Since then, Kyiv Post publisher Mohammad Zahoor has set the policy that in editorials – which are supposed to represent the newspaper’s collective opinion on issues – should steer clear of partisan politics. It’s a reasonable restriction and essentially the only one imposed by the publisher, who otherwise allows journalists to offer opinions in this space on the issues of the day as they see fit.
Endorsements are a touchy subject for the Kyiv Post in a number of ways. While most staff members are Ukrainian, the chief editor is American – one of four expatriates on the editorial staff – and the owner is a British citizen. CEO Michael Willard is another American.
Endorsements, rightly or wrongly, in such circumstances may look to the public as if a bunch of foreigners are telling Ukrainians how to vote. Moreover, regrettably in this nation, criticism is interpreted as opposition. By contrast, in developed democracies (Ukraine is not one – and is, in fact, moving away from democracy), free speech is celebrated and public officials know that criticism – and even opposition – is fair game for anyone who claims to serve the public interest.
Everyone on the Kyiv Post staff, from the publisher to the rookie intern, is entitled to write reasoned opinions on any topics – and even offer individual endorsements. We don’t do this as often as we probably should. Instead, we try to make our opinion pages a marketplace of competing ideas. Last week’s opinion pages, for instance, were dominated by powerful government officials — Deputy Prime Minister Valery Khoroshkovskiy and Deputy Prosecutor General Renat Kuzmin.
Editorial endorsements at election time are a time-honored tradition of journalism in America and elsewhere, and one that many journalists at the Kyiv Post still believe in. Since everyone in society is affected by who wins an election, the thinking is that everyone should have a say in who should get elected. Even opinions that one disagrees with can be enlightening and serve to open minds and sharpen arguments. An honest opinion has its own virtue.
Readers can rest assured that the Kyiv Post will use this space to continue expressing our opinions strongly on Ukraine’s powerbrokers and the major issues of the day. We owe it to our readers and ourselves. A newspaper is not doing its job if its journalists and editors merely report the news and don’t attempt to help readers make sense of what is happening on clearly labeled opinion pages.
