{"id":204347,"date":"2026-09-18T13:05:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T10:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/204347\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T13:05:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T10:05:53","slug":"expert-support-for-belarusian-independent-media-to-boost-regional-security","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/204347\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert: support for Belarusian independent media to boost regional security"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

September 18, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Support for the Belarusian independent media is an investment in regional information security, as these outlets help counter propaganda and provide Belarusians with truthful information, media expert Pa\u016dluk Byko\u016dski has told a journalistic conference in Vilnius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conclusions are based on his analysis of 13 independent media outlets in 2025 and 2026 along with an online poll of urban residents in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost all Belarusian independent media outlets covering Belarus operate in exile, Byko\u016dski noted. In the second quarter of 2026, content about Belarus and Belarusians accounted for 71 percent of website content and 95 percent of TikTok content, demonstrating that the outlets have retained their focus and audience in Belarus and are not simply media in exile, but media for Belarus, he stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being blocked in Belarus, exiled independent media continue to reach large audiences in the country and expand their coverage, the expert said. Over the past year, the 13 outlets recorded an additional 168 million content views in Belarus, mainly short videos. The trend indicates that journalists have adapted to changing media consumption habits and found effective ways to operate, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trust remains a key factor in how the core audience of independent media chooses what to read, with 57 percent of respondents saying they consider the outlet\u2019s credibility more important than fast coverage, the expert noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analysis also showed that independent media audiences are significantly better informed about events that state-run media cover little or not at all. These people also reportedly exhibit more pronounced pro-European views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among independent-media audiences, 92 percent oppose Russia\u2019s war on Ukraine, against 67 percent of the state-run media audiences who support it, Byko\u016dski said, stressing the contrast in numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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