A signal that didn’t fade

How the Okhtyrka-based channel “Pulsar” stayed on air during the war and is returning to local broadcasting thanks to solar energy

In wartime, information saves lives. That’s why the enemy first tries to silence the voices that speak the truth. For border and frontline communities – like those in Sumy region – local broadcasting becomes not just a source of news, but a voice of hope, a link to the world, and a sign that their hometown is alive. People of all ages wait for that voice – in news, in messages from local authorities, or in simple greetings aired on screen.

Kateryna Kasyanenko – a businesswoman from Sumy region – saved the local channel in Okhtyrka. First, when there were plans to shut it down, and later – during the full-scale war. Today, her team airs the national telemarathon, supports public radio, and prepares to resume their own programming. A grant from the “Support for the Energy Resilience of Micro and Small Enterprises in Ukraine” project made a key step possible – the transition to energy independence.

A family decision that saved the signal

In 2004, the Okhtyrka-based TV channel faced shutdown: previous owners had decided it was no longer profitable to continue. But then the Kasyanenko family gathered and made a decision that changed everything.

“You could say we entered an unpromising media business: we had a business tied to cable networks, radio, so the question came up – do we shut it all down? I said: let’s try. If there’s a chance to save it – we should save it,” recalls Kateryna Kasyanenko.

That’s how Pulsar became a family business. The team restored broadcasting and gradually expanded its coverage. Their signal reached almost all of Sumy region: Lebedyn, Trostianets, Romny, Hlukhiv, Shostka, Konotop, Putyvl.

Until 2022, the channel aired daily, had five correspondents and 16 staff members. They produced local news, studio and children’s programs, weather forecasts, and their pride – a music show with greetings.

“People really looked forward to those greetings. They would record them on disks, rewatch with the whole family. Even now, people still call us asking when we’ll return to air,” Kateryna says.

The team even participated in international exchange – with a local channel in the U.S. (Illinois). Just before the full-scale invasion, Pulsar received a license for digital broadcasting.

When war began – the air stayed live

When the full-scale war started, part of the team evacuated, some employees were mobilized. Production had to stop, but broadcasting – never stopped for a single day.

“Even when Okhtyrka was under siege, we kept working. There were shellings, we didn’t have enough people, but our tech team took shifts: launched the signal, connected the generator. We immediately switched to the telemarathon – because people needed information,” says Kateryna.

Today, Pulsar broadcasts the national telemarathon “United News” and three radio stations from the Public Broadcaster (Ukrainian Radio, Promin’ and Kultura), as well as a local municipal station.

Their staff has shrunk to five people. There is no profit – but the team holds on, because they know: their work is – essential.

High electricity bills – and a search for light

One of the main problems became electricity costs. In peak periods, bills reached 50,000 UAH per month, not including generator fuel.

“We’d long been thinking about energy independence, but couldn’t afford it. When we saw the grant project ‘Support for the Energy Resilience of Micro and Small Enterprises in Ukraine’ – we didn’t hesitate. We applied ourselves, without consultants,” says Kateryna.

After winning the grant competition, the TV channel received funding to install 36 solar panels, a battery system, and a grid-tied inverter. The whole system will be installed on the roof of the office – favourable weather conditions should allow them to save up to 50% on electricity.

First – news, then – greetings

The plan – is to restore local news for Okhtyrka. They already have ideas for the format, and plan to hire a camera operator and journalist. Next – the return of full-fledged programming with correspondents and entertainment content.

“We don’t just want to return to the air. We want to be useful to people, just like before. To carry the voice of the community. To give strength. All these years, we never went off air – not even in darkness. And now, thanks to the sun, we are turning the lights back on for our viewers again,” concludes Kateryna Kasyanenko.

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***  This publication was prepared within the support of the international cooperation project “Energy resilience support for micro and small enterprises in Ukraine” under the ReACT4UA Program (Utilization and Implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine in the field of Trade) that is co-funded by the German Government and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). It is implemented by the German federal company “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH”.

The project aims to increase the resilience of the Ukrainian economy to recurrent power outages and assure business continuity of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by financially supporting solutions for an uniterrupted access to electricity.

The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the Business Development Fund and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Germany, NORAD, or GIZ.