Key Features of Transformation of Ukrinform Agency from a Service Department of Govement into an Independent Media

Abstract

In scientific literature, particularly in Ukrainian, the issue of the status of news agencies in the information field is now actively debated. Some scientists consider agencies as service structures, which comes from their main function – collecting and disseminating news. This has been the case since the foundation of the first news agencies. But since the 50s of the last century, the press demand for agency products has been declining. Agencies are starting to look for other options for selling content. With the development of the Internet, agencies create their own portals and sites and seek to attract readers and advertisers. And now the second part of the scientists, numerically large, argues that the globalization of information processes has increased the role of news agencies, and this has led to an increase and diversification of their products, which are characteristic of independent media. In Ukraine, this process is most difficult for the state agency Ukrinform, the main task of which was and is informational support of the authorities. The paper analyzes how the national news agency is transformed from a structure that has always served only the government into an independent media. The purpose of this transformation is to create an attractive image for society, promote it in the media market, and attract advertising revenues. One of the signs of the process is the creation the products of new genres by the editors for Ukrinform. We have previously explored longreads and blogs. But the transformation is much wider. In this work, products of other new genres on the agency’s website will be examined, namely podcasts, videos, infographics, as well as signs such as the use of modern marketing technologies, promotion through social networks, and active communication with the audience. In 1918, D. Dontsov created two different structures for different tasks – the UTA telegraph state agency to support the authorities and the Ukrainian Press Bureau which prepared independent materials for newspapers. The transformation of Ukrinform can lead to the unification of two media of different status under one roof.