Inter (TV channel)

Inter
Інтер
The logo of Inter
Launched October 20, 1996
Owned by GDF Media Limited[1]
Picture format 4:3 (576i, SDTV)
16:9 (1080i, HDTV) (starting 2012)
Country Ukraine
Broadcast area Ukraine
Europe (As Inter+)
United States (As Inter+)
Latvia (As Inter Latvija, soon)
Moldova (Inter Moldova, soon)
Headquarters Kiev
Replaced ORT
Website http://inter.ua/
Availability
Terrestrial
Available in most cities Check local listings for channels
Cable
Available on most cable systems Check local listings for channels
Streaming media
Inter Live Free

Inter (Ukrainian: Інтер) is the most watched television channel in Ukraine.[1][2] It covers 99.7 percent of Ukraine's territory (according to the channel's own information).[1] Inter is among the top-rated networks in Ukraine, competing with such as 1+1 and Pershyi Natsionalnyi channels. Inter features a general programming mix appealing to both young and old, including movies, music, drama, documentaries, news, kid's programs and much more.

History

The channel was founded by the Ukrainian Independent TV-Corporation in 1996.

Besides its international version of the channel as the business project, Inter now consists of several similar projects. Those are 07 Production - a studio of the documentary films, NIS - an information studio featuring Podrobytsi, Pirat Production - a studio of the entertaining shows. There are also over five other independent channels such as NTN, K1, K2, Megasport, Enter-Film, and Enter-Music (an Ukrainian version of MTV).

Inter+

Inter Plus (Ukrainian: Інтер+) is the international network of Inter Channel that broadcasts the 'best of Inter' programming to Ukrainians abroad in North America & Europe. The channel first started broadcasting on January 13, 2003,[3] available via Dish Network in the United States and in Germany through Kabel Deutschland and encrypted in Europe & Russia on Sirius 2 & ABS 1 satellites. As of March 30, 2011, Inter Plus is no longer available on Dish Network.[4]

Inter+ is also available in Canada via IMB+ Records, an IPTV provider.[5]

Programming

Personalities

Ownership

The channel was founded by the Ukrainian Independent TV-Corporation in 1996. The Ukrainian independent TV-corporation's shareholders were Dilovyi Svit 51%, Russian Channel One 29%, Pegas Television 20%. About 82.5% of Pegas Television was the personal property of Ihor Pluzhnikov. The other shares of the company were split between Pegas and Overseas sales Ltd. 17.3% and Bersted Ukraina .2%. Those two companies were his property as well. Besides Pegas he had some share in the Dilovyi Svit which consisted of Bersted Ukraina, RIF-Service, Play Enterprise, insurance company Sindek, and legal services of Konnov and Sozanovskyi. In 2005 unexpectedly died Ihor Pluzhnikov in a hospital. His death caused a lot of discussions on the political level. In August all of the shares Dilovyi Svit and half of Pegas Television (total of 61%)[8][9] became a property of what later became known as Ukrainian Mediaproject headed by Valeriy Khoroshkovsky. Pegas was overtaken by Pluzhnikov's wife, Svitlana, who has 10% ownership of the Ukrainian independent TV-corporation.[2] There speculations that she does not have any influence on the business of the telechannel, Inter. As of December 2012 61% of the shares are owned by Ukrainian Mediaproject, 29% by Channel One and 10% by Pluzhnikov's widow.[2] According to Yaroslav Porokhniak, head of the management board of Inter, the Russian shareholders have no say in the channel's editorial or programming policies.[2]

In September Valeriy became the head of the Observing Council and in 2006 made some changes in the management. In 2007 on the base of Ukrainian Mediaproject was established U.A. Inter Media Group financial holdings.

Operation managers
Information service managers

The channel is part of GDF Media Limited; since Dmytro Firtash bought 100 percent of InterInter Media Group Limited (back) from Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi on 1 February 2013.[1] In June 2007 Khoroshkovskyi had expanded his U.A. Inter Media Group Ltd with various other channels bought from Firtash.[10]

GDF Media Limited also owns NTN, K1, Mega, Enter-Film, K2, Pixel and Zoom.[1]

Controversies

According to critics the channel used to be directly controlled by the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) until the 2004 Orange Revolution.[11][12]

In January 2009 (former) Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko refused to appear on Inter television programs criticizing the channel's associates of their professional ethics.[8]

On 21 February 2014 16 journalists of the channel claimed to have been the victim of censorship (in the form of having been forced to make "pro-government propaganda") and called on the higher management to objectively cover events concerning Euromaidan.[13] On 22 February 2014 the channel normal programming was replaced, amid rumours of a possible attack or arson on its headquarters, by live broadcast of Parliamentary sessions.[14] On 22 February 2014, as a part of the "Maidan revolution", President Viktor Yanukovych (the one the 16 journalist had complained about being forced to make propaganda for) was removed from office.[15]

Criticism

"Inter" TV channel informational policy repeatedly caused negative reaction of society. There even was created a Facebook group "Inter to ignoration" (Ukrainian: «Інтер в ігнор»).[16] Also Euromaidan activists have called for boycott of this TV channel[17] and asked its employees not to lie in air.[18] Censorship on "Inter" was reported earlier.[19]

Russian and Russian-language broadcasting content

Since 2014 "Inter" was criticised for the broadcasting of Russian serials. According to results of monitoring made by "Boycott russian cinema" activists, in September "Inter" took 3rd place among top-10 nationwide TV-channels which demonstrate Russian films and serials. During the period from 8th to 14 September Russian content lasted in average 11 hours and 15 minutes per day.[20][21] According to monitoring data of 27 September Russian content took already 67% on this channel.[22]

On December 11, 2014 "Boycott Russian Films" activists were picketing "Inter" main office in Kyiv. During the action named "Do not kill our protectors by Russian propaganda!" young people placed photos of Ukrainian soldiers, killed during the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine, on the main entrance. Activists claimed that "Inter" takes second place among TV channels concerning the amount of Russian origin content. Protesters announced that Russian films and serials on "Inter" glorify Russian armed forces, which is unacceptable during the war.[23][24]

According to monitoring results held from 1 to 7 December the amount of Russian origin content has increased up to 13 hours and 15 minutes per day.[25]

Scandal on New Year's night TV shows

From December 31, 2014 to January 1, 2015 during celebration of the New Year this channel broadcast New Year show "Wait for me in the New Year" (Russian: «Жди меня в Новый год») with Russian stars which have supported occupation of Crimea by Russia (Joseph Kobzon, Oleg Gazmanov, Valeriya, etc.). This event immediately caused a burst of resentment in Ukrainian blogosphere[26] and social network.[27][28] On January 1, a number of Ukrainian high-ranked officials, politicians and cultural workers reacted.[29][30][31] Particularly, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov announced that National Council of Television and Radio of Ukraine must consider about cancellation of channel's licence immediately.[32][33] In the evening the news programm of the channel "Podrobnosti" publicly dissociated from New Year shows with Russian stars participating,[34] and announced that the timetable of TV programms was changed incorrectly.[35][36]

Member of expert commission on distributing and showing films Serhiy Osnach claims that "Inter" violates regulation about compulsory 50% of Ukrainian content[37] (article 9 of Law Of Ukraine "About television and radiobroadcasting"). From December 5 to 11, 2015 activists of "Boycott Russian Films" campaign have made a monitoring, results of which confirmed what expert said. Activists calculated that there is 17% of Ukrainian content on "Inter".[38][39]

On January 15, 2015 National Council for Radio and Television of Ukraine gave a warning to "Inter" for program broadcasting.[40]

In January 2015 "Kyivstar" company cancelled its advertisement movies on "Inter": "We stopped placing advertisement movies on "Inter". It is important for us that our advertisement correspond with patriotic values, which "Kyivstar" puts in advertisement as a national Ukrainian operator."[40]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Khoroshkovsky sells Inter channel to Firtash (UPDATED), Kyiv Post (1 February 2013)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Shills no more? Inter TV comes cleaner on ownership, pledges fairer news coverage, Kyiv Post (27 December 2012)
  3. ↑ The visit card of the channel
  4. ↑ http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-uplink-center/249019-3-30-2011-2-46pm-uplink.html
  5. ↑ http://www.imb-plus.tv/
  6. ↑ Famous TV host Pelykh dies in car crash in Kyiv early on Friday, Interfax-Ukraine (May 8, 2009)
  7. ↑ Shuster back at Inter channel, Kyiv Post (19 February 2013)
  8. 1 2 Inter TV Channel Denies Businessman Firtash's Being Among Shareholders Of Company, Ukrainian News Agency (January 23, 2009)
  9. ↑ U.A. Inter Media Group - Official website
  10. ↑ "Khoroshkovsky Creates New Media Giant in Ukraine". Kommersant. June 27, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2010. (English) (Russian)
    Oligarchs strengthen grip over TV. Kyiv Post (August 19, 2011)
    Tax administration to check on TV channels of Inter media group, Kyiv Post (4 January 2012)
  11. ↑ Virtual Politics - Faking Democraty in the Post-Soviet World, Andrew Wilson, Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-300-09545-7
  12. ↑ [tt_news]=30800 UKRAINIAN PARTIES SCRAMBLE FOR MEDIA, FOREIGN ALLIES, AHEAD OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, The Jamestown Foundation (August 17, 2005)
  13. ↑ (Ukrainian) Journalists 'Inter' outraged censorship and pro-government propaganda channel, Ukrayinska Pravda (21 February 2014)
  14. ↑ (Ukrainian) Russia is concerned about the fate of "Inter" and Russian channels in Ukraine, Ukrayinska Pravda (25 February 2014)
  15. ↑ Ukraine: Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov named interim president, BBC News (23 February 2014)
    Ukraine protests timeline, BBC News (23 February 2014)
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ [258882594267208&action_type_map=[%22og.recommends%22]&action_ref_map= Совет «Майдана» призвал украинцев к бойкоту телеканала «Интер»
  18. ↑ Протистояння на Грушевського: Журналіст "Інтера" бреше у прямому ефірі (відео повністю). 20.01.2014.
  19. ↑ Про цензуру на «Інтері» на сайті «Лівий берег»
  20. ↑ Російське кіно все ще домінує на українському телепросторі (Ukrainian). Espreso TV. 09.09.2014
  21. ↑ Українські канали показують у день по 7,5 годин російських передач (Ukrainian). Tvoye misto. 23.09.2014
  22. ↑ Кількість російського контенту на українських екранах збільшується, - дослідження (Ukrainian). Espreso TV. 30.09.2014
  23. ↑ Активісти заблокували вхід до «Інтеру» протестуючи проти російських серіалів (Ukrainian). Radio Liberty. 11.12.2014
  24. ↑ «Російські фільми на «Інтері» - наші герої на цвинтарі!» – біля офісу "Інтера" пройшла протестна акція (Ukrainian). Espreso TV. 11.12.2014
  25. ↑ Обсяги російського контенту на українському ТБ зростають попри війну, — «Відсіч» (Ukrainian). Galinfo. 19.11.2014
  26. ↑ «Интер», как и все каналы, боится потерять аудиторию, — Береза (Russian). Пресса Украины. 01.01.2015
  27. ↑ У соцмережах повстали проти «Інтера» за концерт зірок, які підтримали агресію РФ (Ukrainian). ТСН. 1+1. 01.01.2015
  28. ↑ #ИнтерБойкот. Соцсети взорвались из-за «российских песен и плясок» на «Интере» (Russian). Obozrevatel. 01.01.2015
  29. ↑ «Подробности» на «Інтері» про новорічний концерт» каналу: це «російський шабаш» (Ukrainian). Radio Liberty. 01.01.2015
  30. ↑ Нацсовет по телевидению займется «пророссийским» Новым годом на «Интере» (Russian). Obozrevatel. 01.01.2015
  31. ↑ Юрий Стець не будет лишать «Интер» лицензии (Russian). Delo. 01.01.2015
  32. ↑ Турчинов вимагає негайно розглянути питання щодо позбавлення ліцензії «Інтера» (Ukrainian). ТСН. 1+1. 01.01.2015
  33. ↑ У «Інтера» вимагають забрати ліцензію за антиукраїнських російських виконавців в новорічному ефірі (Ukrainian). Telekrytyka. 01.01.2015
  34. ↑ Новогодний концерт на «Интере» стал шоком для «Подробностей» (Russian). Podrobnosti. Inter. 01.01.2015
  35. ↑ Як «Інтер» у душу плюнув, а потім забрав свій плювок назад (Ukrainian). Telekrytyka. 01.01.2015
  36. ↑ «Інтер» знімає з ефіру всі святкові концерти та мюзикли, в тому числі і власного виробництва (Ukrainian). Telekrytyka. 02.01.2015
  37. ↑ Інтер порушує норму про 50% українського контенту, — експерт Оснач (Ukrainian). Hromadske Radio. 04.01.2015
  38. ↑ (Ukrainian). Бойкот російського кіно. 12.01.2015
  39. ↑ Телеканали «Україна» та «Інтер» порушують закон, - Громадянський рух Відсіч (Ukrainian). Galinfo. 12.01.2015
  40. 1 2 "Інтер" залишився без реклами "Київстару" через концерт за участю російських симпатиків сепаратистів (Ukrainian). ТСН. 1+1. 16.01.2015

External links

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