1+1 media group is one of the largest media holdings in Eastern Europe, operating the country’s most authoritative TV channels 1+1, 2+2, TET, PLUSPLUS, 1+1 International, UNIAN TV andBigudi, as well as news resources (TSN.ua, «UNIAN» Information Agency, and Hlavred), production units; a partner OTT platform Kyivstar TV and a satellite operator Viasat, and also an educational project 1+1 media school.
‘In the very first hours of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we reorganized the broadcast of its TV channels and started broadcasting in the format of telethons (at 1+1 media it was the «Defense of Ukraine» telethon) or special broadcasts. All in order to keep being a real foothold for the audience in the war. And also help Ukrainians to recognize disinformation, which was actively spread and continues to be spread by the Russian federation, among the endless stream of news’, initiated Maksym Kryvytskyi, Head of Television Business 1+1 media, General Producer of 1+1 channel, Board member of 1+1 media.
On February 26, TV channels got its act together and launched a joint informational telethon YedyniNovyny (United News). The editorial offices of Rada, the First Channel of Public Broadcasting, 1+1, Inter, ICTV and Ukraine 24 air for 6 hours a day on a rotating basis, each preparing its own block of news materials in accordance with the internal editorial policy.
While commercial advertising on TV disappeared for a while with the beginning of the war, the ad market has been recovering since May. ‘We feel it with the return of advertisers and requests for new special projects. Preliminary advertising requests for autumn show that business is starting to move on. Already in September, new players will appear who have not been on the air for the last 6 months. We understand well that it is now important to support Ukrainian business and launch business projects. Therefore, our media group is as flexible as possible in these matters’, saidKryvytskyi.
‘However, the market will lose ground more than the country’s GDP. Unfortunately, this is already a fact, because during the war, marketing heads for back – and that’s normal. We are now in a situation where demand cannot be stimulated only by the desire of sellers and price’, he underlined.
‘If before the war everything depended on advertising, now we receive most of the income from the OTT platform, the satellite operator, and Internet sites that are part of the group. Our income is highly diversified. Money has become much less, but it is still enough to continue broadcasting, but in a reduced format’.
With the beginning of the war, the audience’s demand changed significantly. In the first months of the full-scale invasion, the news became #1 among Ukrainians. Now the joint telethon YedynyNovyny remains the most popular television product in Ukraine, which on average was watched by 40% of Ukrainians in April. Now this figure floats within 20% (data provided by the Kyivstar TV online television).
Before the war, according to the results of 2021, the TV channels of the 1+1 media group were the best watched, according to Nielsen. On entertaining big shows,the eight season of Dancing with the Stars and the eleventh season of The Voiceranked in the top 5 best big shows of the year, collecting average shares of 15.0% and 14.4%, respectively.
On TV series, the seventh season of Svaty (Matchmakers) became the best series in 2021, gaining 18.4% share. The second season of Papik (Daddy) with a share of 16.7%, as well as «100,000 minutes together» with a share of 12.4%, were the next in the ranking of the most popular series of the year.
On infotainment show, the Pluses repeatedly set new records, and the channel’s best-selling projects did not lose the lead: in particular, Snidanok z 1+1 (Breakfast with 1+1) was the undisputed leader among morning shows, collecting an average share of 14.8%. The daytime infotainment showTviiden (Your day), which premiered in spring 2021, was one of the strongest launches of 2021, repeatedly leading the daytime slot with an average share of 7.4%. Also, the political talk showThe Right to Power (6.4%-7.3% share), the travel show Travel Ukraine with Dmytro Komarov, having collected a share of 17.1%.
Kryvytskyi continued: ‘Currently, interest in non-news content is growing. The group’s TV channels that are not involved in the telethon, are preparing the premiere season, returning many projects that became real bestsellers before the war. We are actively working on the development of new documentary projects and TV series. Most of them aim to debunk the myths of Russian propaganda and highlight the events that are actually happening in the 21st century in the heart of Europe’.
The creators of the historical series Ukraine. Returning its History will tell the stories of people who brushed with death while saving others during the evacuation. The film with the working title Evacuation will talk about a unique special operation to evacuate wounded soldiers from Azovstal and other heroes of our time.
In addition, 1+1 and a well-known Ukrainian director are working on a documentary called Long Day, the first major project that in an artistic form will give meaning to the recent and painful events of the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine. ‘The Long Day is a story about the life, dreams and plans of Ukrainians, the last day of our peaceful life and the beginning of a new stage.
‘Several more important projects are also being developed, which will have historical value, because they will highlight the atrocities that Russia is committing on peaceful Ukrainian land.We have many plans and ideas, including collaborations with international companies and productions. But we have to be extremely flexible now to adapt to changes that are constant and regular. There are many plans and scenarios, but only time will tell which of them will be carried out and when. First of all, we need peace and Victory’, he concluded.
