Mykola Tomenko: Public Television is the Television to advocate Values and represent the Whole Society, not the Television for Authorities and Fights
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, made this statement, speaking at the parliamentary hearings "Strategy of Humanitarian Policy of Modern Ukraine" held in the Parliament.
Mykola Tomenko was surprised at the declarations of the leaders of Derzhteleradio (The State Television and Radio Board) and the First National Channel regarding the fact that the First National Channel had almost been transformed into "a channel of the public broadcasting." "Their vision of the First National Channel tasks, which is financed at the expense of the budget funds, as a social ones, is directly opposite to the ideology of the public broadcasting", he emphasized, admitting that "the leaders of the First National Channel have poor knowledge of Ukrainian traditions and language, however, they are convinced that it should be a channel to advocate the authorities."
"On the other hand, in the ‘family time´, since 19.00 to 21.00, "a social First Channel" broadcasts the Mixed Battles League, i.e. fights", the Deputy Chairman declared. According to Mykola Tomenko, the public television should represent the concepts of social importance: achievements of science, culture, regional peculiarities of the country, children programs, etc. "It is obvious that if the television advocates authorities, it should be funded by the power adherents, not the Ukrainian citizens", M. Tomenko emphasized.