Informational and Entertainment Functions of Ukrainian Television Channels During the Full-Scale War
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2524-2652.2026.110Keywords:
television, television marathon, full-scale war, functions, television channelsAbstract
The study focuses on the analysis of the transformation of the informational and entertainment functions of Ukrainian television under the conditions of a full-scale war. Since February 2022, Ukrainian television channels have undergone significant changes in the format, structure, and content of broadcasting in response to information challenges and the needs of society. A significant number of national broadcasters (including 1+1, ICTV, Inter, Rada, Suspilne News, and We Are Ukraine) have joined efforts to create a 24/7 national informational television marathon United News (Yedyni Novyny), which has become a key tool for delivering timely and verified information about the course of the war and events in Ukraine and abroad. At the same time, in the context of constant information pressure from the Russian Federation and changing audience demands, entertainment content has also undergone transformation, adapting to new conditions and performing not only aesthetic but also psychological and social functions. The purpose of this article is a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the informational and entertainment functions of Ukrainian television during the full-scale war. To achieve this aim, several tasks were addressed: a brief review of academic and journalistic sources on changes in media functions during crisis situations, particularly war; an analysis of the structure and content of television broadcasting of key national channels involved in the joint television marathon; a description of programming models of entertainment content on affiliated channels and an assessment of how this content has adapted to wartime conditions; and the identification of key trends and conclusions regarding the role of informational and entertainment functions in the contemporary media landscape of Ukrainian television. The article employs a content analysis of a number of television channels participating in the marathon, as well as their entertainment counterparts — separate digital and thematic channels, including 1+1 Ukraine. The results obtained make it possible to trace the dynamics of shifting emphases in informational and entertainment content and to formulate conclusions regarding the role of television as a social institution during wartime.
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