Without Salaries and with Debts: How the Loss of USAID Support Affected Regional Media.

According to a study by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, 26% of regional media in Ukraine operate without salaries, relying only on the enthusiasm of journalists.

Financial Viability of Regional Media

• 18.1% of editorial offices can operate for more than half a year without financial assistance;
• 41% of editorial offices assess their financial strength for only half a year;
• 24.1% of editorial offices expect to last only up to three months;
• 16.9% of media have a financial buffer for only one month.

More than 77% of local media have monthly budgets of less than 100,000 hryvnias. This allows them to cover basic expenses but leaves almost no resources for development and improving the quality of materials.

According to the study, as of January 2025, only a third of regional media received support from USAID, while two-thirds did not have such assistance.

Consequences of the Termination of USAID Support

• Debts to printing houses (in some cases up to 95,000 UAH);
• Unpaid salaries for January-February 2025;
• Debts to contractors;
• Uncollected expenses (up to 580,000 UAH).

Frontline media proved particularly vulnerable, as they often relied on grant support due to a lack of advertising and subscriptions in combat conditions.

Anti-Crisis Measures

• Reducing salaries for employees (46.8% of editorial offices);
• Staff reductions (over 40% of editorial offices);
• Decreasing the volume of materials (36.4% of media);
• Abandoning projects and initiatives (35.1% of media);
• Reducing the frequency of newspaper publications (16.9% of media).

Freezing funding poses a threat to the information security of frontline and liberated territories.

In March, the U.S. Department of State officially notified Congress about the termination of USAID's activities.

Additionally, the salaries of people's deputies increased on average by 9-10 thousand hryvnias per month due to the increase in the minimum subsistence level.

Analysis: Ukrainian regional media are facing financial difficulties, and many of them operate without salaries. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine's research shows that most media have limited financial potential and cannot withstand prolonged financial hardships. The increase in debts, reduction in salaries, and staff cuts are serious consequences of these problems. Frontline media have been especially affected, often relying solely on grant support. Moreover, the cessation of assistance from USAID has a negative impact on the information security of opposing territories. The freezing of funding not only leads to financial problems but also limits the ability to develop and improve content quality. This highlights the instability of the situation and the harsh conditions faced by journalists in regional media.