Specificity of programs on consumer issues in the Ukrainian media landscape

Abstract

The specificity of consumer-oriented TV programs was researched in the Ukrainian media landscape. Primarily, we talk about programs on consumer issues, where information under the conditional name «quality of life» is provided in a simple and comprehensible way for public. In our opinion, this explains the phenomenon of high demand and ratings of TV and radio programs on consumer issues. Despite of the relevance and high need of this issue, there are few studies devoted to the social significance and the efficiency of this kind of media content in the Ukrainian scientific area. In the Ukrainian media area programs, where people discuss protection of consumer rights considered from the perspective of education of the general public concerning the quality of goods and services at the market, gained a remarkable popularity. According to the results of the nationwide sociological research, conducted by «Human Rights in Ukraine», Ukrainians consider self-appeal to the media to be the most effective way to protect their rights. It was stated by 27.8% of respondents. There were altogether 2002 Ukrainians from all the regions of the country, who took part in the survey, except for the people from occupied territories of Donbass and Crimea. Media is trusted most of all, when there is an issue of protection of consumer rights, especially in the east, west and south of the country. Lower trust is shown in the central regions. The error does not exceed 2.2%. Thus, the greatest need for creating programs on consumer issue is in the regions. It is certain that today none of the Ukrainian mass media can offer its viewers or listeners qualitative social content of the consumer issue. Commercial channels do not produce it, as it is more profitable for them to make shows with hidden advertising. As a rule, state-financed media are not able to supply financially and technically the production of such media product.