"Key findings: Critical role of local media in addressing specific population needs, compared with national media which is increasingly seen as painting a false picture of reality. Audiences on the frontline feel excluded from national discourse. Ukrainians (57%) use local Telegram channels more than traditional media sources: only 34% often follow national media, and 38% often follow local media. Audiences express a deep need for positive news, such as culture, sports, leisure, and “dream projects.” Strong demand for inclusive dialogue between authorities and citizens, particularly on the use of public funds and tracking reconstruction projects. Internally displaced people (IDPs) and Russian-speaking Ukrainians are not perceived as potential sources of local tension." (Page 2)

"The Swiss Foundation Hirondelle and the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI), with the support of Swiss Solidarity, began implementing the project Strengthening the Resilience of Regional Media in Ukraine in 2023. The project aims to strengthen Ukrainian local media and support their role in an active civil society. The project emphasizes the role of local journalists as promoters of social cohesion within their communities, a responsibility that is strategically important for both the state and society. United communities are better equipped to resist enemy aggression and to effectively address local issues. The terminology, narratives, and framing used by journalists in their reports can either contribute to uniting local citizens or, conversely, deepen social divides, potentially fuelling conflicts and social exclusion. A major component of the project involved sociological research in 23 Ukrainian communities, which was conducted by experts from the sociological company Operative Sociology from April to August 2024. This research component included 49 interviews and a combined quantitative survey using the CATI method in the 23 studied communities (with a sample size of 2,391 respondents). The researchers used J. Chan’s social cohesion measurement model to explore how social cohesion can be strengthened at the local level in Ukraine, identify the risks to social cohesion, and examine ways local media can contribute to minimizing social divisions in Ukrainian society under martial law." (Research summary, page 6)