MP candidates in single-member districts of Chernivtsi oblast were mostly using newspapers for election campaigning, and television in the Chernivtsi city itself. We can make such conclusions after analysis of the final financial reports on funds received to and spent from electoral funds belonging to majoritarian candidates in Chernivtsi oblast, particularly expenses on election campaigning in mass media.
Thus, according to the analysis made by Chernivtsi office of the Civil Network OPORA, majoritarian candidates in Chernivtsi oblast have officially spent almost 7 million 280 thousand UAH on election campaigning. Almost five and a half million UAH from this sum were spent on political advertising in mass media. The indicated numbers are not final, as long as only half of registered candidates submitted financial reports (22 of 59 candidates).
Expenses of candidates varied from district to district. For example, most of candidates nominated in district #201 (Chernivtsi city) usually used television. If we take three leaders in this district – Nataliia Yakymchuk, Mykola Fedoruk, and Vitalii Mykhailishyn, they paid 328,743 UAH for television broadcasts. Expenses on publication of campaign materials in printed media are even lower than expenses on radio broadcasts (62,960 UAH to 123,967 UAH). Mykola Fedoruk, the winner, spent the largest amount on TV ads.
The situation in district #202 (city of Storozhynets) is absolutely opposite. As long as the district mostly comprises of villages, candidates usually chose printed mass media to publish their ads. I took four leaders that submitted reports for the analysis – Ivan Rybak, Oleksandr Fyshchuk, Heorhii Filipchuk, and Andrii Makovei. As we can see, they all spent most of their funds on advertising in newspapers – 417,799 UAH, on radio – 30,703 UAH, and on television – 88,554. The winner Ivan Rybak spent more than half of his funds on advertising in printed mass media. As I've already mentioned, expenses depend on peculiarities of raions. Raion newspapers are published in thousands of copies weekly (more than 4-5 thousand copies a week).
The situation in district #203 (city of Novoselytsia) is similar. However, candidate Ivan Semeniuk, who was the most visible on television and in newspapers, had lost to Hryhorii Timish, who had officially spent 10 times less money on advertising. In particular, Ivan Semeniuk had spent over 400 thousand UAH on newspaper ads (Hryhorii Timish – more than 36 thousand). To sum up, all leaders of the election race spent largest amounts on advertising in printed mass media (567,997 UAH), 94,599 UAH on TV ads, and 29,593 UAH on radio ads.
We noticed the largest expenses on television broadcasting in electoral district #204 (city of Khotyn). Candidate Volodymyr Kulish has paid 2.6 million UAH at once for broadcasting on the Novyi channel. However, we don't know whether he advertised himself, or he just gave money for advertising of the Petro Poroshenko Block party, which had nominated him. It should be mentioned that the Law of Ukraine on the Election of People s Deputies of Ukraine prohibits financing of party ads from electoral fund of a candidates.
However, this money didn't help Volodymyr Kulish to win the elections. Marsym Burmak gained the victory instead. He divided his resources between television and newspaper advertising. If we don't count those obscure 2.6 million spent on the Novyi channel, we'll see that candidates in district #204 spent most of funds on advertising in printed mass media – 770,711 UAH, on television – 137,336 UAH, and on radio – 103,869 UAH.
Thus, we may summarize that candidates in districts where rural population prevails spent more funds on advertising in newspapers than in other mass media. Perhaps, candidates consider such advertising more efficient, or simply cheaper. Neither reports, nor the analysis cover the advertising in online media. Thus, it's hard to say how popular this type of advertising is among candidates and headquarters.
Their financial reports don't have an expenditure item titled "the use of online media". The reported payment of 3,900 UAH to the Bukovynska Pravda LLC (site of the same name) made by candidate in district #204 Vasyl Kozak is rather exception than the rule (finances reported as "Publishing campaign materials in printed mass media" and "Other expenses on election campaigning"). Three thousand UAH were transferred from electoral district of Hryhorii Timish, nominated in district #203, to S.A. Zaraiskyi Sole Proprietor (BukInfo website).
We would like to emphasize that these data are not absolute and used to rather illustrate tendencies. The thing is, only 22 of 59 candidates provided final reports. Besides that, there is another question: Do declared funds correspond to real campaign expenses, or candidates used non-marked advertising, or other funds than those available on electoral funds.
Detailed information:
Nadiia (Virna) Babynska, phone: +380502104847, virna(at)opora.org.ua
Chernivtsi office of the Civil Network OPORA has opened a hotline at +38 099 010 65 51. You may find important information on website of Chernivtsi office of the Civil Network OPORA http://oporacv.organd on its Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/oporaChernivtsi