channels are divesting from the media space, in the process making hundreds of media professional unemployed.
Over more than a year-and-a-half into the war, interest is fading as the attention of media managers and audiences shifts elsewhere. This is unfortunate as what’s happening in Ukraine is having reverberations around the world as Russian President Putin weaponizes energy, food and migration.
Separately, Russian backed entities - from Russia Today to well-disguised Kremlin-funded trolls - are waging an information war by spreading fake news, disinformation, hate posts and stories online which manipulate the facts. The inability of huge and influential online platforms such as Facebook to counter the onslaught of falsehoods is well documented - whether during war in Ukraine or in the recent election campaign in Kenya.
To address these challenges, a group of concerned media professionals is proposing the establishment of the INTERNATIONAL UKRAINE MEDIA HUB in Portugal to help fill the information void with informative and thought-provoking stories on the war in Ukraine as well as its impact globally. From the situation of millions of displaced Ukrainians around the globe to the economic impact caused by Moscow’s weaponization of energy and food.
A direct spinoff economic and humanitarian benefit of the Hub is that it would seek to employ the dozens of professional journalists inside and outside Ukraine who’ve been idled by the war. The output would be multimedia: broadcast-quality video and audio, text and social media content. The content would be in English, Ukrainian, Russian, Chinese and in the language of the host country - in this case Portuguese.
An immediate benefit of the Hub would be that it would help fill the ever-growing content gap for Ukraine-based media outlets, especially as their financial situation worsens. Several media experts say that, due to the circumstances outlined above, the sector is in the verge of collapse. This is a dire situation for a country at war - a thriving democracy which aspires to rehabilitate its economy after months of destruction. International business requires reliable and in-depth information and without a healthy news and information landscape Ukraine will struggle to rehabilitate the economy. Each EU country will have a separate page on the Hub platform, where information will be provided in Ukrainian, English and the languages of the given country.
The need for the project:
The military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine went beyond the local conflict in the Eastern part of Europe.
The economic and political crisis provoked by this war is felt on all continents of the world. The world has once again approached the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
Without exaggeration, this conflict can be called a confrontation of worldview political systems between democracy and totalitarian regimes. One of the important elements of overcoming this crisis is the fight against propaganda and disinformation.
Unfortunately, after gaining independence, Ukraine did not have the opportunity to widely highlight its position in the world. Most of the news about Ukraine, its history, and culture was transmitted through Russian information channels.
Ever since the times of the USSR, Russia has created a network of news agencies or journalists, which conducted an information policy biased in favour of Russia.
Now, in connection with the mass migration of Ukrainians to EU countries, we have the opportunity to deliver news about Ukraine from primary sources, that is, Ukrainians themselves.
It is very important, in order to strengthen the integration of Ukraine in the EU and NATO, in the world economic and political structures, to hear the voice of the Ukrainians themselves, who will decide their future and that of their country.
Another, important information direction of the project is the dissemination of information related to Ukraine in the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa, Asia and South America.
Help for Displaced Ukrainians
News regarding to the Ukrainian communities worldwide and in any municipality in Portugal will be as well the corner stone of this current project to dully justify the governmental or institutional financial grants and supports.
On the other hand, this same website will have a section for emergency contacts, government services, useful and basic information to support refugees or displaced people.
This project is also designed for better integration of displaced persons from Ukraine.
The war caused the displacement of more than 8 million Ukrainians to EU countries. These are people who did not plan their emigration and are in a stressful situation that blocks their integration in the recipient countries.
It is very important to highlight their problems for the correction of integration programs, on the other hand, to provide them with competent information about legislation, social services, or special programs regarding their status and rights.
During this, the first year of a large-scale war, we see that the biggest problem of the integration of immigrants from Ukraine is the language barrier.
We plan to create a series of reports that will help immigrants from Ukraine get competent information about their rights and the sphere of social services.
Another, important aspect, our project will help in the cultural integration of immigrants from Ukraine.
On the other hand, our resource should help to better understand the culture and customs of Ukrainians.
Through historical and cultural articles and reports, we want to show who Ukrainians are, how they perceive themselves in the world and what kind of future they want to build. It should be the voice not only of politicians, but of ordinary Ukrainians who primarily represent their interests and needs.
Beneficiaries
The output of the media hub would be made available for free to mainstream media, Ukrainian media outlets, and all others who wish to benefit from the content. Produced stories could even filter down to ethnocultural cable televisions channels in Canada, the US and elsewhere. It would have significant social media output and footprint, including on platforms such as TikTok, Telegram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Because interest in the Ukraine war is high in Portugal, it’s expected that the country’s mainstream channels as well as entities such as CNN Portugal will be key consumers. It should also be stressed that Russian disinformation campaigns are very active in Western Europe and in the Portuguese Speaking Regions and Countries, hence the hub’s output would have a positive impact in addressing the information imbalance. As the output and influence of the Hub grows, it will undoubtedly bring economic benefits and prestige to Portugal.
In the longer term, the Hub could expand its coverage to include other underreported countries, conflicts, and emergencies. For example, our associates in Colombia are very keen to generate professional and objective developments in that country - for example the ongoing war on drugs and organized crime. Cross-border thematic global stories touching on such crucial topics as human trafficking, money laundering and sanctions busting would be a prime interest from Day One.
Oversight
An international board made up of professional journalists and media executives will advise the principles on the formation of the hub, ethical and editorial matters. They will consist of individuals with a track record from Portugal, Ukraine, Europe, and North America.
Primary Operations – On-Line NewsHub The Management level structure
Board of Directors
