The New-York Times called joint telethon without opposition the most controversial step by Zelensky

Merging six formerly rival TV stations into a single source of news is a controversial decision that has disappointed free speech advocates, the publication says.

"Perhaps Zelensky’s most controversial move was to merge six television outlets into one channel with a common report. 

The group did not include the main opposition channel Channel 5, which is associated with Poroshenko", the author writes.

Zelensky has positioned the move as necessary for national security. Opponents see it as a disturbing example of pressure on dissent, and hope it will not be "used to stifle political rivals", the NYT wrote.