Kyiv Weekly starts its second decade of publication with a new look, expanded coverage and greater interaction with the English-speaking community in Ukraine. As the new editor in-chief, I am proud to introduce KW for 2012 and build upon its legacy of independent news coverage, incisive analysis and close association with our foreign and local readership. While we are content with our past success, KW is an innovator, and with that in mind we have decided to review our mandate in order to best serve our readership. The dynamic growth of Ukrainian society over the past ten years suggests that Kyiv Weekly needs to take an enhanced approach to delivering that vital information to maintain its leading position as an independent news source.
We will not change too much, though. KW was conceptualized in early 2002, when Ukraine was on the cusp of unprecedented economic development and political change. Our original mandate was to attract Ukrainian, Russian and English language audiences through the publication of core news, human interest stories and pieces about such spheres as international relations, economics, finance & banking, real estate, construction, history, culture, art s& entertainment, music, and sports. In short, we wanted to create as broad and as deep and understanding about Ukraine as possible within the confines of 16 pages.
Now, we are 24 pages. Responding to the demand for more and better news about Ukraine, KW is polishing the old and merging it with the new.
Since those early days, Ukraine has matured as a political nation. Popular discontent over the direction the young country was taking coupled with a deep fear of loss of political freedoms won the decade previously were the driving forces behind the campaign of mass civil disobedience in 2004, which became know as the Orange Revolution. And while the promise of those momentous days have turned sour and the powers-that-be remain suspect about their devotion to truly democratic principles, political activism remains strong down to the grassroots level. And 2012 is heating up to be another momentous year in Ukrainian politics, after the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko and in light of the parliamentary elections to be staged in the autumn. Therefore, now more than ever is there a need for an independent source of political coverage. As in 2004, KW will be on the ball with in-depth and unbiased analysis of this next key stage in Ukraine´s evolution of statehood.
KW prides itself on developing well-respected, experienced, local journalists for the majority of its news coverage and analysis. Ukraine, as a young state with a modest history of press freedoms, needs as many independent and unaffiliated publishing venues as possible. KW has been, is and will be a hothouse for independent journalism.
Ukraine´s financial system ten years ago was still suffering from growing pains. A single low-volume stock market was barely breathing and poorly regulated, mortgages and car loans were not only very expensive, but few financial institutions were offering them, and just about all sectors of the economy were only starting the process of revitalization after years of neglect and privatization struggles. Ukraine has finally broken from the soviet economic sphere. Today, the nation can boast of several vibrant bourses, widespread access to numerous financial instruments and several strong domestic industries. KW has always been at the forefront of economic news coverage, and so we recognize that the increasing complexity of the Ukrainian economy demands even closer monitoring and deeper analysis.
The Great Recession has caused much harm to the Ukrainian economy, from failing banks to sharp drops in industrial output. However, the second decade of independence is beginning with renewed hope of economic growth, but the phoenix is rising with native nuances that will need the experience of the local journalists of KW to understand and explain properly. And there is a lot to talk about: privatization of state assets should near its end; a customs union with Russia should be intensified; trade with the European Union requires regulation; the banking system is undergoing consolidation; arable land should become genuine saleable property.
Part of KW´s renewed mandate is to foster closer ties with civil society in Ukraine, reflecting its interests and concerns on our pages and providing a platform to celebrate its achievements and ambitions. To that end, we are expanding coverage of ecological and environmental challenges in Ukraine, key social issues and community activism. However, we are not mere bystanders, pointing fingers and tut-tutting about the deplorable state of things. KW will continue to contribute to the development of Ukraine through paper recycling, tree-planting and other environment-related projects. We are proud to announce that our newspaper is printed on 100% recycled paper.
Finally, KW is devoting much space to discussing one of the biggest events of the year: EURO 2012 football championship. This is more than a mere tournament. EURO 2012 offers Ukraine the chance to step into the limelight and show what it has got. Therefore, coverage will be critical, not only as a guide to one of Europe´s newest states, but also as a means of relaying the unalloyed truth to an international audience.
The senior management and editorial staff of KW would like to thank all its readers and advertisers for their support and cooperation with us over the past decade, and we expect to continue these partnerships well into the future!
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