General Resolution DMF-2015

Journalists in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts are faced with several challenges with impact the media market as well as the overall status of freedom of speech in the region as a whole. In 2014-2015, several dozen regional newspapers and TV channels closed. Internet websites as well as radio stations are also closing.

The reasons for these closures include:

• capture of editorial offices by armed seperatists,  the institution of censorship in the occupied territory; 
• and a decline in advertising income.  


Those editorial offices that physically remain in the region must deal with questions of survival in consultation with armed members of separatist groups or participate in unprincipled journalism, undermining not only their own reputation but the profession of journalism as a whole. In order to strengthen the principles of independent journalism in the region, the reopening of editorial offices, and as a result, the strengthening of civil society in Donbass, the following are necessary:

• a dialog between regional and international media, cultural initiatives, media, journalists, and civil society organizations; 
• creation of general principles for covering the conflict in Ukraine’s east for regional and national media; 
• improving the quality of information in regional and national media about the violent conflict in Donbass; 
• activation of so-called “old” Donetsk journalists who left the region after the start of violent conflict to renew the gathering of regional information, restart neglected journalistic investigations, and the updating of investigative materials through restarted investigations. 

 We have observed a total collapse in the independent gathering of information in Ukraine’s occupied territories by local journalist who have traditionally gathered and analyzed information in Donetsk and Luhansk. 


We have witnessed the collapse of established professional connections and the destruction of traditions and standards. It is imperative that developments in the media sphere in the occupied territories such as propaganda must not influence developments in the media sphere in Ukraine as a whole.