Who killed music journalism?

All over the world, TV viewers receive information about music from big national channels which operate in the genres of information and analysis, analysis and entertainment , and live TV broadcast. As a rule, nationwide channels focus on concerts of nationally famed performers and on important domestic news. In other words, French channels cover French performers and musical events; Italian channels cover Italian events. This simple pattern seems to be unclear to Ukrainian music channels. And this “vagueness” comes hand in hand with some old trends that are rather dangerous for Ukrainian show business. It is the attempt to form a “common social space,” a “Slavic union” of sorts, which presupposes, for some reason, unity with the “Big Brother” only. This is being done without too much noise because it is clear that “Slavic unity” will look, I would say, implausible without Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, and Balkan peoples. So we already have international duets composed of Ukrainians and citizens of other countries, foreign hosts at national TV channels, ostensibly Ukrainian TV projects, and pressing demands that Ukrainian showbiz people defend the honor of a different state on an international level. They are steadily trying to “water down” Ukrainian showbiz. And what about Ukrainian television? Is it trying to protect its own?

THE PHILOSOPHY OF “ALL AND MORE”

The Ukrainian TV channels that focus on information mostly confine themselves to showbiz-related news bulletins. Here we are facing the problem of music journalism in Ukraine. The viewer’s interest in this kind of television material depends, to a large extent, on the professional level of journalists. They must be able not only to select and read out news but also analyze facts. Unfortunately, Ukrainian specialized new bulletins usually present translated reports of foreign agencies rather than analysis. And although it is good that there are programs that inform the TV viewer of the events outside Ukraine (not only about rich Russian’s villas), these programs are usually made in a gutter-press style.

What also catches the eye is that a great deal of Ukrainian music is shown on minor national TV channels that deal with cookery, fashion, female issues, tourism, etc. These channels broadcast Ukrainian artists’ video clips mostly at night. They do so not because they care about the destiny of the Ukrainian music industry but only because they thus comply with the license demand that broadcasts should carry the national product. Taking into account a relatively high level of Ukrainian clip-making, the management of these channels does not need to blush. There are even some local “hit parades,” but their level leaves much to be desired.

The big problem, and for a long time already, are the so-called Ukrainian specialized music TV channels. From the first years of their existence until now, these channels have been following models from out neighbor and, as a result, they are suffering from an uncertain musical format. They all wanted “all and more.” The result was quite predictable. This killed music journalism in Ukraine — not even at the level of sprouts, but seeds. For a TV channel that covers a certain segment of global music (rock, pop, jazz, etc.) has “advanced” viewers and requires an appropriate level of professionalism. Hence the situation: there are no professional analysts and specialists on Ukrainian TV channels, while attempts to take a professional journalistic approach to music have been diverted to other, non-musical, channels. Ukraine still doesn’t have even a single interesting and meaningful music television program. Why? Because professionalism is dangerous for Ukrainian specialized music TV channels and viewers. For this reason, the absence of specialist journalists and professional critics on screen is compensated with “media personalities.”

OUR PHENOMENON: FORCED BRIBERY

Western TV people consider that they can only benefit from signing agreements with and paying fees to musicians and showing their music videos. It means filling broadcasts with an interesting and high-quality TV product, and they do not have to spend money on its production. In this country, however, there is a disgraceful and absolutely unlawful system of “paying for the rotation” of musical videos — a sort of levy on Ukrainian showbiz to keep “Ukrainian” musical TV channels afloat — contrary to Civil Code and Criminal Code provisions. I will recall that the last US television man, who used to take money “for rotation,” was sent up the river in the mid-1960s. We have somewhat different realities, however: when the editor of one of Ukraine’s publications was caught red-handed, not only was this material barred from being published in the press but this editor soon found his car burnt down.

We even happen to hear “Ukrainian” media specialists say that, you see, “Ukrainian” showbiz compels poor managers of “Ukrainian” musical TV channels to take bribes. Unbelievable as it is, the roots of such statements can be traced not just to Moscow’s Ostankino TV Center but also back to Manhattan. These statements are now being made under the influence of American realities, for that country is facing quite an acute problem of music video- and audio-market oversaturation, as the quantity of the available products exceeds the screen time. Thus, to exert influence over TV and radio channels (read: the bosses), music recorders began to lobby their interests by offering cash to all kinds of intermediary publicity companies. This caused an adequate and immediate reaction on the part of US prosecutors. But in this case Ukraine is not lagging behind, either: we have an effectively-working system of Ukrainian clip production and quite a wide set of high-quality recordings of concerts and other events. But this means that a high-quality TV product can only be found in video archives. And while managers of “Ukrainian” music channels could speak ten years ago about the “absence of high-quality Ukrainian video,” it would just be dishonest to do so today.

Ukrainian musicians used to pin great hopes on the seemingly progressive leadership in 2005-10. It was expected that the National ­Te­levision and Radio Council and the government’s culture departments will at last begin to work effectively, the audio and video sector will finally be streamlined, and showbiz will become law-abiding. No chance! The only “success” is struggle for the Ukrainization of broadcasting, which was deliberately over-politicized and filibustered. A half-naked hostess, who reads a text from a teleprompter for five seconds in the interval between foreign clips, is called a “national music product…” In all probability, the “old” stages are now a thing if the past… It is mainly about the need “to add other entertainments to music.” An interesting proposal, especially taking into account that the production of Ukrainian music videos is on the rise and the channels still aren’t Ukrainian! I think I know at the expense of what product the TV channels are going to “develop…”

NATIONAL TELEVISION COMPANY OUGHT TO BE IN THE VANGUARD

Therefore, Ukraine is increasingly facing the problem of the quality of the, so to speak, “end TV product.” An acute shortage of funds or deliberate “economy” in order to line one’s pockets results in a TV product that is far below international standards. So I consider it necessary to urgently arrange a meeting with Ukrainian artists (especially young ones), and inform them about modern-day challenges. This meeting should be held on the initiative of the National Television Company of Ukraine. For this state-run institution, which is funded from the budget and “protected” from the vagaries of the market, is supposed to be in the vanguard of airing high-quality Ukrainian musical products. It is also important because other TV broadcasters do not have any potential or desire to do so. The making of a modern entertainment product requires special studios, equipment, and technologies. The National Television Company is the only TV facility that has a complete technological set at its disposal. Furthermore, Ukraine has long been using various up-to-date entertainment devices (lighting, sound, special effects, etc.). But, for some reason, Ukrainian music still remains, in most cases, alien to the Ukrainian viewer.