Chytomo

Chytomo is a digital magazine focusing on books and meaningful reading as a springboard for self-education and self-realisation. It covers trends in book publishing, literature and reading, as well as events in the cultural ecosystem in Ukraine and Central Europe and Eastern Europe.

The organisation provides opportunities for active interaction with the newsroom via the Chytomo Club, a community that financially and ideologically supports the media outlet. The club has a secure chat in which the community votes for new topics, asks questions for interviews, shares their expertise on specific issues, and gives feedback on published information.

Since the war started in February 2022, Chytomo has covered crimes against culture (tangible and intangible ones, as well as their actors), analysed the influence of Russian propaganda through culture, debunked imperialist and colonial influences, talked about Russia's crimes, and recorded cultural events and projects about the war or created during the war.

The outlet's primary audience are 25-45 years olds with higher education. Chytomo's younger audience is mainly formed of people who are directly interested in starting a profession in the field of culture – in particular, students who use Chytomo in their research or practical work. Anecdotally, the Chytomo team often hears from students who say they chose cultural journalism or publishing because of the media outlet, or who used its materials to defended their master's or PhD theses.

The media organisation also covers minorities and marginalised groups. For example, it produced a series of materials called "Same", on literature and books about the LGBTIQ+ community. Another example is the series "People from empty chairs", about imprisoned writers, bloggers, and journalists in Russia, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, and Iran.

Throughout its existence, Chytomo has provided information to over 1,100 literary and publishing projects, organisations, and initiatives, and has played a vital role in literary criticism and knowledge, helping to develop the creative industries ecosystem. The team provides commentary and consultations on Ukrainian books and literature, and is open to collaborating with international editors.

The project is entirely transparent about its funding: it finances itself through grants, cultural funds, readers' donations, and advertising revenue from publishing companies.