Czech Television’s services for children on Russia-Ukraine war

When reporting on stories as consequential and upsetting as the war in Ukraine, public media have a responsibility to provide sensitive coverage for children. As many public broadcasters recognise, what they produce for children is critical, as these age groups can be prone to experiencing anxiety as a result of a news topic, as seen with the climate crisis.

But where is the line between accurately answering questions while shielding children from the graphic details of the war, and being too overprotective and not telling them the truth? Public media has a responsibility to get this balance right, and be a place children, parents and teachers can go to find answers.

Česká Televize (Czech Television) has created one innovative solution to this issue. In collaboration with experts, the public television company has launched a ‘non-news’ website, Déčka, which collates “information and answers in a way that is unavoidable, but adequate to children’s age and perception.” The website hosts articles and explainer videos covering topics from how the war in Ukraine began, to the important role of journalists in covering the conflict. It also provides an opportunity for children to submit questions or send messages to Ukrainian children.

“We at Déčka take children seriously and we still want to talk to them about what bothers them and what they are interested in, talk to them openly and help them become familiar with it”, said Déčka Product Manager Štěpánka Sunková.

CT has also introduced a dedicated section about Ukraine on its education portal ‘ČT edu’, in response to the high demand from teachers requesting educational materials to help them teach about the Russia-Ukraine war. The materials available – curated by and for other teachers – include explainer videos, worksheets and methodologies covering the history, geography, and culture of Ukraine.

Initiatives and services like Déčka demonstrate public media’s ability to respond to public needs efficiently and responsibly, especially during a crisis. Other public media organisations are offering similar services. RTÉ in Ireland has shared tips on how to talk about the unfolding war with children. Meanwhile, Swedish Television has similar plans to invest in journalism and further increase media and information literacy for children and young people.

With social media platforms such as Tik Tok spreading dis- and misinformation, public media must provide accurate information, easily accessed by children and supervisors.

“We at Déčka take children seriously and we still want to talk to them about what bothers them and what they are interested in, talk to them openly and help them become familiar with it” – Déčka Product Manager Štěpánka Sunková.