The Media Market in Ukraine 2024

Three full years have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The country continues to resist, gradually adapting its economy to wartime realities. The wartime context continued to shape the Ukrainian media ecosystem in 2024. Government communication focused on national unity, resistance, and emergency information. Media outlets operated under regulatory constraints, including restrictions on ownership concentration, content requirements, and joint broadcast obligations under martial law.

Major advertisers such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and Henkel resumed full-scale media activity, leading to substantial investments across sectors, including banking, FMCG, and retail. This resurgence contributed to the growth of traditional channels, particularly television, which saw an increase in its market share for the first time in years. A notable trend was the diversification of media mixes: while digital remained the dominant channel due to consumption habits and performance tracking, many brands expanded their presence across platforms. To enhance contact frequency and navigate growing advertising clutter, advertisers increasingly leveraged TV and OOH as strategic complements to digital.

Total net advertising spending reached €679 million. Online media maintained the largest share at 57.1%, with over half of this allocated to global platforms like Google and Meta (58.3%). Television held a 19.7% share, driven by the return of brand campaigns and state communications. Out-of-home advertising rebounded to 15.7%, reflecting increased mobility and infrastructure adaptation in safer regions. Radio held 3.5%, and digital TV reached 2.6%. Print media continued its decline to just 1.3%.

Looking ahead to 2025, the market is expected to stabilize, with growth driven primarily by increased investments from existing advertisers rather than new entries. While 2024 saw a surge in activity across categories, the pace of growth is likely to slow as most major players have already returned. Media inflation is projected to rise across most channels – especially in TV, OOH, and radio – with digital media expected to see the lowest inflation rates (Kwendi).

Advertisers are likely to shift focus from re-entry to strategy optimization, balancing performance-led digital with high-reach traditional formats to maintain visibility in a complex environment.