media in progress

Created, produced, and hosted by Alem.

Media in Progress is a behind-the-scenes audio documentary chronicling the birth of the Kyiv Independent — Ukraine’s now-prominent English-language media outlet.

In November 2021, just as Russian troops amassed at Ukraine’s border, the entire editorial team of the Kyiv Post was fired for defending their independence. Ten days later, we launched this podcast to document what came next: the urgency, uncertainty, and idealism behind building a media outlet in real time, under pressure, and in the face of impending war.

Today, the Kyiv Independent is internationally recognized for its reporting — but Media in Progress captures the fragile, formative moment before it all began.