Every resident of Frankivsk interested in regional events knows about the news site Galka.if.ua and many other resources of the "Galka" media group. These include the FB community and YouTube channel "Frankivsk Chatter", the whole group of informational and entertainment resources OGOGO.IF.UA, and the useful media "Where to Go? Frankivsk", among many other interesting outlets.
The media group comprises around 20 different websites, pages, groups, and social media channels, with 10 years of experience in the information market and a cohesive and reliable team. It all started with the site Galka.if.ua, which has been hosted for many years on a virtual server from Cityhost.
Vadym Voityk, CEO of the Ivano-Frankivsk media group "Galka", agreed to share with our blog readers the development path of the information business, grand plans for celebrating the 10th anniversary of the media, his love for travel, team corporate traditions, and the challenges during the war.
Vadym Voityk with the "Galka" logo in Taiwan
— The jackdaw is a symbol of Halychyna, — says Vadym Voityk. — That's why, when creating a new media ten years ago, we chose this name primarily for its regional connection. The plan was to create the most popular media product of the new era. And this plan, by objective measures, worked.
"Galka" has a large nest, to continue the ornithological parallels. It houses two major websites, several Telegram channels, pages and a group on Facebook, TikTok, multiple channels on Instagram, YouTube, and even Viber. All of this is somehow administered, some parts live their own independent lives. And importantly, we try to develop channels as independent media, not just mirrors of the website. That's why we call it a "media group".
— Tell us how it all started. Galka.if.ua has been around since 2014, celebrating an anniversary this year!
— Yes, this year we are celebrating ten years, and in connection with this, we have planned a whole package of events. Since the exact date can vary — the day the publishing company was founded, the registration of the "Galka" newspaper, the domain registration, the release of the first issue, or the first news on the website — we spread these events over at least several months.
We are continuing a photo contest, and are in the final stages of a large "Galka Collection" for 600 thousand, for a pickup, REB, and Mavic. We are planning a small conference where a hundred people, without whom Prykarpattya cannot be imagined over these 10 years, will be thanked.
Fundraising for "Mavics" from "Galka"
As for the beginning, it was spring, right after the victory of the Revolution of Dignity. It seemed like a time of new opportunities — and it really was. The idea was to create a website and at the same time the first Frankivsk daily newspaper as an offline version of the site with certain differences, of course.
I am convinced that this old-school print version allowed us to quickly enter the media market and gain recognition. Very soon, an experienced Frankivsk journalist, Roman Turiy, joined our then micro-team, becoming the editor-in-chief, doing and continuing to do a lot for the development of the media group, including launching new platforms and formats.
Print version of "Galka"
We quickly understood the importance of reposts on Facebook and Twitter, although we constantly developed only Facebook. At the same time, the print version was discontinued after about two years. Instead, we occasionally print special projects.
We also launched the satellite site Ogogo, which, by the way, still "lives" on Cityhost. It is a positive project, a site of pleasant impressions. Unfortunately, we constantly lack the time to devote proper attention to its development.
The still very small team of "Galka" in the old office, during the first years of the media group's existence
— The website says that you help local businesses operate more effectively. You also help users by, for example, talking about local establishments. How important is it that a business is not only "about money" but also about being useful to people?
— Our project was created as a commercial one, meaning "Galka" initially existed not to serve the political or other interests of the founder but as a media business. This means we initially planned to earn money from advertising — and that is our main source of finances.
In the beginning, it was not easy, but as I mentioned, we managed to quickly gain the attention and respect of a wide audience.
We offer this audience to local businesses, for whom we strive to be partners, not "sellers of air". Our job is to find precisely the message and the way that will allow this business to connect with potential consumers of its goods and services.
And you know, it's so pleasing when we hear: your advertising works!
By the way, it may not be obvious to representatives of other businesses, but it so happens that the vast majority of media in Ukraine are, so to speak, "planned losses". They exist on the founder's funds, subsidies from the authorities, grants. And this means they are dependent. Well, that’s not about us.
— How long have you been working with Cityhost?
— I’m afraid of getting the exact start date wrong, but we’ve definitely been with Cityhost for the majority of our existence. We rent a virtual server for "Galka" and host the Ogogo site there.
Before that, we changed several companies, which I wouldn’t want to name for ethical reasons. And the change was mostly not due to a lack of proper service, but simply because of a lack of capabilities: we outgrew their "pants" and needed larger ones.
Since we haven’t moved anywhere for a long time, it’s obvious that we are currently satisfied with our cooperation with Cityhost. I hope it will continue to be this way.
— I read this phrase on your website: We are local. We live and work in our hometown, and we travel around Prykarpattya for leisure. Do you travel as a team?
— Travel is my personal passion. All my life, I have found time and money for it, traveled all over Ukraine, and visited 127 countries worldwide. I try to share this passion with others, and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t caught this wonderful "disease".
"Galka" in Madagascar
Trip to Bolivia
Namibia
Unfortunately, now is not the right time. But we try to keep moving and still find some opportunities for travel, particularly for media events. For instance, several times in larger or smaller groups, we have participated in media forums in Lviv, Kyiv, and Lutsk.
And yes, we celebrate our birthdays, events in "Galka" and beyond. One funny tradition I can recall is the annual "Secret Santa", which is very sweet.
— What challenges and difficulties did you have to overcome during the development of the media group? How did you solve them?
— This is too big a topic; it’s no wonder that bestsellers are written and movies are made about the successes and failures of businesses.
In the early years, there were growth problems: finding our niche, forming a team, earning the first funds. There were technical problems, website issues, server issues, attacks, and viruses.
For the media, an important challenge is maintaining standards, balancing the interests of advertisers, and not becoming a tool in political struggles.
By the way, we recently fulfilled the requirements of the Emergency Protocol JTI of "Reporters Without Borders" for adhering to basic trust and transparency conditions. We are the only media from Prykarpattya to do so. We are now planning our certification for compliance with journalistic standards.
Also, as the media, we must be independent and even critically biased towards the authorities. Unfortunately, not all colleagues are conscientious about this. As a result, instead of fulfilling the crucial watchdog role of democracy, some media become tame lapdogs. This should not be the case.
A major challenge is people. You must form a team while identifying weak links and recognizing when someone has outgrown their position. By the way, we are learning a lot, and I am, in particular.
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— How has the full-scale war affected your media group?
— Despite the missile strikes, power outages, and such, Ivano-Frankivsk is a rear city. Many people and businesses have moved here. By the way, our constant theme is the stories of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Since we are the media, on one hand, we must disseminate socially important information — about announced alarms, blackout schedules, available shelters. On the other hand, we must refrain from spreading information that could harm the country's security.
A separate topic is the fight against harmful narratives, including Russian ones. We systematically implement anti-fake information campaigns and even conduct offline training on information hygiene.
"Galka" conducts information hygiene training for students
— What would you advise beginners who dream of having a large media business like yours?
— Calling it a large media business is an overstatement, but we strive for it. My advice is probably not very special.
First, understand why you want this. The entry threshold in this field is very low now: if you need to open a cafe, you have to solve issues with premises, equipment, recipes, and staff. To become media in the modern sense, you only need a mobile phone.
But the key question is why. Finding your niche, your style, your voice means finding your audience.
Second, journalists, like doctors, have their standards. Even if you are a blogger, you should adhere to them. Maybe a momentary hype will gain subscribers, but they will leave if your work is based only on that, against objectivity and impartiality. Use reliable sources, check facts; this is all generally known.
Third, have respect for your work, your colleagues, and your audience.
Fourth, keep moving. No matter what ideal you build, someone can do better. Technologies change, tastes change. In the end, the world itself changes. The main thing is not to stay in the past.
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