Journalism also requires style and taste

The Institute of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University met with The Day, continuing our newspaper’s longstanding tradition of talking to students from various Ukrainian institutions of higher education. This meeting, as Larysa Ivshyna noted in her speech, was meant for those who “want to form their taste and style in journalism.” Developing these qualities should start from the ABCs, in other words, in first-year university, noted the institute’s director Volodymyr Rizun in his opening address. It helps to have a good example, he added, referring to The Day. Most of the guests called this event significant, as it was held on Dec. 1, the anniversary of the independence referendum. The institute’s first-year students asked interesting questions, demonstrating their knowledge of the domestic political and economic situation and their familiarity with various spheres, particularly our newspaper’s book projects, photo exhibits, and resonant publications. The students were interested not only in learning about specific aspects of journalism but also more global issues.

Olena DUDKA, first-year student:

Mrs. Ivshyna, do you think that Ukraine should be rushing to join various international organizations, considering that some oppose the process?

Ivshyna: I believe that everything depends on the effectiveness of the current Ukrainian government. European countries are literally pulling our government by the ears, doing their utmost so they can go further. It’s true that the European Union is a distant prospect for us. People who have been in Great Britain, Germany, or even Poland are in a position to make comparisons and determine whether we are prepared — by our internal standards, our system, the effectiveness of the judicial branch — to secure the kind of living standard they have. Yet if we don’t set such goals, all talk of our not having to join the EU will be used as a pretext to do nothing. Those who are doing nothing are sliding down into a morass, even if they make declarations to the contrary. Therefore, I am all for Ukraine taking active steps to achieve European standards.

Dudka: World practice shows that even financially independent newspapers have a so-called “political roof” [protection racket]. What about The Day?

Ivshyna: I do not use the term “political roof” and the lexicon connected with this expression, although I believe that this slang has a right to exist, in view of all those exceptionally dramatic changes that have taken place in Ukraine over the past several decades. This is explained by the overall criminalization of the vocabulary. But all this can be described with a different kind of terminology, when we speak about whether this or that newspaper is privately owned, whether it can wage an absolutely independent policy, or how the interests of the owner and the editor are coordinated. Our policy can be determined by reading our newspaper. This is obviously far more important than the word “roof.”

Leonid MELEZHYK, first- year student:

Won’t our entry into the EU mean substituting the Ukraine- Russia conflict with that of Ukraine vs. Old Europe?

Ivshyna: Our book about James Mace contains a painful diagnosis of Ukrainian society, which Professor Mace described as a postgenocidal one. Everything that is still alive in Ukraine needs support and certain steps to help it withstand the scorching geopolitical winds. Do we still have time? We have spent a lot of time very irrationally. Up to 1999 this could be explained by certain reasons. Now we are weakened by very serious negative processes. Ukraine was wasting time when lobbyists of the Russian establishment were saying: let’s join the WTO together with Russia and the EU, also with Russia...But this meant only one thing: holding Ukraine back, keeping it in the anteroom, preventing it from getting ahead. Leonid Kuchma’s image in the West was a serious setback to processes that had a chance of being implemented even during his previous term. Well, that’s how politics is done, at times without our participation because we have a very weak political class. Therefore, to discuss Europe we need to become a full-fledged European country — once again with or without a duly registered status. It is time for us to save our nation and its future. Europe is not rejecting our identity; on the contrary, Ukrainians on Ukrainian territory often resemble an underground organization (I mean the language aspect, among other things). Ukraine’s internal work must be aimed at the Council of Europe’s standards. After joining the Council 10 years ago, Ukraine discovered unique conditions under which to protect human rights. Increasing numbers of Ukrainians are defending their rights in European courts, including our newspaper, which won an unprecedented victory in the European Court.

Tamara HUSSEINOVA, first-year student:

Do you agree that book publishing in Ukraine needs a great deal of support from the state? Your newspaper is an example of how books can be published without this support.

Ivshyna: If a country is emerging from the ruins in a certain sense and the government has the tools, then it must take on part of the work. Private business is often more interested in preserving its property than enlightening the people. The state must take care of book publishing. At the same time this is only part of the problem. It must provide conditions in which national business becomes socially responsible and philanthropists are encouraged, and so on. However, such measures are not conspicuous these days.

Kateryna TSYMBALIUK, first-year student:

How long will it take Ukraine to become a truly free country?

Ivshyna: I mentioned one such opportunity; we had it in 1999. In 2002, during the parliamentary elections, Yushchenko and his team stood a chance of forming their parliamentary roster not on the principles of nepotism but professionalism. They passed up that chance. As it is, all questions addressed to this government and all the scandals within it are caused by its absolute incompetence. These are not problems of ill will or their unwillingness to work effectively. The problem is that there are many things they don’t know how to do. The static that is blanketing our society is preventing people who are capable of helping their country from obtaining posts in the government. How long it will take Ukraine to become truly free depends on what scenario will be adopted in the nearest future. The people who are in parliament, given the current chaos, cannot decide anything. They can only aggravate the situation. Here again one can hope for a miracle.

Olena KYRIANOVA, first- year student:

You think that Ukraine should integrate into Europe. Don’t you think that the attitude to Ukraine there will be the same as on the part of the Russian empire — as though we are a province?

Ivshyna: Of course, but each person chooses a role according to which s/he determines how s/he should be treated. In Russia, in most cases, the attitude to Ukraine is disparaging indeed. Yet why do we allow this attitude? If we have internal competitive forces that can show their true worth, Russia, like any other country, will treat us with respect, even if it does not always demonstrate it. The Russian Federation seeks good relations with those who are capable of something. Incidentally, the Maidan factor had a very strong impact on Russia. Another thing is that now they cannot conceal their schadenfreude. But don’t they have new grounds for it? Everything depends on whether we’ll be able to become efficient enough in our own country.

Danylo BILYK, first-year student:

I was born in Donetsk. Yet it seems to me the level of national consciousness there (especially in institutions of higher learning) is not very high. Who do you think is to blame?

Ivshyna: The processes that are taking place in our society are composed of many sectors. The absence of conscious questioning is to blame. People are choosing what to read, what to do, what to discuss, and this forms public moods. In this sense the state hasn’t used any state instruments. All the elements of desovietization are found in education, in new books and films that the central government and local authorities are supposed to supply. A state that allows another country to patronize its information space automatically rejects independent policies.

Vadym KRAMAR, first-year student:

Don’t you think that “speculating with the Maidan” is taking place?

Ivshyna: Each event has its own place. Of course, all those people who went to the Maidan will go down in history, but again, in a certain historical continuity. The manifestation of that popular energy was the result of the totally hopeless finale of Kuchma’s regime that could not organize normal elections and the transfer of power. This isn’t the end of the world or the beginning of a new one. This is a large fragment of a new Ukrainian historical process determined by the failure of the previous regime. It was then the people stepped in and for the first time graded the performance of the political class. The grade was a D minus. You’ve broached a very important subject. Today, as always, there will be many people who are prepared to sing hosannas to all the new people in power, whether they are good or bad. Journalists, however, must adopt a calmer attitude. I believe that a sense of moderation is the greatest philosophical truth.