Hyperlocal correspondents from Suspilne Ukraine learned how to work quickly and according to Suspilne Ukraine standards, broadcast live on national television, and find topics and subjects for their stories. The training was organized with the support of the Council of Europe and took place on January 29–31 in Lviv. In addition to training, the correspondents visited the Suspilne branch in Lviv, saw the television and radio museum, the studio of the information project “Suspilne. Studio,” and learned how the Suspilne Media Library team works with archives.
Excursion to Suspilne Lviv
“Training sessions for local correspondents of Suspilne Ukraine, supported by our project, are aimed at the practical implementation of the Council of Europe’s best practices and standards in everyday journalism work in the field. Local correspondents are not only reporters of events, but also the voices of communities, highlighting their success stories or problems, promoting transparent local governance and pluralism of opinion. Our partnership with Suspilne Ukraine in this area is one of our priorities,” said Olena Demchenko, head of the Council of Europe’s project “Protecting Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Ukraine – Phase II.”
Course trainers with hyperlocal correspondents
On the first day, participants discussed the fundamentals that are essential for any editorial office: what constitutes news, what it consists of, and the responsibility journalists have to their audience. Special attention was paid to standards and ethics—how to verify information, avoid harming the subjects of stories, and maintain public trust. The theory was reinforced with practice: participants wrote headlines, edited mistakes, and composed news stories from a real set of facts, as happens in everyday work.
“It is important for us to continue training hyperlocal correspondents, because they are the ones who ensure the constant presence of Suspilne Ukraine in communities and build trust in the media at the local level. For us, continuing education is about consistency, regularly strengthening practical skills, exchanging experience between regions, and a common understanding of standards and approaches to work,” said Yevheniia Haifer, project manager at Suspilne Ukraine.
The second day was devoted to the formats most commonly used by correspondents. We discussed the differences between a story and a report, how to prepare for a broadcast, and what a “blitz” is. Participants analyzed examples of work by hyperlocal journalists and learned to find strengths even in stories that seem simple at first glance.
“I really like Suspilne Ukraine’s approach to training. Here, you look at the work of a correspondent topic by topic, one after another. After the theory on Prometheus, we are now working with technology and analyzing the working details in more detail: topics, shots, filming, live broadcasts. In particular, it is valuable to communicate with colleagues from the regions, because we have different approaches and formats, and there is a lot to be inspired by! I wrote down the main points, which I am taking back to Zaporizhzhia. I’m taking this experience with me to work, and I feel… like I’m coming back a slightly more professional journalist,” shared Maksym Dryapa, hyperlocal correspondent for Suspilne Zaporizhzhia.
A significant part of the training focused on technique and filming. The trainers demonstrated the basic equipment required for a journalist in the field and how to work with it without a cameraman. They discussed video sequences, shot sizes, interviews, natural sound, and why there should always be something happening in the frame. After that, the participants worked in pairs to film their own reports based on written scripts, just as they would have to do during urgent assignments.
The third day focused on working in war conditions and in small communities. They discussed safety protocols during shelling, interaction with the military, and the responsibility of journalists in sensitive situations.
A separate block was devoted to finding topics in settlements far from regional centers. The practical outcome was a task for each participant to propose ten topics from their community. Together with the trainers, the journalists discussed these ideas, learned to narrow their focus, find heroes, and formulate the main question for the future material.
“I have been working for Suspilne Ukraine since July 2025. I have over 20 years of experience as a journalist and editor, as well as relevant education. But media technologies are evolving, so you have to keep up with changes and updates. I had no experience in video shooting before. So the information from Yevhen Abrasimov was especially valuable to me. I learned about filming techniques and features from him. Of course, you can’t learn everything in three days. So I hope to participate in similar events in the future,” said Olena Ilinych, hyperlocal correspondent for Suspilne Ternopil.
We worked with media professionals who have practical experience in daily news work at Suspilne: Anastasia Obraztsova, Andriy Kramchenkov, and Yevgeny Abrasimov. They combined theory with real cases from film sets and editorial offices, not only explaining the principles, but also analyzing mistakes in detail and suggesting ways to be more effective. These skills are key for correspondents who work in their communities and report on them to the whole country.
Suspilne Ukraine is an independent media company with a strong presence across all platforms: the TV channels Pershyi, Suspilne Kultura, Suspilne Sport, and a national network of local channels; the radio stations Ukrainske Radio, Radio Promin, Radio Kultura, Radiotochka. Find only verified news on suspilne.media, as well as on our national and local digital platforms. We broadcast in minority languages, represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, develop the children’s platform Brobaks, and train media professionals through the Public Media Academy. Our Suspilne Mediateka platform offers unique video and audio archives dating from the 1920s to today. Defending freedom in Ukraine.
