"The Information Revolution" began after the events of November 30 - December 1, as we wrote. But in less than two weeks some TV channels began to lose ground by going to manipulate the facts and increasing suppressed important topics.

THE MOST CATCHY TRAITS OF MONDAY RELEASES, DECEMBER 9

1.                  No one channel did not give information that opposition leaders got the summons to appear to the procurator's office. Although two days before all channels warned about Zakharchenko’s summons to appear.

2. Inter started to manipulate, using articles from obsolete newspapers as an information pretext and taking phrases torn from the context and trying to pass off them as famous politicians’ statements (materials about Nuland and Lutsenko). The channel also has submitted unconfirmed information (material about Tsaryov).

3. The number of missed important topics was increased. Especially by Inter, First National Channel and ICTV.

Topical Issues Suppression Rate

1.                  Inter, First National Channel and ICTV

2.                  TRC Ukraine

3.                  1+1

1+1 (TSN) continues to cover events most fully.  ICTV lost ground considerably and became closer to the “champions” of suppressing - First National Channel and Inter.

The list of suppressed issues and items with manipulative traits

1. There has been meeting between three ex-presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Victor Yuschenko and also members of initiative group “Pershoho hrudnya” Lubomyr Huzar, Bohdan Havrylyshyn, Myroslav Popovych, Jevhen Sverstyuk and Vadym Skurativskiy.

Ex-president of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk has appealed to president Yanukovych with a proposal to initiate a nationwide roundtable for finding a compromise in in the present situation and to invite to take part the representatives of both the authorities and the opposition (UNIAN).

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT INTER, FIRST NATIONAL CHANNEL, TRC UKRAINE, AND ICTV.

2. In Vasylkiv some special and internal forces buses been able break through the cordon of people and to go to Kiev (Ukrayinska Pravda).

Serhiy Sabov informed: “They break through the cordon of people.  They push aside the cars into a ditch, dragged people out of cars, twisted hands, broke fingers”. As it have been known, in December, 4, activists by their own cars and also people blocked several tens buses with operatives of Special Forces in a military unit in Vasylkiv near Kiev.

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT INTER, FIRST NATIONAL CHANNEL, TRC UKRAINE, ICTV.

“TSN” (1+1) has provided complete information with good video.

3. The situation on Euromaidan:

-                     It was reported that three Kiev subway stations have been mined.  The entrance to the station is blocked (UNIAN);

-                     Employees of Kiev City State Administration remove the documents and equipment of the offices. Employees of Kiev City State Administration left it (UNIAN);

-                     “Berkut” will block supply of food, water and new protesters for Euromaidan” – Oleh Tyahnybok (UNIAN).

Inter, Kristina Suvorina, narrator: “Those who wanted to save their time and nerves on the roads and used public transport as public utilities advised, became nervous too. Three metro stations were closed in the morning. Said that there mines". The emphasis of the item is made on the faked mining, but not on the context of current events blocking the city center by security forces that took place all the day.

TRC Ukraine, live transmission, Yevhen Mikhin, narrator, live transmission from Kiev City State Administration.

In these two live transmissions attitudes and facts intended to characterize the situation of that day, in fact, have not contained adequate display of reinforcements security forces, lifting people out of the Kiev City State Administration, blocking of three subway stations. Information filed like in passing. At the same time the narrator as well as the journalist tried to convince that all is quiet, peaceful, cheerful and fun.

There was not provided any opposition leaders’ sound bite that would commented the situation and been addressed to both protesters and security forces.

The narrator said in the final of the item: “… That was Kuzakov with complete information near the building of Kyiv City Council. And there is calm too.”

4.                  President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso held a telephone conversation with President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to emphasize the need for a political solution to the current tense situation in the country through dialogue with the opposition and civil society.

“I believe the European Union has the right and duty to stand beside the people of Ukraine in this very difficult time. I asked Yanukovych not to use force against people who are peacefully rallying. It is not true that it is only the western part of Ukraine. No! Most of Ukrainians want a peaceful and free future.”  (UNIAN).

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT FIRST NATIONAL CHANNEL, AND ICTV.

TRC Ukraine, Yevhen Mikhin, narrator. It was given only weakened sound bite of the President of European Commission José Manuel Barroso.

Inter in its item about Europeans has cut the sound bite of José Manuel Barroso up to full distortion of meaning:

“José Manuel Barroso: “Let's look at Ukraine. European Union has right and duty to support them in such difficult time.”

This material about reaction and statement of Europeans is a good exemplum of manipulation of information. The editors chose for that item suitable sound bites. However there were no comments given by Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Tombiński.

5. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Vice-President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland arrive in Ukraine to negotiations for reconciliation the political crisis.

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT ICTV.

6. In turn, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Jan Tombiński also emphasized the unacceptability of violent dispersal of peaceful action: "We observe with great concern for today's events in Kiev. We would like to remind the Ukrainian authorities that the baseless use of force and special forces against peaceful demonstrators are unacceptable" (Ukrayinska pravda).

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT INTER, TRC UKRAINE, AND 1+1.

First National Channel, Juliya Halushka, narrator: “EU Ambassador to Ukraine Jan Tombiński urged the Ukrainian authorities for a peaceful settlement of the situation. He has noticed that now the world's attention is focused on events in Ukraine. And the international community hopes that the Ukrainians will manage to find common ground.” The accents have been weakened by retelling the politician’s words.

7. An investigation team raided the apartment where Yegor Previr lived, one of nine arrested persons December, 1, after the collision on Bankova. 

Reffering to Previr’s family journalist Ivanna Kobernik informed: “An investigation team started the search on Monday and they didn’t wait for lawyers, that’s why they failed to comply the rights of the demand.” (Ukrayinska Pravda).

THE INFORMATION WAS NOT SHOWN BY ANY OF THE CHANNELS.

8. Near the building of Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine nearly 300 protesters gathered, 50 of them staged “lie-in” strike before the entrance (Ukrayinska Pravda).

THE INFORMATION WAS NOT SHOWN BY ANY OF THE CHANNELS.

9. An investigation of the blocking of the Prosecutor General's Office and Shevchenkyvskyi District Court started. In Kyiv Prosecutor's Office was noted that since December, 4, protesters were blocking the work of Prosecutor General's Office by preventing the passage of state workers to their workplaces. What is more, December 5 and 6, participants of mass actions carried out similar illegal activities indoors Organized Crime Control Department and near the Shevchenkyvskyi District Court.

THE INFORMATION WAS NOT SHOWN BY ANY OF THE CHANNELS.

10. Leader of faction “Svoboda” Oleh Tyahnybok declared on briefing: “Soldiers of special police began to push aside people out of roadblocks on Hrushevskoho, Luteranska, Bankova and Shovkovychna streets” (UNIAN).

THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN BROADCASTED BY ALL CHANNELS 

ICTV, live transmission, Inna Shevchenko, narrator: “In Kyiv Protesters are crowding out by operatives of special forces. Several thousands of soldiers of Internal Forces and Special Forces "Berkut" have forced people out of the tent city, which is located on Hrushevskoho street near the European Place and Kriposnyi lane, and manually dismantle barricades.”

There wasn’t any sound bite of participants with comments how it was in fact, there wasn’t Yatsenyuk’s notification about attempts to isolate Euromaidan from supplies and needments. Minimum of information with the neutral picture of forcing out was provided.

11. Press office of the political party informed: “Soldiers of Special Forces "Berkut" armed with Automatic rifles assault office of “Batkivshchyna” (UNIAN).

THE NEWS WAS ABSENT AT INTER, AND FIRST NATIONAL CHANNEL.

In regard to ICTV should be noted that the editors responded promptly to the event and gave all the information known at that time.

TRC Ukraine, Yevhen Mikhin, narrator. Insufficient information was presented despite the fact that by this time it was already known that the Special Forces penetrated into the office and took out servers. The news broadcasted by “Sobytiya” (TRC Ukraine) comes half an hour later then “Fakty” (ICTV).

TSN by 1+1

There was a live sound bite recorded by the editors presented. There was the most complete information among all channels.

12. The leader of the parliamentary faction “Batkivshchyna” Arseniy Yatsenyuk has been summoned for questioning to the Main Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office on Tuesday at 15:00.

Prosecutor General's Office summon for questioning Anatoliy Hrytsenko on Monday at 15:00. (Ukrayinska Pravda).

THE INFORMATION WAS NOT SHOWN BY ANY OF THE CHANNELS.

BRIEF COMMENTS TO RELEASES COMPOSITION AND OTHER ITEMS BROADCASTED BY TV CHANNELS

Fakty by ICTV (18:45)

1.                  News block about regions.

There was no information about Ternopil where were served subpoenas on three protesters right on the square.  They were accused of organizing the blocking of the regional administration. There was no information about detention of photojournalist Oleg Panas in Lviv and a rally for his release.

Inter

1.                  Lenin monument was dismantled for souvenirs.

Kristina Suvorina, narrator: “At first Lenin monument has been knocked down and then broken with a hammer.  Finally “the parts of Lenin” have been selling, at list some ads appeared on the Internet”.

The meaning of this item is not quite for understanding. There hasn’t been presented the attitude of opposition representatives that they clearly announced at press-conference. It is not clear, why that historian’s sound bite has been used: “Even before the war an international exhibition was conducted in New York, where the Soviet pavilion was decorated with two statues – Lenin and Stalin”.

2.                  Oleh Tsaryov from “"Party of Regions" that Euromaidan has been made by political strategists.

Such an item may not appear on the channel where professionals work. We may assume this item is a political technology of the channel. There wasn’t any event as a information pretext or any real fact or comment of Tsaryov presented.

3. Regions.

The item didn’t disclose any really serious fact. Ivano-Frankivsk: there is no information about rally near the local Department of Security Service of Ukraine. Ternopil: there was no information that there were served subpoenas on three protesters right on the square. They were accused of organizing the blocking of the regional administration. Lviv: there was no information about detention of photojournalist Oleg Panas in Lviv and a rally for his release.

4. The leader of the movement “The third Ukrainian republic” Yuriy Lutsenko considers that opposition leaders need to assess the situation realistically.

This material is a vivid example of manipulation. The information has been torn from the context of the interview that was released on the site of Ukrayinska Pravda. In that interview the politician and the author discussed the timing and causes what had happened.

5. U.S. Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland sternly demanded from the opposition leaders not to undertake aggressive actions.

“Kristina Suvorina, narrator: “U.S. Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland, which is expected to arrive tomorrow, earlier has sternly demanded from the opposition leaders not to undertake aggressive actions. Peaceful protests only within the law. She asked to search for democratic ways of combining authority and people towards European integration”.

There is an impermissible, rough manipulation. The information is torn from the article of Juliya Mostova (“Mirror Weekly”) “Maidan of Independence” December, 6. But even in that article there was not any quote from Nuland.

Moreover the editors did not take real recent statements of politician. For example, in broadcast December, 9: “Press office [of the U.S. Embassy] informed: “U.S. Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland expressed deep concern of United States about the situation in Ukraine and has urged the Russian side to a peaceful settlement of the problem, protection of human dignity and political decision making. U.S. Assistant Secretary has clearly explained to Russian counterparts that the United States supports Ukraine's European choice, the non-violent and exclusively political solution of the situation, as well as the recovery of economic welfare of the country with the support of the International Monetary Fund” (Ukrayinska pravda).

First National Channel

1.                  The regions.

There was no information about the situation in Ivano-Frankivsk with a rally near the local Department of Security Service of Ukraine, Ternopil, and detention of the photographer in Lviv. The main focus was on the Luhansk forum.