Results matching “against moscow media st”

Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, is investing in training programmes to improve staff skills as an anti-crisis measure, it was announced in a press release.  

In January and June of this year, the news agency ran a series of lectures and seminars to train staff in multimedia technology for video recording and photo imaging, infographics, Internet search engines, "black PR" and legal risks in the media. The training culminated in two-week multimedia courses held at a summer school in the Moscow region. The classes, which started on June 20, are being held in the form of business games. "While the agency like anyone else is affected by the negative consequences of the economic crisis, we cannot allow ourselves not to invest funds in improving the skills of our staff," RIA Novosti Editor-in-Chief Svetlana Mironyuk said.

One of the most striking themes to come from the second day of the Power of Print Conference was the importance of newspapers knowing their audience. South Africa's Daily Sun, for example, grew rapidly to become the country's largest newspaper off the back of in depth market research.

Fergus Sampson, of the Daily Sun's owner Media 24 described how they discovered an audience of working class young black citizens who had come of age at the time of freedom, but who didn't have a newspaper, and set out fill the gap. "It does not try to be all things to all people. It does not include anything that wouldn't interest its people. The formula is dictated by the market and the needs of the market," said Sampson.

Andrew Stroehlein, communications director of the International Crisis Group has written an article in the Christian Science Monitor to express his concerns about cuts in international media coverage, which he believes are not being taken seriously enough. Recent moves include the BBC's cuts in Paris, Moscow and Brussels and the Chicago Tribune's decision to close its bureaus in Rome and Jerusalem. Stroehlein cites two recent developments to illustrate his argument.

First is the situation in Somalia, which Stroehlein feels has been neglected in the Western media, particularly in the US. The recent attention given to the capture of a US vessel by Somali pirates focussed on the fact that "a new president with the world's largest military at his disposal could defeat a handful of lightly armed thugs," and gave little attention to the arguably more important issue at stake: that "piracy is a symptom, not the disease, and lawlessness off the coast of Somalia will continue as long as anarchy is allowed to remain on land."

The BBC's in-house magazine, Ariel, earlier this week disclosed that BBC News would be cutting its Paris envoy, as well as making similar cutbacks to its offices in Moscow and Brussels, a Guardian article reveals.

The reductions within the news arm of the BBC is part of a savings strategy that should see the corporation save about £155 million, although "the BBC is planning to plough £70m over the same period back into BBC News for new investments in areas such as foreign coverage, online and on-demand news." Included in the plans is a reshuffle of the news teams in the UK. By next April, 88.5 jobs are expected to have gone.

Thanks to Commodore Frank Bainimarama, coup leader (pictured below), Fiji is currently embroiled in a press freedom of information war, in which the media has been banned from reporting any news which may cause "disorder", "disaffection", "public alarm" or "undermine" the current military-led government.

The Guardian's Toni O'Loughlin has reported that a native of the island, Edwin Nand, was himself detained by the authorities for simply writing about the imprisonment of journalist Sean Dorney of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, who is to be expelled from the country along with two New Zealand journalists.

In an interview with the Media Guardian, Alexander Lebedev has revealed that he doesn't intend to interfere in the editorial line of the Evening Standard, explaining, "It is not polite for a Russian to interfere in British politics".  Nor does he seem to have any strong desire to profit financially from the takeover - after buying the publication for a token £1; he is preparing to invest £30 million into it over the next three years.  

He does, however make the suggestion that the Standard could be distributed in Moscow.  Lebedev has problems with the current restrictions on the press in Russia and Novoya Gazeta, the newspaper which he part owns, is one of the last remaining anti-government publications in the country.  Further extending his hand in the media industry, Lebedev has bought up two FM radio licences, one of which will become an English speaking radio station in Moscow.  Although not intending to change or affect the Standard's editorial line, Lebedev seems to intend to use his new acquisition to extend his influence in his home country.

In a move to develop its business, cultural and entertainment news content, Russia's English-language newspaper The Moscow News, a part of the RIA Novosti group, has appointed British reporter Tim Wall as its new editor-in-chief.

Wall has been working in Moscow for five years and is the former business editor of The Moscow Times. He mentioned that he is eager to make The Moscow News "an original" and "lively" news outlet that would offer "independent" and "objective" news coverage.

Two potentially revolutionary deals look set to be finalised today, and (apparently coincidentally) both will see Russian oligarchs taking the reins at long standing publications.  In the UK, Alexander Lebedev should become the first Russian to own a British newspaper when he confirms his acquisition of 76% of the Evening Standard.  Across the Channel, Alexandre Pougatchev (son of Serguei) awaits a court judgement in Lille to confirm his purchase of 85% of France Soir.

It will be interesting to see the effect that this influx of Eastern money has upon the editorial and political direction of both the newspapers.  Whilst Lebedev has promised that his influence on the Standard will be 'next to zero', speculation is already mounting.  The Russian has a history of opposition to former President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and ran, albeit unsuccessfully, against pro-Kremlin Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

The New York Times International Weekly supplement, offered in 31 newspapers from 28 countries, announces a re-launch that aims to boost readership for the "flagship" New York Times, reports Brand Republic.

The New York Times (NYT) Moscow bureau has created a Russian-language blog whose title reads "Tell the Americans and the entire world about Russia", reported Marketing Media Review.

The viewpoints featured on the blogs are translated into English and will be published on the newspaper's official site, even if the tone of the content is negative. The issues discussed in the blogs are suggested by NYT journalists and include translated NYT news stories about Russia.

 Russian bloggers had the chance to pose questions to one of Barack Obama's advisor, who answered the inquiries and studied the nearly 500 comments left on the blog.

Source: Marketing Media Review

The Federal Mass Media Inspection Service accused the St. Petersburg edition of Russian daily newspaper Novaya Gazeta of advocating hatred towards Georgians, warning the paper that it risks being shut down if it defies the media and extremism laws again.

Russian Authorities in charge of mass communication and protection of cultural heritage (Rossvyazkomandzor) called to attention the need for national media to remain within legal boundaries, in light of the recent events in Dagestan when a newspaper was shut down for supposedly promoting extremist views.

Rossvyazkomandzor pointed out that it is necessary that the media conform to the Russian Federation law that dictates that it is forbidden to use "sources of mass information" to release content that contains signs of agitation over social, racial, national or religious backgrounds. If journalists fail to do so and adhere to diffusing extremist content, "steps will be taken", reported gipp.ru.

Nadira Isayeva, editor-in-chief of Dagestan's independent weekly paper Chernovik, was accused of soliciting extremist views and prejudice. The paper quoted guerilla chief Rappani Khalilov, who accused the local the regional authorities in Dagestan and Chechnya of "corruption, robbing his fellow countrymen and enslaving themselves to the Kremlin," reported the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Robert Mahoney, CPJ's Deputy Director, said that it isn't illegal to quote guerilla leaders, mentioning that the authorities should drop the charges against Isayeva and permit her "to work "without fear of retaliation".

"There is no such law in Russia that prohibits quoting extremist leaders, and the quote--as well as the entire article--contains no calls to extremism, does not give a positive image to terrorists, nor does it incite any kind of hatred," said Aleksandr Verkhovsky, director of Sova, an independent Moscow-based watchdog for nationalism and xenophobia.

Source: gipp.ru, CPJ

See also:
Russia: Authorities close Chernovik for extremism

The Russian government continued its repressive oversight of the press Thursday, raiding the Moscow offices of the Exile, an English-language newspaper, accusing the paper of violating a media law prohibiting the publication of extremist articles.

The Exile was reputed for its strident criticism of the government, and infamous for its bold, occasionally lewd content, but it has lost several investors as a result of the investigation and now lacks sufficient publishing funds.

"It's like we've got polonium on us," said Mark Ames, the Exile's American editor. "Who will want to touch us now?"

The Exile has never been afraid to stir a little controversy; Ames' frequent articles about his late-night encounters bordered on misogynistic. And though the paper was well respected for its sharp, critical news coverage of the Kremlin, critics claimed its coarse style was out of place in Russia's maturing society.

"I find it really offensive," said Ames. "They resent the fact that we did something that wasn't supposed to be done. I'm sorry that a lot of people seem to want to dance on our grave."

Under new president Dmitry Medvedev, many Russians hoped for a more open news climate than had existed under Vladimir Putin, Medvedev's more conservative predecessor. This, however, has not been the case. During Medvedev's first month in office, the Kremlin has increased its raids on independent media organizations.

The Exile's future looks grim: the paper is struggling to keep its website alive and Ames says its print version is extinct.

"The paper's gone," he said. "It's dust and there's now way to get it going again."

Note: Russia is not alone in limiting press expression. Some of its neighbors - Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan - have introduced measures designed to restrict criticism of the government. Though the details of the measures vary in each country, all of them blur the line between the press and the government. Click here for specifics.

Also watch of video of Garry Kasparov, leader of the political party The Other Russia, speaking at the 15th World Editors Forum.

Source: Telegraph, Follow the Media

Vladimir Putin had shut down Russian paper Moskovsky Korrespondent when it reported that the president had left his wife to marry 24-year-old former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva. (Read more on our sister blog SFN). However, the tabloid's website reappeared on Monday, three days after Putin suspended operations.

Whether or not the paper will remain in publication is still in question.

Artyom Artyomov, director of National Media Company, which publishes the paper, said, "Chances that publication of this newspaper would be resumed are small."

Owner of National Media Company Alexander Lebedev said that the "reasons behind closing of the newspaper are purely economic."

Source: Moscow Times

On the morning of March 21, Ilyas Shurpaev, a 32-year-old reporter for Russian State TV Channel One who had moved to Moscow from Dagestan (a semi-autonomous Russian republic), was found stabbed and strangled in his Moscow apartment. Hours later, 58-year-old, Dagestan State Radio and TV Chairman Gadzhi (Gaji) Abashilov was machine-gunned near a shopping mall in the Dagestan capital Makhachkala.

The Moscow Prosecutor General ruled that Shurpaev's death was not linked to his professional activities of working as Channel One's Northern Caucasus reporter. But by Friday, police assumed that both killings relate to the victims' professional activities, reported Russia Today and AP.

Hours earlier, Shurpaev had written in his blog that his name had appeared on a blacklist of journalists barred from publishing in a Dagestani newspaper. Nastoyashcheye Vremya by RAI Novosti is the name for the "battle going on between journalists and the founders" of a Dagestani newspaper, which Shurpaev also wrote about in his blog.

Apparently, journalists were forced to write negative reports about Dagestan's government and president, according to Russia Today. Svobodnaya Respublica regularly publishes articles that criticize Dagistani leaders and other figures. Journalist Zaur Gaziev was beaten the same day his article mentioning Abashilov.

Ilyas Shurpaev wrote "nice" pieces on monasteries and salmon fishing, but because he wrote them in Dagestan, Chechnya and other parts of the north Caucasus, he was considered "dissident."

Gaji Abashilov had been editor of a local weekly newspaper Molodyozh Dagestana and still wrote a regular column and had hosted a TV show. In 2002 the Dagestan Bolsevik Party unsuccessfully sued him for defamation after a column was published suggesting the local Bolsevik's were neo-Nazis.

Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika, whose investigation of murdered journalist Anna Politkovskaya led to the arrest of four suspects, is personally investigating Abashilov's murder.

After his beating, Gaziev said to Novayagazeta, "...all is possible in Dagestan. Your foe's foe might organize such an attack to cross him up".

Source: Follow the Media

Natalia Morar, an investigative reporter in Moscow for the monthly independent newsmagazine New Time was barred from entry to Moscow on her return from an unrelated press trip to Israel. She was sent to her native country, Moldova without further explanations.

The Russian Union of Journalists is being evicted from its headquarters in Moscow to make space for the Russia Today television channel. The move comes less than two weeks before the union hosts the triennial World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, free press has not always been the norm in Russia. Yet newspapers have soared, and the market now counts over 400 daily titles designed for each and every taste.

The theme of the 14th World Editors Forum, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from June 3 through 6, will be  "Quality Journalism in the Digital Age." More than 1,500 publishers, chief editors and senior news executives are expected to come discuss, among others, issues of integrated newsrooms, user-generated content and quality journalism in the future at the conference, organized jointly with the 60th World Newspaper Congress.

Nadia Al-Saqqaf, Editor-in-chief of the Yemen Times, has been awarded the 2006 Gebran Tueni Award, a new prize from the World Association of Newspapers to honour an editor or publisher from the Arab region.

According to BBC Monitoring, Pro-Putin oligarch Vladimir Potanin, owner of the Prof-Media holding who in the past focused on ownership of print media and avoided TV and the internet, is reversing strategy, selling off his main newspapers and buying TV channels and websites.

Since early 2006, he has bought three small TV channels and in late October bought the big Rambler Media company, which owns the prominent internet news site Lenta.ru and the popular search engine Rambler.ru.

Traditionally, newspaper coverage – from Japan or around the world – has been focused on the United States and Europe. But now Japanese media are becoming increasingly involved in the world’s next big thing, China.

A debate about the future of the printed world in the Internet era was held this past weekend in Paris. "Cité de la russite" or the "City of Success" brought together some of the best minds in the media business in a panel entitled "Towards a new responsibility of the press."

When businessman Alisher Usmanov, reportedly close to the Russian government, acquired ZAO Kommersant Publishing House he claimed he was not going to interfere on editorial issues. Yet, the continuous buyouts of government critical media outlets by Kremlin-friendly capitals had raised concerns that the daily Kommersant would have journalists pull back on criticism.

The quality broadsheet Süddeutsche Zeitung wants to move into a relatively untapped market in Germany; the Sunday edition. If the daily goes through with the project, it would print only the fourth Sunday paper in the country after Bild am Sonntag, Welt am Sonntag and Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung.