Clarification of the 1+1 TV channel regarding the message of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language

In connection with the active dissemination in the media of the notification of the Commissioner's Secretariat regarding non-compliance with the requirements regarding the mandatory (minimum) volume of broadcasting in the state language, we consider it necessary to emphasize the following information. Today, the use of the state language on television is regulated by the Laws of Ukraine "On Television and Radio Broadcasting", "On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State", "On Cinematography", "On Advertising". According to the legislation, at least 75% of all content must be broadcast in the state language on Ukrainian television between 18:00 and 22:00.

This practice has been in effect for at least four years, all participants of the television market are guided by this rule, and compliance with the specified norms is monitored by the state regulator - the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting. There are no other clarifications and interpretations of legislative acts, nor was there any precedent when compliance with language quotas on television was calculated according to a different principle.

Considering that the programs have different timings and genres, including announcements, advertising and inter-program blocks, TV channel 1+1 maintains the total volume of Ukrainian-language content between 18:00 and 22:00 within the limits established by law — more than 75% — and maintains the current norms in other periods of time. We strongly believe that the quota should apply to any type of on-air content that a viewer consumes. So, in the week when the Commissioner's Secretariat was monitoring, the 1+1 TV channel spoke within the established quota — 78.5% of all content on the TV channel was broadcast in Ukrainian.

At the same time, we would like to draw the attention of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language to other popular platforms in Ukraine, apart from television with its clear rules. After all, today the issue of language is not regulated or controlled in any way on the Internet and on Internet platforms, YouTube channels, etc.

Therefore, we once again appeal to the Commissioner for the protection of the state language with a request not to manipulate numbers, to approach the issue comprehensively and consistently, taking into account only the established rules, and not the political agenda.