Up to 10%: Starting today, using a non-Ukrainian language in live broadcasts is allowed only for certain words

Today, new provisions of the “Media Law” come into force in Ukraine, increasing the presence of the Ukrainian language on television.

This was announced by the office of the language ombudsman on Facebook.

“The use of non-state language on air is allowed only in established expressions, short phrases or individual words of participants in a live broadcast, except for program hosts (announcers), if the total duration of such remarks does not exceed 10% of the program’s duration. All speeches, interviews, comments, explanations, questions, individual remarks, etc., in a non-state language must be translated, dubbed or voiced over in Ukrainian,” the publication states.

“From now on, viewers will have the opportunity to consume even more content in the Ukrainian language,” commented Language Ombudsman Taras Kremin.

It should be noted that yesterday the norm regarding the Ukrainization of regional newspapers came into force.

Despite all attempts by the authorities to make Ukrainians fully transition to the Ukrainian language and abandon Russian, Ukrainian schoolchildren have recently started using the state language less. 

After the start of the full-scale war, 91% of schoolchildren named Ukrainian as their native language, this figure fell to 74% during the 2023/24 period (a drop of 17%). Similarly, this indicator decreased among teachers (from 93% to 82%) and parents (from 94% to 86%). The number of students who use only the state language during lessons and breaks fell by 8%. Outside of school, less than 40% of schoolchildren speak purely in Ukrainian. In the east of the country, only 17% do so, while in the west, the figure is 74%.