Under the Pressure of War: Needs and Challenges of Media in Ukraine

The Lviv Media Forum, in partnership with UNESCO and with support from the people of Japan, in collaboration with the YouControl company and the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting, has conducted a comprehensive study on the overall situation of Ukrainian media amidst the full-scale war. Specifically, it calculated and analyzed the damages and losses incurred by Ukrainian media and journalists due to Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, as well as the resources required for media outlets to restore full operations and partially compensate for these losses. The study covers a period of over two and a half years — from late February 2022 to July 2024 — and shows the dynamic of the situation of media and journalists.

In the three years since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the financial, material, and personnel losses and needs of the Ukrainian media sector have only been studied and assessed fragmentarily. The lack of complete and up-to-date data limited the ability of the government, foreign donors, industry associations, non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and other stakeholders to strategically plan actions aimed at rescuing, supporting, and strengthening the viability of media in Ukraine. At the time of its publication, this study represents the most complete and comprehensive answer to questions about the consequences and challenges of three years of full-scale war for Ukraine's media and journalists.

In addition to assessing material, financial, and human losses, the study identifies the needs of Ukraine's media sector for recovery and sustainable development over the next five years. Prior to 2025, the media sector was not included in the assessments of war-related damages in Ukraine, which are calculated by the World Bank in its annual report, together with the Government of Ukraine, the European Commission, and the United Nations. Some results of this study are included in the Ukraine Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4). In 2025, the data on the media sector collected during this research were included for the first time in the RDNA under the Telecommunications, Digital, and Media section, meaning they can be considered when planning financial and organizational support for Ukraine's recovery.

The loss of advertising revenue, personnel shortages, and the inability to plan work are the three main challenges the media faced after the full-scale invasion. Audience loss was also a significant problem. The media had to adapt to operating with substantially reduced revenues. In some cases, work turned into volunteering. Savings were most often achieved through cutting salaries, giving up office spaces, or moving employees to freelance status to pay fewer taxes.

28% of media outlets suspended operations during the full-scale war. One in six of those that suspended operations have still not been able to resume operations fully. Many media outlets had to change their content delivery format, abandoning expensive or unavailable technologies such as broadcast television, printing on paper, etc.
37% of editorial teams were partially or fully evacuated due to the war. 31% of surveyed journalists relocated (evacuated), and more than half of them have not returned.
40% of media outlets and 44% of journalists suffered physical (material) harm due to Russian aggression. This most often involved the loss of property, damaged or destroyed equipment or premises.
72% of those who suffered material harm received no compensation; the harm was fully compensated in only 3.5% of cases. Most media outlets that suffered material harm did not apply for compensation from the state budget.
83% of journalists began working more hours with the start of the full-scale war.
85% of journalists have experienced and continue to experience mental health problems. Only 3.8% say they did not have such problems during the large-scale war. 69% of those who indicated they have mental health problems did not seek help for their mental health.
79% of media outlets face personnel problems. These are primarily caused by a lack of money for salaries; other common reasons include employee mobilization, burnout, and staff turnover. 18% reported a shortage of qualified people on the market.
In 65% of media outlets that reported personnel changes, the number of people on the team decreased, while in 16% it increased. Reductions most often occur at the expense of male employees.
The gender ratio in the teams of surveyed media outlets averages 65% women and 35% men. Media professionals say the profession is becoming even more dominated by women.
The financial situation of 70% of media outlets worsened during the large-scale war, while 10% saw improvement. The reason for worsening was primarily the loss of advertising revenue; the reason for improvement was growth in grant income.
The surveyed media outlets' incomes in US dollar equivalent fell by 18% in 2022 and by another 10% in 2023. In 2022, the total aggregate revenue of media TOVs (LLCs) decreased by 44%, and net income dropped by 54%. The total revenue of media TOVs in dollar equivalent in 2023 was 38% lower than in 2021, and net revenue was 46% lower.
The drop in media income proved to be more substantial than the average decline in other economic sectors.
$560 million (20.4 billion hryvnias) has been calculated as the level of potential revenue losses for media TOVs. Television broadcasters, newspaper publishers, and news agencies were affected the most. In contrast, the situation for radio broadcasters is relatively better.
Out of 2,062 TOVs operating in the media sector, 66 have shut down between 2022 and 2024. Another 179 reported zero revenue in 2023. The largest number of companies that ceased operations are located in the Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Vinnytsia regions.
The income structure changed for 69% of media outlets with the start of the full-scale invasion. The share of advertising decreased by an average of 13%, while the share of grants increased by 17%. The significance of donations in the income structure remained almost unchanged.
50% of the surveyed media outlets that provided financial information had received no grants at all before the full-scale war. By 2024, this share decreased to 30%.
The uneven distribution of grant opportunities across regions (with eastern and southern regions being a priority for many donors) means that the losses experienced by media in frontline regions may appear smaller than those in rear regions.
$392 million is the approximate amount needed for the long-term — 5-year — recovery of Ukrainian media. This need was calculated based on a portion of the total amount of lost media revenue and includes a 40% markup, which accounts for expenses related to the physical restoration of premises, psychological support for staff, training, and other measures, following the principle of "building back better."
To restore operations, media outlets need money for salaries, equipment purchases, as well as rent, utilities, and vehicle purchases and maintenance.
Other resources in significant need include personnel, equipment, and power sources. There is also demand for legal support, insurance, protective equipment, training, and psychological support.
To restore their quality of life, 64% of surveyed journalists primarily need money, 43% need equipment for power independence, and 37% need psychological support.
To ensure productive work, 73% of journalists require a higher level of pay, 38% need equipment, 32% need training, and nearly the same number require psychological support.

Estimates of the amount needed for the full recovery of Ukrainian media vary depending on methodology. In our case, from $71 million to $392 million. The costs would be comparatively higher if recovery involves media modernization, a gender-inclusive approach, a transition to renewable energy sources, and appropriate safety levels in case of ongoing hostilities or recurrence of invasion. Different scenarios should also be considered, including sustainable peace (a definitive end to Russian aggression), a frozen conflict, or continued hostilities. However, even in the most favorable scenario for Ukraine both on the front lines and in international politics, it is still not advisable to aim to recreate the realities of 2021. Instead, we believe resources should be directed primarily at supporting and developing those sectors and players in the media landscape who demonstrate capacity, readiness for change, and commitment to democratic standards and professional values.

Key Recommendations for Stakeholders

When planning recovery efforts and allocating resources for the recovery of Ukrainian media, international organizations, foundations, and other stakeholders should prioritize recipients who:

Have or aim to develop a strategy, development, and transformation plan;

Do not rely solely on subsidies or grants but build a balanced financial model;

Are interested in access to knowledge and training opportunities to enhance their competencies;

Are open to collaboration, networking, and joint efforts with industry peers;

Comply with media ownership transparency laws and prioritize accountability to the public;

Adhere to professional standards and ethical norms;

Create high-quality and socially relevant content;

Study their audience and foster connections with it.

Government and regulatory authorities responsible for the media and communications sector should pay attention to the issues and barriers identified by study respondents, particularly those concerning access to information.

The timeliness, relevance, and effectiveness of Ukrainian and international efforts to restore the country’s media sector largely depend on current, complete, and accurate knowledge of the situation facing media and journalists in Ukraine. We therefore urge research teams and institutions in Ukraine and abroad to pay greater attention to this topic, and call on governments and donor organizations to support and initiate such studies. In our opinion, a comprehensive study of the situation, losses, and needs of Ukrainian media should be conducted at least annually.

The full text of the study will be published by the Lviv Media Forum team in May.