Statement of NewsOne TV channel on National Council’s interference into freedom of thought – 112 International

The decision of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraineon the appointment of another unscheduled inspection of the NewsOne TV channel is a fact of direct pressure on freedom of thought in our country.

Taking up the role of a censor, the National Council not only attacks the TV channel but also iconic public figures. Vyacheslav Pikhovshek - Honored Journalist of Ukraine, media expert, and an analyst - was invited to the NewsOne TV channel studio as a guest of the project. On the program, he expressed his subjective opinion as an invited expert, and not as a journalist or channel's TV host.

Moreover, expert opinion is the personal position of a public person, which he has the right to freely express on air, without "calling" anybody to do anything. This is also justified by the concept of the "Epicenter of Ukrainian Politics" project, in which each invited guest defends his position.

Based on the above-mentioned, we regard the decision of the National Council on an unscheduled check of the channel as a fact of persecution of a public person for having his own opinion, which is different from the one that the regulator considers correct. And also as another attempt to censor the broadcast and put pressure on an independent TV channel on far-fetched grounds.

Original article is on NEWSONE website.

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Statement of NewsOne TV channel on National Council's interference into freedom of thought - 112 International