Yeltsin has media barons to thank for his return to power, Will Stewart writes
As Boris Yeltsin was laid low by heart surgery, news seeped out that his
power base was buttressed by seven big industrialists. Among them are
Russia’s two biggest media tycoons, Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir
Gussinsky.
Between them, they influence more than 50 per cent of Russia’s media, an
astonishing fact considering Berezovsky is now inside the government as
the deputy head of the Kremlin’s security council.
In the old days, it was said Soviet leaders could control the country by
relying on the two main newspapers, Pravda (‘truth’) and Izvestia
(‘news’), the joke being that there was no news in Izvestia and no truth
in Pravda. Today, the country has changed and Yeltsin has come to rely
on these Russian-style Murdochs. It is widely believed that the support
of their TV channels and newspapers was the biggest single factor behind
Yeltsin’s return to power.
Nicholas North, the managing director of Russian Research, which runs
the country’s largest TV audience research panel, says: ‘Their support
helped Yeltsin win the election. It was noticeable that the three main
stations - ORT, RTR and NTV - featured him in a positive light, while
other candidates were not covered much.
‘Since the election, the big channels have protected the status quo.
They are not noticeably pro-Yeltsin, but they are seeking to maintain
the current situation.’
Nor do the media moguls deny their influence. Berezovsky says: ‘I never
tried to conceal that I see ORT [Russia’s most popular TV channel] as a
powerful medium to influence people. And I’m not such an altruist that I
do not use it to defend public interests which I consider important for
us.’
Through his main company, Logovaz, and a network of associates,
Berezovsky has significant influence at the government-controlled ORT.
He holds a lot of sway at TV-6, Russia’s fastest-growing network, and at
the newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
Gussinsky owns NTV, Russia’s largest privately-owned channel, the
Segodnya newspaper and Ekho Moskvy radio. Last month he made a bid for
Izvestia. His operations are handled through his Most group, dominated
by Russia’s giant Most bank.
He and Berezovsky are also said to have stakes in Video International,
which controls all advertising airtime on three out of Russia’s four
major networks.
It all adds up to a sizeable influence over the information devoured by
Russia’s media-hungry population. For now the media barons favour the
status quo. Yeltsin must be hoping it stays that way.
Will Stewart is Moscow correspondent for the Express and runs the
East2West news agency
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GUSSINSKY’S EMPIRE
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Media Description Gussinsky’s involvement
NTV Independent TV channel. Most Group is the
Total reach in European largest shareholder
Russia: 46%. (41% of shares)
Famous for its news
and analytical
programmes
Seven Days Publications: Segodnya Most Group owns 100%
publishing house daily newspaper, of shares
circulation 50,000.
Seven Days weekly TV
guide, circulation 200,000.
Itogi weekly magazine
(joint publication with
Newsweek), circulation
50, 000
Echo of Moscow Moscow independent Most Group is the
radio station radio station largest shareholder
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BEREZOVSKY’S EMPIRE
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Media Description Berezovsky’s involvement
ORT Largest Russian TV 51% of ORT shares belong
channel with national to the state. Logovaz is
coverage. Total reach the largest non-
in European Russia: 98%. government shareholder
Known for traditional,
professional,
authoritative programming
TV-6 Moscow Independent TV network. Logovaz is the largest
Total reach in European shareholder
Russia: 23%. One of the
steadily developing TV
channels
Radio 1 Radio 1 is part of Radio Berezovsky controls
Broadcast Corporation. Radio 1 but does not own
Has almost national the station
coverage
Nezavisimaya Gazeta Independent daily Berezovsky helps the
newspaper newspaper financially
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