Research Department of the Lviv Media Forum
We are the research team of the Lviv Media Forum. Currently, it consists of the head, Olha Bilousenko, and media experts Otar Dovzhenko and Ihor Balynskyi. Together, we strive to create research magic, possessing extensive knowledge about Ukrainian (and not only) media, media markets, media impact, propaganda, disinformation, and other media-related matters. Each of us brings our expertise in media, cultivated over many years.
More about us:
- Olha Bilousenko: Ukrainian media professional, media analyst, researcher of Russian disinformation and propaganda, gender disinformation specialist, author of studies on detecting Russian disinformation on social networks, including research on Russian LGBT disinformation and gender disinformation.
- Otar Dovzhenko: Editor, journalist, media researcher. He has served as the editor and chief editor of media outlets such as Telekritika, Detector Media, and MediaLab. He taught at the School of Journalism at the Ukrainian Catholic University and is the Chair of the Independent Media Council.
- Ihor Balynskyi: Ukrainian media researcher, media expert, PhD in social communications, lecturer, and founder of the School of Journalism at the Ukrainian Catholic University, publisher.
We have a significant goal and mission — to help Ukrainian media become more visible, stronger, and more resilient. Another task is to assist Ukrainian media not only in maintaining quality standards but also in preserving editorial independence since our research will stimulate media and the market to develop, fostering new practices of interaction between media and donors, media and audiences, media and businesses, investors, etc. We believe that the results of our research will help shape practices for building a healthy media environment.
Moreover, we aim to defeat Russia. Although we are not currently on the front lines armed, we have other levers of influence. For example, we can and are really capable of identifying toxic Russian discourse and impact in Western media.
Our beneficiaries include civil organizations working in the media sphere, relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, donor organizations working with media, explicitly Ukrainian media and journalists, foreign media and media professionals, representatives of the media business, and private companies interested in media expertise.
An approximate list of paid services for partners includes:
- Research on Ukrainian media and social networks.
- Research on disinformation and propaganda.
- Mapping of media and media organizations, specifically for various business needs — mapping media in a specific region or direction; mapping so-called qualitative media. These lists can be used by businesses planning to establish systematic cooperation with the media; media businesses for competitor market analysis; donor organizations working with media in Ukraine.
- Research on the advertising market of a specific region or media sphere (online media, YouTube, podcast market). Such research can be valuable for potential advertisers, as well as for non-governmental organizations that are investigating the financial viability of media outlets.
- Evaluation of project quality for non-profit organizations, not limited to media entities, can involve the development of algorithms and mechanisms to assess the effectiveness and quality of implemented projects within an organization. This may include algorithms for evaluating the impact of specific projects.
- Research on the impact of companies or experts in the media.
Feedback email bilousenko@lvivmediaforum.com.