RUSSIA: JOURNALISTS AND TOP EXECUTIVES OF NTV CONTINUE THEIR PROTEST AGAINST TAKE-OVER BY STATE-DOMINATED GAS FIRM "GAZPROM"

Record ID: 648725

  • Title: RUSSIA: JOURNALISTS AND TOP EXECUTIVES OF NTV CONTINUE THEIR PROTEST AGAINST TAKE-OVER BY STATE-DOMINATED GAS FIRM "GAZPROM"
  • Date: 4th April 2001
  • Summary: (W6) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (APRIL 4, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MV: JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE MINISTRY OF PRESS BUILDING 0.05 2. SV: BORIS JORDAN, NEWLY APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF NTV WALKING INTO BUILDING 0.14 3. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BORIS JORDAN: "I expected this to be difficult and I understood that this is going to be difficult. This I believe is a very important matter. I was watching the situation on NTV for several months, I understood the conflict was worsening and I also understood if someone didn't step in to try and mediate between the shareholders, that could guarantee the freedom of the press -- this company will be taken over and it would be questionable as to what the future of it would be." 0.49 4. SV: BORIS JORDAN SURROUNDED BY PRESS 0.53 5. VARIOUS OF NTV SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE OSTANKINO TV CENTRE 1.00 6. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOSCOW RESIDENT TATYANA: "A man who was brought by the Soviet KGB - he simply can't think differently. He needs to make everyone grey, similar and obedient. And he formed his team from people like this. If NTV is closed - it will become impossible for normal people to live in this country." 1.20 7. SLV: NTV VAN WITH DISH OUTSIDE OSTANKINO, BEHIND FENCE 1.26 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LYUDMILA, MOSCOVITE: "I think of course money is involved here, but it's just the facade. The real conflict is a political one. NTV is a company which tries to be independent, and we as the audience feel it. Yes, I think it's a political process." 1.45 9. SV/WS: CROWD OF NTV SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE OSTANKINO TV CENTRE/ POLICE (2 SHOTS) 1.59 10. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TATYANA MITKOVA, NTV NEWSREADER WALKING THROUGH CORRIDOR SAYING: "We are working as we did before. I think that our obligation is to do that we are supposed to do - to broadcast news to people. And I think as long as nobody and nothing interferes with this process - that's what we will be doing." 2.22 11. SCU: SIGN READING :"STAFF ONLY. FOR KOKH AND JORDAN ENTRY IS NOT PERMITTED" 2.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVAEK9E0CXNNE60XFTC75PEIY073
  • Story Text: Journalists and top executives at Russia's only
    independent television station NTV have continued their
    protest against a takeover by a state-dominated gas firm amid
    claims by the newly appointed management that it will defend
    the freedom of speech and that its only goal is the financial
    revival of the company.



    Boris Jordan, former US banker and newly appointed NTV
    director general said on Wednesday (April 4) that his main
    priority would be to defend the freedom of speech and to
    secure financial revival of NTV.

    "I was watching the situation on NTV for several months, I
    understood the conflict was worsening and I also understood if
    someone didn't step in to try and mediate between the
    shareholders, that could guarantee the freedom of the press --
    this company will be taken over and it would be questionable
    as to what the future of it would be,"
    said Jordan after meeting the Russian press and information
    minister Mikhail Lesin.

    Hundreds of people gathered outside Moscow's Ostankino
    television centre, where NTV's headquarters is located. People
    expressed their support for NTV and fear that freedom of
    speech in Russia was in danger.

    "A man who was brought by the Soviet KGB - he simply can't
    think differently. He needs to make everyone grey, similar and
    obedient. And he formed his team from people like this. If NTV
    is closed - it will become impossible for normal people to
    live in this country, " said Moscovite Tatyana.

    NTV journalists spent all night at the station, fearing
    Gazprom's media arm would try to impose the new management
    team by force.

    NTV dropped its usual programme of soap operas, films and
    light entertainment and showed a caption in stark white
    letters explaining that "in protest at the illegal attempt to
    change the board of NTV, only news programmes will be
    broadcast".

    "We are working as we did before. I think that our
    obligation is to do what we are supposed to do - to broadcast
    news to people. And I think as long as nobody and nothing
    interferes with this process - that's what we will be
    doing,"said popular NTV newsreader Tatyana Mitkova.

    The network accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a
    boardroom coup by Gazprom which saw its allies take key
    positions and oust NTV's founder Vladimir Gusinsky.

    The media magnate, fighting extradition from Spain on
    fraud charges he says are part of the clampdown on his media,
    has tried to stall Gazprom's takeover plans by attracting
    international investment in NTV.

    CNN quoted a source as saying CNN founder, Ted Turner, and
    Gusinsky had clinched an outline deal. Gusinsky's Media-Most
    holding company said it had no details of the accord, but the
    Washington Post cited sources as saying it was worth 225
    million U.S. dollars.

    NTV is by far the most influential source of information
    outside Kremlin control.
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