Turner Buying Stake in Russian TV Network

Sonja Pace, Voice of America
April 4, 2001

U.S. media tycoon Ted Turner has announced he is buying a stake in Russia's only independent television network, NTV. This comes amid sharp protests by station employees against the takeover of the network by the state-run gas company, Gazprom.

Mr. Turner, who founded the Cable News Network, issued a statement from his headquarters in Atlanta saying he had agreed to buy a minority stake in NTV television. The U.S. media mogul says he is essentially buying the share holdings of NTV founder, Vladimir Gusinsky.

Mr. Gusinsky is in Spain, fighting extradition back to Russia on fraud charges.

Mr. Turner did not give details of the deal, but said it would, in his words, ensure the future of NTV as a free and independent media outlet. But he indicated he had not yet reached an agreement with Gazprom on control of NTV. The Washington Post quotes investors allied with Mr. Turner as saying his deal is worth some $225 million.

Reporters at NTV fear the takeover by Gazprom is an effort by Russian President Vladimir Putin to take control of the station. The television channel is known for investigative reports that frequently criticize Mr. Putin and expose alleged government corruption.

NTV's new director, Russian-American banker Boris Jordan, has promised to stay out of the editorial decision-making process. Mr. Jordan says Gazprom's decision to buy NTV was based on the station's sagging finances, not on politics.

Hundreds of journalists and supporters of Russia's only independent nationwide television station, NTV, vow to continue their protest against a takeover by the country's state-run gas monopoly, Gazprom.

Several hundred journalists and supporters remained on the job throughout the night and on Wednesday in a protest vigil at NTV headquarters.

Senior program editor, Elena Kartseva, told VOA the mood at the station is one of defiance and resistance. Speaking about the Gazprom takeover, she said, "I think we all feel like a woman must feel after a rape attempt."

Elena Kartseva says the NTV journalists are determined to prove they cannot be bought. She says there has been some talk of bigger salaries under the new management. But, she says, it is not about money.

Ms. Kartseva has worked for NTV for the past four years and is a senior editor for the weekly satirical program Itogo. She says she likes the working atmosphere at NTV, but she says she know she may have to look for another job.

The protest at NTV is against Tuesday's boardroom coup when major shareholder and creditor, Gazprom, replaced NTV's senior directors with its own new management team.

The head of Gazprom's media subsidiary, Alfred Kokh was appointed the new chairman of the NTV Board, replacing NTV founder, Vladimir Gusinsky.

Russian-American banker and financier Boris Jordan was brought in as NTV's new managing director, replacing Yevgeny Kiselyov. And, Vladimir Kulistikov was brought in as the station's new chief editor. Mr. Kulistikov is a former NTV journalist who left last year to work for state-run media.

NTV's new director, Boris Jordan said the changes were a financial necessity for a company that has been losing money and is not able to make good on its loans. He said his goal is to make the company profitable. But, he also insisted he would not be subject to political pressure.

Mr. Jordan says as general director he would not allow pressure from the authorities or shareholders to influence NTV's editorial policy.

But, few on the NTV staff are convinced. Following the Gazprom takeover, the station broke off its regular programming, showing only news programs and advertisement.

The main item has been the situation at NTV. Between newscasts, viewers are often shown an empty chair. The NTV logo at the bottom of the screen is crossed out with the word "protest" written over it.

NTV and its supporters see the Gazprom takeover as a move by the government to silence the country's only independent nationwide television channel. NTV has often run afoul of the authorities with its hard hitting programs on corruption, government policy, and the war in Chechnya, and with its criticism of the administration of President Vladimir Putin.

NTV's financial problems have long become a public issue and the station's founder, Vladimir Gusinsky, is currently in Spain fighting extradition back to Russia to face fraud charges. Mr. Gusinsky says the charges are part of the government's campaign against his media outlets.

The Paris-based journalist advocacy group, Reporters without Borders, has condemned the takeover, as have a number of Russian politicians, including former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Mr. Gorbachev said it is vital to find a way to retain NTV as an independent, responsible news outlet and he called on President Putin to step in and do something. He said it is not enough for the president to constantly state publicly that he supports freedom of speech, he needs to act.

But, NTV's ousted director, Yevgeny Kiselyov, said Wednesday he does not expect a reaction from President Putin. Instead, he accused the President of being behind the dispute.

He said President Putin started this war against NTV and he is now pretending he has nothing to do with it.

Mr. Putin has said in the past the dispute between NTV and Gazprom is a financial issue in which he would not get involved.

NTV is immensely popular and by far the most influential source of information outside of government control. At a news conference Tuesday, viewers spoke out in support of the station. Larisa Alexandrovna, 32, said she is outraged by what is happening.

She said she came to support not just NTV, but her own rights, adding 'why should anyone dictate to me what I listen to, what I watch?' She said the truth must be told. She said if NTV goes, the Russian public will get what it used to get 20 or 30 years ago under the old Soviet system.

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