National Geographic in Ukraine
By Walter Derzko
Mention the word National Geographic magazine and a host of memories come flooding back. I think every child must love National Geographic. It opens up the world to young minds the way no other publication can. Every trip to the library was incomplete without browsing through the latest non-circulating issue and taking home one or two back issues that provided hours of delightful browsing and reading. With any extra allowance money I had, a whole 25 cents was spent at used bookstores on Queen Street West or Yonge Street buying interesting back issues of the publication which I had not seen before.
So you can’t imagine how pleased I was to hear that a Ukrainian language version of National Geographic magazine was set to debut in Ukraine by Sanoma Media Ukraine, especially competing head to head in the sea of Russian language publications in every kiosk on Ukrainian streets.
Sanoma Media Ukraine has partnered with the National Geographic Society to launch National Geographic magazine in Ukraine. The new edition, debuting with the April issue, will be published in the Ukrainian language, making it the 38th local-language edition of National Geographic magazine.
Through National Geographic Ukraine, readers will gain access to original content from the official journal of the National Geographic Society, the organization that has set the standard for excellence in reporting and photography for more than a century. The initial circulation of the magazine will be 25,000 copies, available at news agents for the price of 25 UAH (hryvnia) – about $3.50 Cdn. The magazine will be offered monthly in a 175mm x 255mm format.
“As National Geographic celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, we are proud to partner with Sanoma Media to offer National Geographic magazine in the Ukrainian language for the first time. It is always exciting for us to be able to offer readers a magazine that speaks to them in their own language. With its smart localized content and photography, we hope to publish a magazine that is relevant and engaging to the Ukrainian reader,” said Terry Adamson, Executive Vice President of the National Geographic Society.
“This legendary magazine was the pioneer of photojournalism, and it remains the quality standard for most journalists. The task for the Ukrainian editor’s office is to prepare materials that meet the high standards of National Geographic. We hope that readers will be interested in the new edition, and that it will make a positive impact on the market on the whole,” said Olga Valchyshen, National Geographic Ukraine Editor-In-Chief.
Printed in English since 1888, National Geographic provides in-depth coverage of cultures, nature, science and technology through comprehensive and timely articles and legendary photographs and maps. The magazine is read by 60 million readers around the globe monthly. In addition to English, the magazine is now published in 38 local languages. In addition to Ukrainian, the magazine’s most recent local-language editions were launched in Iran, Mongolia, Latvia and Georgia in fall 2012.
Sanoma Media Ukraine is a young, dynamically developing publishing house. The company publishes the world-famous glossy magazines: Cosmopolitan, Cosmo Bride, Men’s Health, Story, Sensa, Domashniy Ochag, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Casaviva and National Geographic.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations. The Society works to inspire care for the planet. National Geographic reflects the world through its magazines, television programs, films, music and radio programs, books, DVD-ROMs, maps, exhibitions, concerts, school programs, interactive media and souvenir paraphernalia. Hopefully, these other offers will be available in the Ukrainian language too.
Founded in 1888 to promote geographic knowledge, the National Geographic Society has supported more than 10,000 research and conservation projects, as well as an education program promoting geographic literacy.
The first Ukrainian issue headlines a range of topics that children love: extinct animals and the possibility of cloning. The front cover seductively includes a woolly mammoth, a giant sloth, a saber-tooth tiger, a dodo bird and other extinct animals.
The Ukrainian editor Olga Valchyshen wrote me saying: I’m also sending you the announcement about a project started on Facebook where people can order subscriptions for children in orphanages. See http://www.detdom.info/my_search . This action was started by an informal Facebook group i.tak.poymut@groups.facebook.com that supports the Ukrainian language. See http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=481057931961777&set=a.451750101559227.107912.451743914893179&type=1&theater