Over 210 interesting and important video reports have been shot by the journalists of our newspaper within the framework of the project Den-TV, which turned three on May 14. Thousands of reposts, commentaries, and likes on social media. Discussions and interest of the central TV channels. Yet it is created by only a few employees of the newspaper.
Our video project has an interesting story. First thing that distinguishes it from the rest of video products – these news pieces and interviews are made by journalists of a printed medium, so it is guaranteed that the audience will see depth insight into the topic, selection of guests, and search for interesting angles. Apart from that these are also interesting flash mobs, video chronicles, surveys, and lectures-narrations (for example Mykhailo Kalnytsky and Dmytro Malakov’s lectures about Kyiv). We are not limited in air time or the frames of topics. Our goal is not to compete with news television – this is impossible anyway – but to give an alternative source of interesting information for Den’s readers.
Of course, the events of the Revolution of Dignity added points to our project – we almost on a daily basis uploaded new videos from the place of events – without commentaries. This attracted new followers. An exclusive video dated January 22, when Berkut heavily beat people in Hrushevsky street was watched by nearly 130,000 people; videos of night clashes, the “shame corridor” for Berkut, the assault of the Maidan (on the night from February 18 to 19) and other videos from the Revolution of Dignity appeared. Not only Internet users watched these videos on YouTube, but also the audience of the central channels, because broadcasters asked Den to spread our videos.
When the situation in Ukrainian east aggravated, Den launched the project “Donbas, hear your people.” Donbas residents of different professions and different backgrounds in a sincere and emotional way called upon their compatriots and all Ukrainians to be brave and decently meet the challenges.
Last winter events and current events in the east need to be interpreted, so contemplative interview replaced the operative video chronicles. Den-TV became a venue for intellectual audience, which is not targeted by the central television in its chase for ratings. So, the format of our project allows us to show lengthy analytical interviews with personalities of the level of Yevhen Hrytsiak, the leader of the Norilsk Uprising in GULAG camps in 1953. And the visual support of traditionally sensational roundtables dedicated to historical problems that are held in the newspaper’s office provides television space with videos you will never see on television.
The videos are shot by journalists and Den’s contributors, in particular, the editor of the Web Department Artem Zhukov, editor of Society Department Maria Semenchenko, cameraman of the channel 2+2 and Den’s contributor Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei.
“For me, a professional cameraman, the cooperation with Den is interesting first and foremost due to the new opportunities. Recording interviews with extraordinary personalities, thoughts of young Ukrainians, commentaries of people who are competent in various questions – this is broadening of my professional and personal horizons,” Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei commented. “So far Den-TV is apparently in the process of exploration, but this search is dynamic and interesting. These are new formats, genres, numerous ideas. I think that the audience will see full-fledged Internet television in the near future.”
The action “Read books from Den’s Library” has had great response. Only within two months the newspaper office received almost 50 video plots from all over Ukraine – residents of Odesa, Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, and Luhansk read their favorite fragments from our books.
Another flash mob organized by the newspaper on the birthday of brilliant poetess Lina Kostenko (Ukrainians from various corners of the country read their favorite poems by the writer) resulted in a separate CD. The Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper Larysa Ivshyna presented it to Lina Kostenko.
Apart from famous politicians, singers, journalists, and writers, Den-TV gives word to talented youth, its traditional target audience. For example, a great response had the material with 16-year-old winner of the worldwide competition of Google Stanislav Kryvenko or the conversation with Petro Zubar from Artemivsk who saved a huge coat of arms of Ukraine from the terrorists. Such communication gives understanding of how wise and interesting our youth is. It has a shaped world outlook and clear positions and is ready to defend them.
“Frankly speaking, when the project was launched, I could hardly imagine how several jobs could be united. However, I’m getting convinced again that ambitious projects are quite real, when professionals put lots of efforts in them,” says web editor Artem Zhukov, who together with the editor of Society Department Maria Semenchenko is the curator of the direction. “Den-TV is unique because it is created not by ‘TV people,’ but by ‘newspaper people.’ We don’t cut pieces of interviews to make them fit the needed duration; vice versa, we’re trying to show the complete atmosphere of the event: the picture seen by the interviewer when he communicates with a respondent. Modern Internet user often cannot allow a 10-minute luxury to watch a video, and making long interviews is a really daring step. It seems to me that the team of Den-TV has found a receipt – and most of the users do have time for our videos.”
Former employee of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting Mykola Hrytsenko said once that in his opinion “The television version of Den is perfect public television.” This compliment is like guideline for us. We have a direction to pursue and things to work on. There is much work, many ideas and explorations waiting ahead. And we will for sure surprise you!
