His Ukrainian master's voice

STUDIO 1+1, a production company that has won most of the air-time on one of Ukraine's two nationwide television channels, has caused quite a splash since its debut earlier this year. With nine hours a day at its disposal (and all the evening prime time), it has already put on racy chat shows, western music videos and jazzy news programmes. A welcome bit of colour in a drab landscape? Only if you overlook the ties between Studio 1+1 and the government that are making it hard for voices and faces of dissent to be heard or seen.