Seven independent Ukrainian media outlets received 2022 Free Media Pioneer award

ABO Local Media Development Agency, Hromadske, Slidstvo.info, StopFake, The Kyiv Independent, Ukraїner and Ukrainska Pravda got an award from International Press Institute. This was announced on organisation’s website.

“Seven independent Ukrainian media outlets that rose to face head-on the challenges and dangers brought by Russia’s war of aggression with courage, quality reporting, and a steadfast commitment to serving local communities at a time of immense need are the recipients of the 2022 IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer Award,” goes in the statement of the international organisation.

As the award committee mentioned, independent media in Ukraine played a key role in promoting democracy and freedom of the press even before the full-scale russian invasion battling the country’s oligarch-dominated media: “Innovative storytelling, strong business models, wide networks, and a commitment to independence ensured that they were able to continue providing both local and international audiences with important news and info despite russia’s war”.

The IPI-IMS jury chose to honor the courage and creativity of Ukrainian independent media and decisions that helped them faster adapt to new reality.

“Each of these publications plays a unique role in bringing news and information to the public, and together they perform an invaluable service in informing their communities and beyond in a time of war. Finally, while this award is being presented to a group of seven media that were nominated, the jury is conscious of the valuable contributions of other independent media in Ukraine,” states the International Press Institute.

This year, both Free Media Pioneer Award and IPI World Press Freedom Hero Award will be presented at a special ceremony at the 2022 IPI International Congress at Columbia University in New York City on the evening of September 9.

IPI-IMS Free Media Pioneer Award is presented to organizations meeting the demands of the moment through innovative models of journalism, media, or press freedom defence. The International Press Institute (IPI) established the award in 1996. It is now given annually in partnership with International Media Support (IMS).

It shall be reminded that three Ukrainian journalists received the 2022 Knight International Journalism Award.

Earlier it’s been reported that journalists Mstyslav Chernov and Yevgeniy Maloletka received the 2022 Georgy Gongadze Prize.

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