Ukraine launches publically funded online TV

Leading Ukrainian journalists have announced the launching of a new online television channel that will be independent of government and business interests.

The channel, called Public Television, should begin operating in September and will be financed by domestic and international donors, individual donations from ordinary Ukrainians and advertising revenues.

The founders said at a news conference on Tuesday that the aim of the channel is to provide objective, independent information to Ukrainians as opposed to the coverage presented by mainstream TV controlled by the government or its allies. "As a sane person I don't watch TV for news," said Roman Skrypin, one of the founders.

Media freedoms have waned since President Viktor Yanukovych came to power in 2010 and journalists have complained of increasing censorship.

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