Despite EU Recommendations, Ukraine Commits to Funding 'United News' Telethon Through 2026

Ongoing Support for Ukraine’s 'United News' Telethon

According to 5 канал: Ukraine has decided to continue financing the telethon 'United News' in 2026, even though trust and audience reach have been declining. The European Commission’s upcoming report, scheduled for release at the end of October 2023, advises that media funding should uphold political and social pluralism. It also highlights that the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting remains underfunded.

In October 2023, Ukrainian authorities allocated an additional 100 million hryvnias to support the 'United News' telethon. On October 6, 2023, the State Enterprise 'Multimedia Platform for Ukrainian Foreign Broadcasting' signed three contracts totaling over 75.02 million hryvnias for the 'United News UArazom' telethon, with another 25 million hryvnias contract expected soon. Altogether, content producers for the 'United News' and 'FreeDom' telethons have received nearly 3.45 billion hryvnias.

Media Environment and Regulatory Challenges

The media landscape remains a source of concern. On April 4, 2022, the Radio Broadcasting, Radio Communication, and Television Concern (RRT) together with the State Special Communications Service removed channels '5 Kanal,' 'Pryamiy,' and 'Espreso' from the digital broadcast spectrum. Subsequently, the 'Rada' channel began broadcasting on the '5 Kanal' frequency within the national telethon framework. In early February 2026, the Kyiv District Administrative Court rejected '5 Kanal’s' lawsuit challenging this disconnection as unlawful.

The European Commission has repeatedly questioned the state’s financing of the 'United News' telethon and its effectiveness. The EU urges Ukraine to gradually phase out the telethon and pursue de-oligarchization of the media market. EU representatives have noted that the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting is under-resourced and lacks the capacity to fulfill its regulatory duties.

Additionally, the draft report points to instances of pressure on journalists in Ukraine, including Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP).

The European Union recommends that Ukraine ensure proper funding for broadcasters and guarantee that state-funded media content reflects political and societal diversity,

stated European Commission officials. Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko emphasized that expenditures on the 'United News' telethon and the '1000 hours of Ukrainian content' program are justified and crucial for the country’s information security.

Conversely, Volodymyr Mzhelskyi, CEO of '5 Kanal,' expressed concern, saying, 'When the state’s information security is paramount, we essentially receive a slap from the government.' In response to these challenges, Ukraine plans to invest 4 billion hryvnias into developing Ukrainian content across film, music, and theater to counter Russian propaganda.

The debate surrounding the funding of the 'United News' telethon and broader media policy underscores the critical need to maintain pluralism and media independence amid an ongoing information war. As public trust in state media declines, funding decisions must be carefully justified and aligned with societal needs. Considering the European Commission’s recommendations, Ukraine faces the delicate task of balancing information security with freedom of speech to ensure a healthy and effective media environment.