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Global News
Ukraine is repeatedly represented as a developing country struggling to form its own identity after gaining independence in 1991. The Orange Revolution in 2004 only served to add to these stereotypes. Global news outlets repeatedly feature stories highlighting political corruption or unrest in Ukraine, as well as the country’s struggle to separate itself from the shadow and influence of its neighbor, Russia. Compared to Europe and Western countries, Ukraine comes across as uncivilized, and news stories provide readers with the opportunity to look down upon the seemingly problem-ridden country.
Political Corruption
In the past year, the New York Times, BBC, and AFP all featured at least one article highlighting problems stemming from political activities in Ukraine. In January, it became public in the New York Times that a former security official in Ukraine was responsible for the murder of journalist Georgy Gonzalez in 2000. The Times spent almost the entire second half of the article highlighting comments by Gonzalez that implicated then-President Leonid D. Kuchma as the mastermind behind the gruesome murder. The BBC also picked up this story, with a headline that reads: "Ukraine's Leonid Kuchma 'implicated' in Gongzalez death."
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| Members of the Ukrainian Parliament came to blows in their opening session in December 2012. World news organizations such as the BBC and AFP attributed the violence in large part to the participation of the emerging Ukrainian political party Svoboda |
In December, BBC produced another story about the activities of a new ultra-nationalist party Svoboda. According to BBC, Svoboda gained popularity because citizens were fed up with the already-present political corruption in Ukraine. The article described the volatile scene in Parliament that eventually resulted in an all-out brawl between representatives. AFP elaborates on this scene enough to add that there were topless feminist activists outside the building. A series of full-color pictures were included to drive the point home.
Identity Crisis
Ukraine was formerly a part of the Soviet Union, and, according to world news, it is having trouble deciding whether to align itself more strongly with Russia or the remainder of Europe. In January, the New York Times wrote about Ukraine’s deal with Shell to research the possibility of fracking practices to produce natural gas. The Times points out that Ukraine is currently heavily dependent on Russia for gas, and the fracking would relieve some of this dependence.
In February, a number of news organizations covered Ukraine’s rejection of a $7 billion bill from a Russian company for unused gas. The coverage highlighted tensions between Russian and Ukraine. The BBC’s coverage of the news not only discussed the rejected bill, but also managed to include elements of past political corruption. In the second half of the article, the BBC quoted current President Viktor Yanukovych about the European Union’s failure to support Ukraine in the disagreement. Based upon this article, Ukraine comes across as a country stranded between two larger powers- Russia and the EU- on either side.
Uncivilized, Unsafe
The type of news coverage mentioned above, in combination with other stories, paint Ukraine generally as an uncivilized and potentially unsafe nation. The coverage of the brawl in Parliament includes phrases such as “hockey brawl”, “chainsaw,” “anti-Semitism or racial hatred,” (BBC) and “topless feminists” (AFP).
Even a Ukraine-based paper, the Kyiv Post, recognizes this stereotype. In their coverage of Ukraine’s preparation for hosting the 2012 Euro Cup, the Post printed an article titled “Ukraine’s Image Anything But Tourist Friendly.” It assumes readers already know of Ukraine’s negative image and claim the Euro Cup is an opportunity for Ukraine to shed this image. The Post, like world news organizations, frames Ukraine as a developing nation on its way to earning the approval of nations in Europe and in the West.