• Українська
  • Русский
  • English
Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

PRESIDENT ‘IMPROVES’ INFORMATION So it will favor only him

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

President Kuchma signed a decree On Measures to Improve Government Control in the Sphere of Information. Among other things (of course, “in order to raise the effectiveness of state information policy, support the national television and radio companies along with the print media, publishing,” etc.) it stipulates establishing a Ukrainian State Agency for Informationization [the word is no clearer in Ukrainian than English, but it seems to have something to do with regulating the flow of information — Ed.] and setting up government-run companies, Ukrteleradio (for broadcasting) and Ukrvydavpolihrafiya (print media). The latter two’s statutory funds are expected to receive 100% of the shares of public joint stock companies formed by reorganizing state enterprises not subject to privatization in the information sphere.

Apparently, the edict’s main idea is not so much improving the information sphere as launching a broad Administration offensive on all information fronts in preparation for the presidential marathon. By the same token, the time-limit for organizing Ukrteleradio and Ukrvydavpolihrafiya is six months, meaning the deadline will fall at the peak of the campaign. No one knows who will be placed at the head of these information monopolies. Too bad, because cadre issues are of crucial importance in such bureaucratic projects.

 

Rubric: