Ukraine’s public broadcaster could get UAH 3 billion and national telethon UAH 1.6 billion in 2027

Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne and the country’s national TV telethon could receive more state funding in 2027 than in 2026. The spending is set out in draft law No. 16000 on the 2027 state budget, dated September 15, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

Under the draft, Ukraine’s State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting would receive UAH 4.8 billion in total. As the bill shows, UAH 3.054 billion of that is earmarked for the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, also known as Suspilne.

Another UAH 1.62 billion would go to producing and airing programs for state needs, gathering and distributing official information, and supporting Ukraine’s state foreign broadcasting. Interfax-Ukraine links this budget line to funding for the telethon. The remaining UAH 64.2 million covers the committee’s management and administration.

In the 2026 budget, the telethon and foreign broadcasting were allocated UAH 1.557 billion, while Suspilne got UAH 2.472 billion. That means Suspilne’s funding would rise by UAH 582 million under the draft, or almost a quarter. Spending on the telethon and foreign broadcasting would grow by UAH 63 million.

At the same time, a 2025 survey found that Ukrainians trusted the United News telethon the least. Some 39% of respondents said they didn’t believe it.

The European Commission also set a deadline in November 2025 for Ukraine to review whether the telethon is still justified.