UKRAINIAN CULTURAL AND ART TV PROGRAMS DURING THE RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE

Abstract

This study examined how cultural and arts journalism changed during the year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. This article presents an audience survey on whether they watch cultural and artistic content more often than before the war, and why. In addition, a content analysis of the public broadcaster "Suspilne. Culture". All videos on the broadcaster's YouTube channel, published after February 24, 2022 – the date of the start of Russia's fullscale invasion of Ukraine, and up to and including February 24, 2023 – were processed. Out of 306 surveyed audiences of TV programs and YouTube channels, 74.8% of respondents started watching cultural content more often than before the war. Content analysis of the public-broadcaster "Suspilne. Culture" showed that journalists adapted the content to the realities of wartime. In addition, the results of the survey and the growth of the audience of the YouTube channel "Suspilne. Culture" showed society's need for such content. The war in Ukraine showed that the audience needs a greater level of national identification and new knowledge about the culture of their country. During the year of the war, cultural journalists created hundreds of hours of content to combat propaganda narratives, fakes, oppose Russian aggression through culture in the world, and popularize the heritage of Ukrainian artists and cultural figures.