2013-03-23

Mar. 19, 2013: Welcome to #450UA


Today,  #450UA  on 
KONTAKT UKRAINIAN TELEVISION
featured host Andrij Holovatyj
with an overview of #450UA.



Welcome to #450UA ... pronounced HASHTAG - FOUR - FIFTY - U - A ... a unique approach to broadcasting - available as a special segment on KONTAKT Ukrainian Television and a new media project online at http://450ua.blogspot.com ...

My name is Andy Holowaty or Andrij Holovatyj - take your pick - and in this episode, I will present a backgrounder to this project which I call #450UA, to help you better understand its intent and its method.

#450UA will help fill a void which is mostly evident in the mainstream global media, where there is a lack of regular and comprehensive film, video and television coverage of NEWS & INFORMATION from and about Ukraine for the English-language media - especially that of a political nature.  KONTAKT Ukrainian Television has made room for the production of a regular segment to highlight news & information from today's Ukraine that focuses on the presidency and parliament of Ukraine - the main areas of Ukraine's government which are coming under intense scrutiny from various interested and affected groups.  It will be the goal of #450UA to provide a starting point for an English-language audience to better know and understand the political situation in Ukraine and how it affects the government of Ukraine.

#450UA is primarily an extended online round-table discussion focusing on politics in Ukraine.  My guests and I will discuss people, places and things that are related to government and politics specifically in that country.  KONTAKT will broadcast a preview segment of each discussion and viewers will then be invited to watch the extended discussion following KONTAKT - online at http://450ua.blogspot.com … Serious questions, comments and suggestions can be left online and I will then read, consider and answer as many as possible - seriously.

So, whether Ukraine finds itself in a political and social crisis, like it is today under the Yanukovych regime, or whether the great stories of government and politics in Ukraine simply have trouble finding airtime, column space or search engine hits, #450UA will hope to provide information and insight into this complex and dynamic situation in Ukraine.

Now - about the name #450UA

"HASHTAG" - this is a shout out to members of the online community.  Popularized by Twitter, hashtags have become a great way to promote content online.  Other social networking sites have embraced hashtags and similar keywording sensibilities.  I intend to promote the reported news and information with relevant hashtags and keywords, including my custom tag of #450UA.

"FOUR FIFTY" - this is a simplified form of the number four hundred fifty, which represents the number of members that are voted into Ukraine's legislature.  Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada parliament is the key element to Ukraine's success in altering the political immaturity of a 20-year-old country, beset by problems entrenched in a volatile history marked by a culture of foreign interference and occupation, which still heavily affects the country today.  The Verkhovna Rada has many unsavoury members, yet there is a growing core of MPs, veterans and rookies, who wish to follow the various rules and regulations and - above all - the constitution, in order to pass the laws needed for an emerging democracy to be on a solid path of growth and prosperity.  In this 7th convocation which began after last October's parliamentary election, the good work of these good people needs to be highlighted.

"UA" - well, that's easy.  UA is Ukraine's ISO country code.  It makes Ukraine quickly and easily identifiable with two simple letters.  Just as - for example - Canada is identified by CA, the United States by US and France by FR, Ukraine is identified by UA

So, enjoy #450UA on KONTAKT Ukrainian Television and online at http://450ua.blogspot.com … get up to speed on an important topic and get involved in spreading the news about and from Ukraine for the English-language media and its audience.

See you online.  And remember, be careful when you log out and shut down.  Goodbye!

Andrij Holovatyj ... aka Andy Holowaty

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