NGOs and the media: why become friends
The role of social journalism in the world and in ordinary times is great, and in the midst of a pandemic, its importance is only growing. Since it is the media that is the guide between the world of news and people, they need to convey hundreds of important messages and stories. Especially when it comes to social journalism in the context of charitable foundations and organizations that are important to be heard. However, in Ukraine everything is not very rosy and there is still room to grow. We spoke with experts and NGO representatives about why charitable foundations and organizations should be friends with the media and why it is important to develop social journalism in the country.
Why it’s important for charities and organizations to talk about themselves
As we have already written, the media are news repeaters. They form a certain picture of the world in the population, cover various events, place accents. Roughly speaking, it is from the media that people learn about what is happening in the world and in the country.
At the same time, non-profit organizations are non-profit organizations. Their purpose is to educate, help, teach, etc. That is why it is important for them to hear and know about them.
The ICF Center for Social Projects of the Future explained to us that any organization that operates openly and transparently, deals with people - requires publicity.
"We want to communicate to people what we have already done, but also give them the opportunity to take part in it. Very often people want to help, but do not know how to do it, whom to trust. Charitable foundations often have a strict limited budget specifically for aid, and there are no funds to order expensive high-quality advertising, to produce expensive media content to which Internet users would respond, and in this case, media information support is essential, ” the ICF said. "Center for Social Projects of the Future".
The foundation added that they often face the fact that local publications, which they offer to cover the transfer of important medical equipment to the hospital, say they are ready to do so only on a commercial basis. Thus, the event can often be left without informational support, and this leads to the fact that people do not trust the funds because they do not see concrete evidence of assistance.
"It’s very important to talk about yourself. Firstly, it helps to inform people that they can be part of something important and good, and secondly, it affects public awareness of the activities of charitable organizations, and the media as an independent tool (NOT an advertising agency or anything ) can play a major role in this, "the fund said.
Vyacheslav Bykov, executive director of the Tabletochki Charitable Foundation, notes that publicity is certainly important for the funds, first of all, it helps to attract philanthropists. After all, through the media, they broadcast the needs of their wards - children with cancer, and those who can help in the future will learn about them. Also, people who need help will learn about the possibilities of getting it.
"Thanks to the media, we can measure the significance of a social problem. By publishing in the media, we can see how society reacts, or whether it resonates. For example, in May, we launched a news item in the media that before scheduled hospitalization, cancer patients are forced to do PCR tests at their own expense. This topic quickly spread in the media, showed high coverage, and, most importantly - in the Ministry of Health we were heard! Minister Maksym Stepanov publicly announced the algorithms developed, according to which children from the regions who will go to Okhmatdyt and the Cancer Institute will be tested for COVID-19 three days before departure. We are grateful to journalists, including journalists, for this small victory over the system, ”Bykov said.
He added that ultimately, the coverage of social issues affects everyone who may face a similar problem. Another striking example of the interaction between public organizations and the media is the struggle for access of relatives to the intensive care unit. They caused a public outcry and prompted the Ministry of Health to issue a separate order, which now obliges all hospitals to allow relatives in intensive care.
What now with social journalism in the country
Journalism in Ukraine is just developing and there are many nuances that prevent this. And, unfortunately, there are few high-quality and transparent media in the country. However, now such topics are being raised and covered, which a few years ago no one took up. The ICF Center for Social Projects of the Future says that now the social journalist is gaining momentum in the country’s information space, people are interested in reading about people like themselves, and not just about the distant - for example, politics or celebrity life.
"Social journalism is only gaining momentum and requires a professional approach, because the material must be prepared with dignity and interest. A social journalist must be not just a journalist, but a social activist at the same time, in order to talk about the pressing problems of society and the change it requires. And to stay aware of this, you need to have close ties with public organizations and foundations, because who but us interacts directly with people and knows what they need, ” the foundation said.
Vyacheslav Bykov comments on the situation and notes that he does not see a fundamental difference in the journalist’s work on social issues and, for example, on politics. The key is the result - does he present it qualitatively or not? The main question is whether the editorial board will accept this social topic.
"I believe that social issues have low priority in the media. Despite numerous attempts, including at the legislative level, to consolidate the status of social advertising, there is strong opposition from Ukrainian TV channels and online newsrooms. In a sense, this is due to unearned income, in some ways with legal aspects. Mentioning fund names in the media is usually difficult. But now, against the background of COVID-19, the situation is gradually changing. We observed a similar picture in 2014, when active hostilities began in the east of the country. At that time, TV channels showed short phone numbers of funds that helped the army without any questions. To date, it is almost impossible to give a social advertisement on the TV channel with a short number and a call to send money to children with cancer. Although at the legislative level there is no direct ban on this.- says Bulls.
He adds that the Ukrainian mass media has no experience of presenting such topics, they are often accompanied by an emotional background of compulsion, hopelessness, fear.
"So now I’m not ready to advocate for the promotion of social advertising in the media, if it leads to the removal of potential donors from us. At the same time, non-violent communication, carrying a charge of positive, invigorating emotions - this is exactly what can motivate society to such a necessary transformation for Ukraine. That’s why yes, social journalism needs to be developed, ”Bykov explains.
Dmytro Yegorov, director of Hetman Media Consulting and editor-in-chief of Hetman, notes that the quality of social journalism in Ukraine is the same as in journalism in general: the problems and "diseases" in the media on itself and social journalism.
"I would not say that social journalism should or should not be developed. There are many things that everyone calls "necessary", but no one does. I propose to name some, as they say, stakeholders (stakeholders - ed..), For whom the development of social journalism would not be abstractly "necessary", but in fact 100% useful. Socially responsible business, charitable and public organizations, associations involved in territorial development, as well as politicians or political forces. All of them will definitely benefit directly from the fact that social issues will be covered qualitatively, interestingly and widely. In short, possible tools are: long-term training programs for journalists; creation by stakeholders of their own media on social issues, grant programs for journalists and the media, etc., "said Egorov.
Andriy Zayets, director of the Initiative project, told us in a comment that, in his opinion, the main task of social journalism today is to express new views and assessments of different situations in Ukrainian society.
"It is necessary to prevent the silence of difficult situations, to explain the essence of change, to maintain a balance of interests, representing and justifying the positions of different social groups. In order for different publications and individual journalists to write on hot social issues and raise important issues about supporting certain groups, more motivation is needed, because during the pandemic and the reduction of advertising contracts, journalists devote more energy to meet the publication’s commercial needs, "explains Zayets.
Social journalism in Ukraine still has room to grow, but we can already say that there is noticeable progress, especially after the situation with coronavirus and quarantine, which forced us to look differently at important issues.
Author Anastasia Ishchenko
Read also: Charitable aid map: how the tool works and why it is important for Ukraine
Why it’s important for charities and organizations to talk about themselves
As we have already written, the media are news repeaters. They form a certain picture of the world in the population, cover various events, place accents. Roughly speaking, it is from the media that people learn about what is happening in the world and in the country.
At the same time, non-profit organizations are non-profit organizations. Their purpose is to educate, help, teach, etc. That is why it is important for them to hear and know about them.
The ICF Center for Social Projects of the Future explained to us that any organization that operates openly and transparently, deals with people - requires publicity.
"We want to communicate to people what we have already done, but also give them the opportunity to take part in it. Very often people want to help, but do not know how to do it, whom to trust. Charitable foundations often have a strict limited budget specifically for aid, and there are no funds to order expensive high-quality advertising, to produce expensive media content to which Internet users would respond, and in this case, media information support is essential, ” the ICF said. "Center for Social Projects of the Future".
The foundation added that they often face the fact that local publications, which they offer to cover the transfer of important medical equipment to the hospital, say they are ready to do so only on a commercial basis. Thus, the event can often be left without informational support, and this leads to the fact that people do not trust the funds because they do not see concrete evidence of assistance. "It’s very important to talk about yourself. Firstly, it helps to inform people that they can be part of something important and good, and secondly, it affects public awareness of the activities of charitable organizations, and the media as an independent tool (NOT an advertising agency or anything ) can play a major role in this, "the fund said.
Vyacheslav Bykov, executive director of the Tabletochki Charitable Foundation, notes that publicity is certainly important for the funds, first of all, it helps to attract philanthropists. After all, through the media, they broadcast the needs of their wards - children with cancer, and those who can help in the future will learn about them. Also, people who need help will learn about the possibilities of getting it.
"Thanks to the media, we can measure the significance of a social problem. By publishing in the media, we can see how society reacts, or whether it resonates. For example, in May, we launched a news item in the media that before scheduled hospitalization, cancer patients are forced to do PCR tests at their own expense. This topic quickly spread in the media, showed high coverage, and, most importantly - in the Ministry of Health we were heard! Minister Maksym Stepanov publicly announced the algorithms developed, according to which children from the regions who will go to Okhmatdyt and the Cancer Institute will be tested for COVID-19 three days before departure. We are grateful to journalists, including journalists, for this small victory over the system, ”Bykov said.
He added that ultimately, the coverage of social issues affects everyone who may face a similar problem. Another striking example of the interaction between public organizations and the media is the struggle for access of relatives to the intensive care unit. They caused a public outcry and prompted the Ministry of Health to issue a separate order, which now obliges all hospitals to allow relatives in intensive care.
What now with social journalism in the country
Journalism in Ukraine is just developing and there are many nuances that prevent this. And, unfortunately, there are few high-quality and transparent media in the country. However, now such topics are being raised and covered, which a few years ago no one took up. The ICF Center for Social Projects of the Future says that now the social journalist is gaining momentum in the country’s information space, people are interested in reading about people like themselves, and not just about the distant - for example, politics or celebrity life.
"Social journalism is only gaining momentum and requires a professional approach, because the material must be prepared with dignity and interest. A social journalist must be not just a journalist, but a social activist at the same time, in order to talk about the pressing problems of society and the change it requires. And to stay aware of this, you need to have close ties with public organizations and foundations, because who but us interacts directly with people and knows what they need, ” the foundation said.
Vyacheslav Bykov comments on the situation and notes that he does not see a fundamental difference in the journalist’s work on social issues and, for example, on politics. The key is the result - does he present it qualitatively or not? The main question is whether the editorial board will accept this social topic.
"I believe that social issues have low priority in the media. Despite numerous attempts, including at the legislative level, to consolidate the status of social advertising, there is strong opposition from Ukrainian TV channels and online newsrooms. In a sense, this is due to unearned income, in some ways with legal aspects. Mentioning fund names in the media is usually difficult. But now, against the background of COVID-19, the situation is gradually changing. We observed a similar picture in 2014, when active hostilities began in the east of the country. At that time, TV channels showed short phone numbers of funds that helped the army without any questions. To date, it is almost impossible to give a social advertisement on the TV channel with a short number and a call to send money to children with cancer. Although at the legislative level there is no direct ban on this.- says Bulls.
He adds that the Ukrainian mass media has no experience of presenting such topics, they are often accompanied by an emotional background of compulsion, hopelessness, fear. "So now I’m not ready to advocate for the promotion of social advertising in the media, if it leads to the removal of potential donors from us. At the same time, non-violent communication, carrying a charge of positive, invigorating emotions - this is exactly what can motivate society to such a necessary transformation for Ukraine. That’s why yes, social journalism needs to be developed, ”Bykov explains.
Dmytro Yegorov, director of Hetman Media Consulting and editor-in-chief of Hetman, notes that the quality of social journalism in Ukraine is the same as in journalism in general: the problems and "diseases" in the media on itself and social journalism.
"I would not say that social journalism should or should not be developed. There are many things that everyone calls "necessary", but no one does. I propose to name some, as they say, stakeholders (stakeholders - ed..), For whom the development of social journalism would not be abstractly "necessary", but in fact 100% useful. Socially responsible business, charitable and public organizations, associations involved in territorial development, as well as politicians or political forces. All of them will definitely benefit directly from the fact that social issues will be covered qualitatively, interestingly and widely. In short, possible tools are: long-term training programs for journalists; creation by stakeholders of their own media on social issues, grant programs for journalists and the media, etc., "said Egorov.
Andriy Zayets, director of the Initiative project, told us in a comment that, in his opinion, the main task of social journalism today is to express new views and assessments of different situations in Ukrainian society.
"It is necessary to prevent the silence of difficult situations, to explain the essence of change, to maintain a balance of interests, representing and justifying the positions of different social groups. In order for different publications and individual journalists to write on hot social issues and raise important issues about supporting certain groups, more motivation is needed, because during the pandemic and the reduction of advertising contracts, journalists devote more energy to meet the publication’s commercial needs, "explains Zayets.
Social journalism in Ukraine still has room to grow, but we can already say that there is noticeable progress, especially after the situation with coronavirus and quarantine, which forced us to look differently at important issues.
Author Anastasia Ishchenko
Read also: Charitable aid map: how the tool works and why it is important for Ukraine