Mykola Leonidovich Knyazhytskyi – journalist, People’s Deputy of Ukraine of VII, VIII, IX convocations.
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on June 2, 1968 in Lviv.
In 1985, he became a student at the Faculty of Journalism of Kyiv State University, but his studies were interrupted due to military service, which he held from June 1986 to May 1988.
He received his diploma in 1992. In the late 1990s, he received his second higher education, graduating from the Faculty of International Law and Business at the Institute of Postgraduate Education of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.
Career
During 1989-1991, he worked as a special correspondent, editorial editor, host of the program “Evening News”, as well as a correspondent of the Central Television program “Television News Service”.
In 1991-1992, he held the position of head of the correspondent office of the Soviet-Canadian joint venture – the TV and radio company “Bridge”. At the same time, he worked in Ukraine as a correspondent of the “West” program of the State Russian Television and Radio Company.
During 1992, he was a special correspondent of the editorial office of political analysis of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, hosted the program “Dnipro” on the Ukrainian TV News Service, and also acted as an author and host of the program “Windows”.
From 1992 to 1994, he headed the Center for Television Creativity.
In the period from 1994 to 1998, he served as president of the closed joint stock company (CJSC) “International Media Center – STB”, and since 1997 hebecame the president of the STB TV channel. At the same time, he was the host of the program “Vikna-Weekly”.
In 1998, he headed the state joint-stock company “Ukrainian Television and Radio Broadcasting”, holding the positions of president and chairman of the board. At the same time, he headed the National Television and Radio Company of Ukraine.
In 1998 – 1999 he was the Chairman of the Administrative Board of CJSC “International Media Center – STB”.
From March 1999 to February 2002, he was a member of the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting.
Later, he headed the Mediadom company, which owned the Tonis TV channel and the Gazeta 24 publication. The owner of the media holding was Oleksandr Kosterin, the leader of the Green Party of Ukraine.
Since 2008, he has been in charge of the TVi TV channel, where he also hosted the program “Evening with Mykola Knyazhytskyi”.
In 2013, he founded the Espresso TV channel, became its owner, CEO and host of the Knyazhytskyi program.
Political Activities
In 2005, he was a member of the governing body of the political party “Labor Ukraine”.
From December 2012 to November 2014, he was a people’s deputy of Ukraine of the VII convocation, entering the Verkhovna Rada on the party list of the political force “All-Ukrainian Union “Batkivshchyna”. He headed the subcommittee dealing with television and radio broadcasting as part of the parliamentary committee responsible for maintaining freedom of speech and access to information.
In the fall of 2014, during an extraordinary parliamentary campaign, he won a deputy mandate in the Verkhovna Rada. He headed the Committee on Culture and Spiritual Life.
He also won the mandate of a people’s deputy in 2019, running for the European Solidarity party.
Marital Status
He is married to Larysa Knyazhytska. The couple has a son, Leonid, and a daughter, Anastasia.
