International and Ukrainian experts discuss freedom of media on Ukrainian TV

KYIV, 12 October 2000 - The OSCE Project Co-ordinator, together with the State Committee on Information Policy, Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, arranged for a TV- discussion on free media to be transmitted on the first channel of Ukrainian TV.

The participants in this discussion were Ivan F. Dratch, Ukrainian poet, politician and head of the State Committee on Information Policy, TV and Radio Broadcasting, Nikolaj N. Poludjonnyi, Ukrainian lawyer, specialist on media law and former Deputy Minister of Justice, Alexander Ivanko, Adviser of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and Ambassador Peter Burkhard, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine

The main topics of the discussion were the current situation of the Media in Ukraine, problems related to the freedom of the media and the application of European and international standards in this area.

Such a TV-discussion had been suggested by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media as a follow-up to the round table on libel suits that was organized in Kyiv last year. One of the findings of this round table was a lack of public awareness of European standards in the field of free media and press freedom.

For information, contact:

Mr. Gizo Grdzelidze, Senior Project Officer8/24 Dimitrivska St., 01054, Kyiv, Ukrainetel.: (+380-44) 251 21 56fax: (+380-44) 246 88 26e-mail: osce@osce.kiev.ua