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Inter (TV channel)

Ukrainian television channel From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inter (Ukrainian: Інтер) is a Ukrainian television channel. It covers 99.7 percent of Ukraine's territory.[note 1][1] According to the Kyiv Post it is among the most-watched television channels in Ukraine.[1][2][failed verification][3]

Not to be confused with Inter TV or Rede InterTV.
Quick Facts Country, Broadcast area ...
Інтер
CountryUkraine
Broadcast areaUkraine
Europe (As Inter+)
United States (As Inter+)
HeadquartersKyiv
Programming
Picture format16:9 (576i, SDTV)
Ownership
OwnerGDF Media Limited[1]
Sister channelsDomestic :
International :
  • Inter+
History
LaunchedOctober 20, 1996
ReplacedORT
ClosedInter+:
January 1, 2021 (Russia)
December 1, 2021 (Ukraine on HD)
December 3, 2021 (Denmark)
January 23, 2022 (Romania, Sweden, Turkey)
January 31, 2022 (on Dish Network)
February 2, 2022 (Colombia, Uruguay)
February 20, 2022 (Peru)
February 28, 2022 (Mexico)
March 1, 2022 (Macedonia, Poland, Latin America)
Replaced byInter in the context of the 2014 annexation of Crimea:
Channel One Russia (in Sevastopol)
NTV (in Simferopol)
Links
Websitehttp://inter.ua/
Availability
Terrestrial
ZeonbudMX-1 (7)
Streaming media
Inter LiveWatch live
Close

Since February 26, 2022 Inter became part of a state-coordinated United News telethon that broadcasts around the clock to provide information to the public regarding the war[4]. Since then, the broadcasting grid, program and editorial policies have been radically changed.[5][6] Inter also agreed to decode the satellite signals so that people from all over the world could see what is really happening in Ukraine.[7]

Inter is part of Inter Media Group. At the beginning of 2025, Inter Media Group reported an increase in the performance of its channels[8]. Inter has the largest correspondent network among Ukrainian TV channels: the channel's bureaus operate in the USA (Dmitry Anopchenko), Germany (Tetiana Logunova), Belgium and Israel.

History

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Perspective

The channel was founded by the Ukrainian Independent TV-Corporation in 1996. It broadcast on the former UT-3 network. At the time of the channel’s founding, the 29% of the Ukrainian Independent Television Corporation was held by ORT, who also supplied Inter with programming,[9] but in 2015 this part of the shares was bought out, because the Ukrainian parliament raised the issue of the need to completely get rid of Russia’s information influence.

Besides its international version of the channel as the business project, Inter now consists of several similar projects. Those are 07 Production - a studio of the documentary films, NIS - an information studio featuring Podrobytsi, Pirat Production - a studio of the entertaining shows. There were also over five other independent channels such as NTN, K1, K2, Megasport, Enter-Film, and Enter-Music (a Ukrainian version of MTV).

February 2022, the moment of the Russian invasion of Ukraine brought Inter to the brink of survival, with operations at the channels almost paralysed — only thirty of the two hundred people who used to make news on Inter were at work.[10] But the channel joined the United News telethon, which has been funded by the state since 2022[11] and was widely seen as an element of defense against Russia’s attempt to subjugate Ukraine.[12] During the meeting with the Ukrainian journalists (including the representatives of Inter) President Zelenskyy of Ukraine called the United News one of the key stages in the history of invincibility of Ukraine.[13]

Inter Plus

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Inter Plus (Ukrainian: Інтер+) is the international network of Inter Channel that broadcasts the 'best of Inter' programming to Ukrainians abroad in North America & Europe. The channel first started broadcasting on January 13, 2003,[14] available via Dish Network in the United States and in Germany through Kabel Deutschland and encrypted in Europe & Russia on Sirius 2 & ABS 1 satellites. As of March 30, 2011, Inter Plus is no longer available on Dish Network.[15]

Inter+ is also available in Canada via IMB+ Records, an IPTV provider.[16]

Ownership

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Perspective

The channel was founded by the Ukrainian Independent TV-Corporation in 1996. The Ukrainian independent TV-corporation's shareholders were Dilovyi Svit 51%, Russian Channel One 29%, Pegas Television 20%. About 82.5% of Pegas Television was the personal property of Ihor Pluzhnikov. The other shares of the company were split between Pegas and Overseas sales Ltd. 17.3% and Bersted Ukraina .2%. Those two companies were his property as well. Besides Pegas he had some share in the Dilovyi Svit which consisted of Bersted Ukraina, RIF-Service, Play Enterprise, insurance company Sindek, and legal services of Konnov and Sozanovskyi. In 2005 Ihor Pluzhnikov unexpectedly died in a hospital. His death caused a lot of discussions on the political level. In August all of the shares Dilovyi Svit and half of Pegas Television (total of 61%)[17][18] became a property of what later became known as Ukrainian Mediaproject headed by Valeriy Khoroshkovsky. Pegas was taken over by Pluzhnikov's wife, Svitlana, who has 10% ownership of the Ukrainian independent TV-corporation.[3] There is speculation that she does not have any influence on the business of the telechannel, Inter. As of December 2012 61% of the shares are owned by Ukrainian Mediaproject, 29% by Channel One and 10% by Pluzhnikov's widow.[3] According to Yaroslav Porokhniak, head of the management board of Inter, the Russian shareholders have no say in the channel's editorial or programming policies.[3]

In September Valeriy became the head of the Observing Council and in 2006 made some changes in the management. In 2007 on the base of Ukrainian Mediaproject was established U.A. Inter Media Group financial holdings.

General producers
  • Oleksandr Zinchenko (20 October 1996 – 27 May 2002)
  • Vladyslav Riashyn (20 October 1996 – 15 January 2006)
  • Leonid Mazor (24 March-31 December 2006)
  • Hanna Bezliudna (1 January 2007 – 6 September 2009)
Information service managers

The channel is part of GDF Media Limited; since Dmytro Firtash bought 100 percent of Inter Media Group Limited (back) from Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi on 1 February 2013.[1] In June 2007 Khoroshkovskyi had expanded his U.A. Inter Media Group Ltd with various other channels bought from Firtash.[19]

GDF Media Limited also owns NTN, K1, Mega, Enter-Film, K2, Pixel and Zoom.[1]

Controversies

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According to critics, the channel used to be directly controlled by the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) until the 2004 Orange Revolution.[20][21]

In January 2009 (former) Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko refused to appear on Inter television programs criticizing the channel's associates of their professional ethics.[17]

On 21 February 2014, 16 journalists of the channel claimed to have been the victim of censorship (in the form of having been forced to make "pro-government propaganda") and called on the higher management to objectively cover events concerning Euromaidan.[22] On 22 February 2014 the channel normal programming was replaced, amid rumours of a possible attack or arson on its headquarters, by live broadcast of Parliamentary sessions.[23] On 22 February 2014, as a part of the "Maidan revolution", President Viktor Yanukovych (the one the 16 journalist had complained about being forced to make propaganda for) was removed from office.[24]

Early September 2016 the Inter studios were attacked and then blockaded for three days by St Mary's battalion who accused it of being to pro-Russian amidst of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[2]

Criticism

In 2014 "Inter" the TV channel informational policy repeatedly caused negative reaction of society. There even was created a Facebook group Blacklist Inter (Ukrainian: «Інтер в ігнор»).[25] Also Euromaidan activists have called for boycott of this TV channel[26] and asked its employees not to lie in air.[27] Censorship on "Inter" was reported earlier.[28]

Russian and Russian-language broadcasting content

See also: Boycott Russian Films

Since 2014 "Inter" was criticized for the broadcasting of Russian serials. According to results of monitoring made by "Boycott Russian cinema" activists, in September "Inter" took 3rd place among top-10 nationwide TV-channels which demonstrate Russian films and serials. During the period from 8th to 14 September Russian content lasted in average 11 hours and 15 minutes per day.[29][30] According to monitoring data of 27 September Russian content took already 67% on this channel.[31]

On December 11, 2014 "Boycott Russian Films" activists were picketing "Inter" main office in Kyiv. During the action named "Do not kill our protectors by Russian propaganda!" young people placed photos of Ukrainian soldiers, killed during the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine, on the main entrance. Activists claimed that "Inter" takes second place among TV channels concerning the amount of Russian origin content. Protesters announced that Russian films and serials on "Inter" glorify Russian armed forces, which is unacceptable during the war.[32][33]

According to monitoring results held from 1 to 7 December the amount of Russian origin content has increased up to 13 hours and 15 minutes per day.[34]

Scandal on New Year's night TV shows

From December 31, 2014 to January 1, 2015 during celebration of the New Year this channel broadcast New Year show "Wait for me in the New Year" (Russian: «Жди меня в Новый год») with Russian stars who have supported occupation of Crimea by Russia (Joseph Kobzon, Oleg Gazmanov, Valeriya, etc.). This event immediately caused a burst of resentment in Ukrainian blogosphere[35] and social network.[36][37] On January 1, a number of Ukrainian high-ranked officials, politicians and cultural workers reacted.[38][39][40] Particularly, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov announced that National Council of Television and Radio of Ukraine must consider about cancellation of channel's licence immediately.[41][42] In the evening the news program of the channel "Podrobnosti" publicly dissociated from New Year shows with Russian stars participating,[43] and announced that the timetable of TV programs was changed incorrectly.[44][45]

Member of expert commission on distributing and showing films Serhiy Osnach claims that "Inter" violates regulation about compulsory 50% of Ukrainian content[46] (article 9 of Law Of Ukraine "About television and radiobroadcasting"). From December 5 to 11, 2015 activists of "Boycott Russian Films" campaign have made a monitoring, results of which confirmed what expert said. Activists calculated that there is 17% of Ukrainian content on "Inter".[47][48]

On January 15, 2015 National Council for Radio and Television of Ukraine gave a warning to "Inter" for program broadcasting.[49]

In January 2015 telecommunications company Kyivstar company cancelled booking its advertising slots on Inter: "We stopped placing advertisement movies on "Inter". It is important for us that our advertisement correspond with patriotic values, which "Kyivstar" puts in advertisement as a national Ukrainian operator."[49]

See also

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    According to the channel's own information

References

External links

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