Mykola Tomenko: The Local Press is the most dependent in Ukraine, since it follows the Principle 'all about the Officials at the Expense of the Territorial Community'

03 May 2011, 13:00

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Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, believes that local press is the most dependent in Ukraine, since it follows the principle ‘all about the officials at the expense of the territorial community.´

According to him, despite the current problems of central mass media, the local press has returned to the Soviet past. M. Tomenko admitted that local mass media, especially printed ones that were founded by the local authorities, seem to be 'chronicles' of life of regional or district heads.

 

Deputy Chairman compares this situation with the Soviet past, when the local mass media respected party and local leaders. "However, in the Soviet times, the local authorities did not dare to think about covering birthday celebrations of the local officials or publishing 50-60 photographs in local magazines and newspapers."

 

Mykola Tomenko is convinced that discussion of the freedom of speech should start with the local press. "Media should be oriented towards territorial community, not towards the officials at the expense of this territorial community", he stressed.