Interactivity from the inside: How Ukrainian digital media newsrooms perceive and apply interactive features.

Abstract

This study explores the role of interactivity in the communication strategies of Ukrainian digital media. It investigates editorial perspectives on the benefits and challenges of implementing interactive features, as well as how media outlets assess their effectiveness. Method. The primary research method was an expert survey, which enabled the collection of opinions and evaluations from professionals with in-depth knowledge of the digital journalism landscape. In June–July 2025, responses were gathered from 16 representatives holding editorial or managerial positions in leading Ukrainian digital media outlets. Results. The study confirms the growing importance of interactivity in the communication strategies of Ukrainian newsrooms, while also revealing only partial alignment between the stated approaches to interactivity and its actual implementation. Interactivity is commonly associated with audience feedback mechanisms, hypertextual and multimedia storytelling, and interactive content formats – all of which attract significant editorial interest. In contrast, deeper forms of audience engagement, such as content co-creation or horizontal communication among users, receive less attention from newsrooms. Respondents noted that interactive formats can provide tangible benefits for media, both in terms of performance on social media (e.g., increased reach and audience engagement) and on websites (e.g., higher visit counts, longer session durations, and deeper interaction). The key barriers to broader adoption of interactivity remain the lack of technical resources, time constraints, and the need to involve external specialists. Conclusions. The article concludes that successful integration of interactivity requires not only appropriate tools but also editorial openness, managerial support, and a willingness to rethink the relationship between journalists and their audience.