Violation of Standards and Manipulation in Headlines of Ukrainian Media Materials About Mobilisation

The article examines the problem of standards violation in the headlines of Ukrainian media publications on the topic of mobilisation. The article analyses the news of all-Ukrainian and Precarpathian publications about the same event. This refers to the news of 20 June 2023, in which the media presented false information with the standards violation of accuracy, reliability and completeness that the men from the Precarpathian region would be denied hospitalisation.

The author analysed 17 such publications. As a result, she identified violations of the accuracy standards, reliability and completeness of information in the headlines. Only three of the analysed publications turned out to be factual.

The issue of adherence to standards in journalistic materials has always been and will always be relevant. Especially at a time of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is accompanied by an escalation of information warfare and intensification of hostile information and psychological special operations. The credibility of the Ukrainian media depends primarily on how objectively and in compliance with all standards the news will be presented. This, in turn, helps to build society’s resistance to hostile propaganda. Conversely, disregard for standards in the news leads to public opinion shifting and becomes good fodder for the hostile information attacks creation.

The article focuses on the fact that 60 to 80 percent of people read only headlines and draw conclusions about events based on them. Therefore, when we talk about such a serious topic as mobilisation, the headlines of publications should be as accurate as possible so as not to cause unnecessary disturbance to society.

Neglecting the verification of information and the search for primary sources, completeness and reliability of information, in the pursuit of clickbait, the Ukrainian media may unconsciously play along with the enemy, feeding its propaganda narratives and information and psychological special operations. Such an attitude to professional duties becomes especially dangerous when it comes to the issue of mobilisation, which is already being heavily debated in society.