If by the end of 2024, the "Yedyni Novyny" telethon does not change its format and restore its trust, it may be closed. Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, said this in an interview.
"Of course, as the authorities initially said, we can decide to let the telethon run until the end of the war. But why will 2024 be crucial? Because our international financial aid is being reduced, and as a result, our economy is shrinking significantly... If it is not demonstrated by the end of 2024 that the only marathon has changed its format and balance, that there is not good news from the front, that people's trust is being restored, then we will have to think about ending it," Yurchyshyn said.
The committee chairman noted that amid the loss of attention to the marathon, the popularity of social media as a source of information is growing. The MP also believes that the ineffective marathon damages the reputation of the Ukrainian authorities.
"If there is no mechanism to restore at least partial trust in the single marathon, problems may arise. With the single marathon, trust in the government begins to decline, and this is quite reasonable, because we have announced that the single marathon is an official source. It is the mouthpiece of the government. If the trust in the mouthpiece falls, the trust in the person who holds this mouthpiece falls," the MP added.
He reminded that this year's broadcast of the telethon has already been funded by the state, so it will not be completed by the end of 2024. This is possible if the TV channels themselves decide to terminate the project.
At the same time, he added that he would not like to see the 2014-2022 broadcasting return.
"(In 2014-2022), not only Medvedchuk's channels, but also the channels that are now part of the marathon, sat and talked about the fact that maybe we should have asked the people of Crimea whether they wanted the occupation or not," the head of the Verkhovna Rada committee added.
