03 October 2008, 13:10
Mykola Tomenko: It is a shame to earn money on popularization of violence and cruelty.
Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, sent an open letter to the owners and managers of the television channels "1+1" and "Inter" concerning a wide social response produced by prevalence of cruelty and violence in the national television dimension.
The point is as follows: according to the survey of the content of information programs, the television channels in questions became doubtless leaders in the filling of news programs with negative content. Moreover, the leaders of the said channels ignored a round-table discussion held on 2 October in order to dwell upon ways to balance positive and negative information with adherence to the principles of the freedom of speech and mass media independence.
"I would like the representatives of the television broadcasting companies "Inter" and "1+1" to be involved in the said process and understand that ratings obtained at the cost of popularization of violence and cruelty will not bring success. The problem of prevalence of violence, cruelty and negative information on television should be settled jointly by the State, the society and the mass media community. I am convinced that it is a shame to earn money on popularization of such topics", - states the open letter of the Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.