Mariya Frey, a member of the Managing Board of Suspilne Ukraine responsible for news and regional content, spoke at a dedicated discussion during Festival de l’Info Locale 2026 in Nantes (France) about how Suspilne is developing its hyperlocal network and ensuring a journalistic presence directly in communities amid the full-scale war.
By the end of 2025, 80 correspondents from communities across Ukraine had joined Suspilne’s hyperlocal network through three recruitment rounds. During the latest round, 46 new correspondents from 15 regions joined the network, while the Suspilne team visited 84 communities in search of candidates. Having journalists present directly in communities helps Suspilne Ukraine strengthen audience trust.
“One particularly important topic during the event’s discussions and meetings was disinformation. It was important for me to emphasise that russian disinformation campaigns did not begin in 2022. Their influence had been built up over decades through not only media but also cultural, academic and social ties. Suspilne’s experience shows that countering disinformation and maintaining trust is possible through continuous engagement with audiences and a physical presence in regions and communities. The hyperlocal network enables Suspilne not only to provide information but also to be part of these communities,” said Mariya Frey.
Mariya Frey also spoke about how Suspilne Ukraine continues to operate and develop during the war by upgrading its regional facilities and production infrastructure, developing new formats and digital products, and introducing artificial intelligence tools.
The discussion with Mariya Frey was moderated by Stéphane Siohan, journalist, Ukraine correspondent for Libération and Le Télégramme, as well as a senior associate media expert with Canal France Internationale (CFI) and the DW Akademie. Stéphane coordinated the attendance of a large Ukrainian delegation at the Nantes Local News Festival, which has named Ukraine as its guest country for the 2026 edition. CFI (and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) supported Mariya Frey’s participation as a representative of Suspilne, whilst the DW Akademie (the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) facilitated the attendance of six editors-in-chief and managers from Ukrainian regional media outlets, some of whom shared their experiences of editorial innovation with the French audience.
“As a French media professional who has worked in Ukraine for more than a decade, I felt Mariya’s contribution and her presentation to French media professionals were important for several reasons: they shed light on issues that directly affect the French media landscape,” explains Stéphane Siohan. “First, the hyperlocal network established by Suspilne is a striking and highly modern response to the problem of news deserts, which are also spreading in Western Europe as many regional newspapers face structural collapse. I am convinced that Ukraine’s experience can inspire other countries. In France, some areas are now no longer covered by news outlets or journalists, leaving entire segments of the population underrepresented and contributing to a dangerous rise in populism and extremism.”
According to Stéphane Siohan, it is also important to explain to European audiences how Suspilne has developed since the start of the war and how committed Ukraine’s public broadcaster is to editorial independence.
“The role of independent media and public broadcasting in Ukraine since 2022 remains little understood by the wider European public,” the journalist and expert explains. “I believe it is essential to show that Ukraine’s public broadcaster is fighting fiercely for its independence and that there is a real desire for public service broadcasting in the country. Meanwhile, in many European countries, including France, the threat of massive budget cuts is putting the mission of public broadcasters at risk».
The Festival de l’Info Locale (Local News Festival) took place in Nantes on 24–25 September, bringing together 380 professionals, experts, journalists, media managers and representatives of regional and local media, including leading newspapers, local media, private and public television and radio broadcasters, to exchange experience, professional practices and new approaches to audience engagement. The festival is a unique event in this sector in Europe.
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.
Photos provided by Thierry Birrer
