Lithuania/New Supplement to Business Daily

Publicitas: New supplement to business daily Verslo Zinios

"Business daily Verslo Žinios is now taking an additional step forward. The newspaper, which is published in Lithuania, is launching a hefty, 160-page monthly supplement magazine Verslo Klase (Business Class). In addition to being distributed to the newspaper’s subscribers, nearly 2,000 copies will be printed for sale separately."

"Verslo Žinios is part of the Bonnier Business Press and Lithuania’s only business daily. It is one of the most important channels of information for many in industry. The newspaper has a steadily growing circulation, currently at slightly more than 11,000."

Russia/Media Markets

Reuters: Disney takes over Kremlin in Russian market drive

"A recent report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers said Russia's entertainment and media market is the fastest growing in Europe, surging 27.4 percent last year. That compares to flat growth in most Western developed countries."

"The Russian market including film, video, Internet products, print media, sporting events and theme parks hit $12.45 billion last year, PwC said in a study of global entertainment industry. That is just a fraction of the global $1.3 trillion market but growing fast, driven by the film and advertising industries and fuelled by higher disposable incomes on booming oil prices."

Russia/Copyrights

Interfax: Vedomosti backs news agencies' statement on copyright

"The business daily Vedomosti said it applauds a statement on intellectual property protection that was issued by Russia's three leading news agencies - Interfax, ITAR-TASS, and RIA Novosti - on Friday."

""All civilized market players understand that the intellectual property problem needs to be sorted out. I am very pleased with a statement in which these leading news agencies said that not only do they see this problem as a matter of concern, but they are also trying to join forces to find a solution to it as soon as possible," Vedomosti publisher Mikhail Dubik told Interfax on Saturday."

Russia/Copyright Lawsuits

The Moscow Times: Vedomosti Launches Copyright Lawsuit

"In one of the largest copyright lawsuits in the Russian media, Vedomosti said that it was suing online news agency RosBusinessConsulting for $9.7 million, alleging that the web site had posted 100 of Vedomosti's stories without giving the paper credit. RosBusinessConsulting, or RBC, denied the accusation, and asked Vedomosti's shareholders, three major Western publishers, to sell full control of the newspaper for $56 million."

Russia/Tv-News-Channel

The Guardian: Hacker halts Russian news channel

"A Russian computer hacker has brought down the country's first English-language news station just two days after its launch.Russia Today, a 24-hour, state-funded news channel, was launched on Saturday in a move aimed at improving Russia's image abroad.Before being forced off air on Monday, the satellite channel broadcast news packages on the Russian constitution and the new parliament in Chechnya."

Russia/TV-News-Channel

The Boston Globe: Russia reaches out to world with TV channel

"English-language, state-funded television channel went live from its Moscow studios yesterday, aiming to broadcast news from a Russian perspective around the globe."

Russia/New Law

RIA Novosti: Duma allows Public Chamber to monitor freedom of speech in media

"The lower house of the Russian parliament adopted a law in its third reading Friday that gives the Public Chamber the right to control the observance of freedom of speech in the mass media."

Bulgaria/News Corporation

The Independent: Murdoch targets Balkans for new News land grab

"Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of global media conglomerate News Corporation, is looking to Bulgaria for his next land grab. News Corp, through its subsidiary Balkan News Corporation (btv), is planning to spend an estimated £50m on bolt-on acquisitions such as radio and outdoor advertising businesses over the next months."

East Europe/Burda

The International Herald Tribune: Burda looks beyond printing

"The grease and machinery of the printing press have almost become a sideline to the tool that Burda sees as central to the next generation of publication: social software. This encompasses everything from Web logs to community-building Web sites that let readers create their own content through reviews and comments."

"Printing will not go away, but I do not plan to open a single new printing plant," Burda said. "We now concentrate on using social software to build closer relations with the communities of readers around our magazines."

Russia/Newspapers

The Guardian: Izvestia editor sacked by new owners

"The editor-in-chief of one of Russia's oldest broadsheet newspapers has been replaced by a tabloid veteran in a sign of the Kremlin's desire to silence press critics. Izvestia, which was bought in the spring by the media arm of the state-controlled energy giant, Gazprom, will be edited by Vladimir Mamontov."

Russia/Putin´s Opinion on Media Freedom

Ria Novosti: Putin says government does not want to control media

"Russian President Vladimir Putin told members of the Dutch media Monday (31.10.) that he does not have the intention, nor the possibility, of controlling the Russian media. There are currently 47,000 periodicals printed in Russia and about 3,000 radio and TV stations, the president said. "I am not even speaking about the Internet, which is developing with complete freedom, and entirely without control - and the number of Internet users is continually growing," he said. However, Putin did say Russia has significant problems with freedom of speech and that the country's rank of 138th in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom ranking should be noted."

Russia/Internet Advertising Outlook

ClickZNews: ZenithOptimedia Raises Internet Forecast

"ZenithOptimedia upgraded its outlook for Internet advertising on a global scale, saying it now expects the medium to hold a 4.3 percent market share in 2005, as compared to the 4.1 percent share it predicted in July. The company also increased its total global ad spend forecast. The nations with the highest growth rates are the "BRIC" countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, and China. The group will drive 27 percent of world ad growth for the year."

Bulgaria/"New" Business Magazine

Publicitas: BusinessWeek and CASH Media Group to Launch Bulgarian Language Edition of BusinessWeek

"Business Week, the best-selling global business magazine and CASH Media Group, a publishing company based in Sofia, have announced an agreement to publish a Bulgarian language edition of BusinessWeek. The first issue is scheduled for launch in January 2006."

"The BusinessWeek Bulgarian language edition will be published weekly and will be available on newsstands and via subscription. Editorial content will consist of selected material from the North American and international editions of BusinessWeek and original local editorial developed by CASH's journalists."

Poland/New Magazines

Publicitas: Edipresse Polska invests in parenting segment

"Edipresse Polska has launched two new parenting magazines; "Twój Maluszek" and "Przedszkolak ". Started from October 2005, 200'000 copies of Twój Maluszek will be distributed monthly for free to urban dwelling mothers with children up to the age of 2 years."

Russia/Prize for Courage in Journalism

Mediachannel.org: Russian Journalist Wins First Annual Paul Klebnikov Prize for Courage in Journalism

"The Paul Klebnikov Fund will award prominent Russian journalist Diana Kachalova the first annual Paul Klebnikov Prize for Courage in Journalism. The Prize honors the memory of the recently murdered editor of Forbes Russia."

"Diana Kachalova is the trail-blazing editor-in-chief of the weekly Moi Rayon newspaper in St. Petersburg, Russia. Moi Rayon is quite an unusual endeavor for Russia: a grass roots, independent and privately owned newspaper which publishes weekly editions in St. Petersburg’s 11 administrative districts."

Russia/Press Freedom

Editorsweblog: How a European editor experiences press freedom in Russia

"The Financial Times interviewed the Dutchmen Derk Sauer, one of the most important publishers in Russia, and asked him about the situation of press freedom in Russia. Derk Sauer is founder and chief executive of the Russian publisher Independent Media, that was bought for $ 172 million by the Finnish media group SanomaWSOY earlier this year."

"Asked for how much press freedom there is in Russia, Sauer, who has been in Moscow for 16 years now, answered: "The Russian authorities have solved the problem quite cleverly, from their perspective. They have said, 'Well, we will control TV, and the newspapers we will leave free.' Independent news on television doesn't exist. But we and some other papers can write anything, because the authorities are very practical ... The funny thing about Russia: there is complete press freedom for the informed, but none for the uninformed. The informed, the people who read Vedomosti or Kommersant and papers like that, know a lot anyway because they also see satellite TV and the internet. There is no point trying to suppress us. It would just create a fuss and international criticism. We are even an alibi for the Russian authorities. Recently Walter Mondale, the American politician, was in Moscow, and he read the Moscow Times and said: 'Gosh, what press freedom!'"

"But the press also seems to have no impact. Sauer said, "In Russia, the effect of what you publish is different from in the west: nothing happens. The role of the press only works if it is followed up. But we reveal something every week: that someone is corrupt, that the justice system has made a mistake, we reveal the craziest things. And nothing happens. Deathly silence. It is revealed that the ballot boxes were rigged in the elections. People just say, 'So you thought the elections weren't fixed?'"

Belarus/Russia/Deutsche Welle

MosNews.com: Russia Angered by Deutsche Welle Broadcasts in Belarus

"A new radio program by Deutsche Welle for listeners in authoritarian-ruled Belarus is creating tension between Berlin and Moscow, Der Spiegel magazine reported. The daily 15-minute broadcast in Russian, which can also be found on the Internet, offers information on the opposition in Belarus that is not reported by state-controlled media in the state of President Alexander Lukashenko. The EU is subsidizing the program on air with an initial amount of $110,000 annually."

Romania/New Magazines

Publicitas: Edipresse AS Romania is launching various magazines

"Edipresse AS Romania is launching, under the license of Edipresse Hymsa Spain, two more titles: Vacanta ta Perfectã (original title: Rutas del Mundo) and Lucru de Mânã (original title: Labores del Hogar) - the best-selling magazines in Spain and Portugal, on their segment.The magazine appeals to both men and women, aged 25 to 45 years, active, with urban residentes (large cities and Bucharest), high school and university graduates, higher-than-average income."

"Launched in 1926, in Spain, Labores del Hogar is the best-selling magazine in Spain and Portugal in its segment. (The circulation of the magazine in Spain: 71'757 copies).The magazines will be launched with an initial net print run of 20'000 each, with a minimum of 116 pages and an advertising rate card of 1'500 EUR/ full page."

"Computer Bild is the best-selling IT title in the German market since its launch. It is now published in Germany, Spain and Poland as well as in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Italy and Macedonia. Computer Bild is the magazine for the young, educated people interested in the latest technical products and easy to understand information about their quality and function."

"The magazine has a minimum of 114 pages and will be on the market starting 10th of October, with a net print run of 25'000 and a rate card of 1'800 EUR/page. The magazine has a CD attached in every issue at the price of 6 lei."

Russia/Weekly Newspapers

The Moscow Times: Gaidamak Takes Over Moskovskiye Novosti

"Moskovskiye Novosti, a flagship of the liberal press from the time of perestroika that is now suffering a deep editorial crisis, has an unexpected new owner. Arkady Gaidamak, a Moscow-born businessman with four passports and a controversial past, confirmed to Ekho Moskvy radio (10.10.) he had bought the weekly newspaper."

East Europe/Investigative Reporting/Internet

Journalism.co.uk: Commitment, not cash, is key to investigative journalism

"The report editor, Dutch investigative journalist Dick van Eijk, told journalism.co.uk that investigative journalism was developing a strong online presence in countries that have continued to see major assaults on press freedom since the collapse of the Soviet Union – in Russia and the Ukraine, for example."

"While only between three and five per cent of the population have access to the internet in the Ukraine, two sites became very influential in the run up to the Orange Revolution – Ukraina Kriminalna (now sold) and Ukrainska Pravda. The murder of the investigative reporter who founded Ukrainska Pravda in November 2000 sparked a political crisis."

Serbia and Montenegro/New Gossip Weekly

Publicitas.com: Sanoma Magazines launches Story

"Sanoma Magazines SMG operating in Serbia and Montenegro has launched the Serbian edition of the gossip weekly Story. The first issue of Story was presented during a launch party in the capital, Belgrade, on Tuesday 27 September. That same day Story was available on the market with a print run of 70,000 copies."

Russia/Media Consumption

RFE/RL: Television still main source of information for vast majority of Russians

"Nikolai Popov, the research director of the polling center ROMIR Monitoring, told RFE/RL's Moscow bureau on - - that three national networks -- Channel One, RTR, and NTV -- are the main source of information for 79 percent of Russians. According to a poll conducted by ROMIR on 22 September among 1,600 adults and published at rmh.ru, 21 percent said national radio stations are their main source of information, and 14 percent said regional television stations are their main source. Popov noted a sharp decline in interest in the print media, with only 14 percent saying they get their information from it. Similarly, national television has thehighest level of public trust, 44 percent, followed by national radio at 8 percent and the Internet at 5 percent. Only 3 percent of respondents trust the national newspapers. Popov noted that the sharp fall in confidence in the media is a real contrast to the beginning of the 1990s, when the print media had the highest level of public trust, and was perceived as the "lever of democracy." Now the top spot in public confidence belongs to the office of the president,followed by the church and the army, leaving the media in fourth place, Popov said, though he gave no specific figures."

Russia/New Magazines/Foreign Media Giants

Ria Novosti: Two leading Western magazines to launch Russian versions

"Two leading Western business magazines, BusinessWeek and The Economist, are set to launch Russian-language versions due to the West's increasing interest in the local market, Izvestia, a respected daily, said Thursday."

"Alexei Volin, the president of the Rodionov publishing house that would publish the Russian version of BusinessWeek, said the house's another publication, Profil, had long been cooperating with BusinessWeek."

"The Independent Media publishing house, which also publishes the Moscow Times English-language daily, would soon release the Russian-language version of The Economist, Izvestia said."

"A number of leading Western publications already have their Russian-language editions, from Newsweek to Cosmopolitan and Vogue."

Russia/Press/Moskovskiye Novosti

The Moscow Times: Gaidamak Takes Over Moskovskiye Novosti

"Moskovskiye Novosti, a flagship of the liberal press from the time of perestroika that is now suffering a deep editorial crisis, has an unexpected new owner.Arkady Gaidamak, a Moscow-born businessman with four passports and a controversial past, confirmed to Ekho Moskvy radio late Friday that he had bought the weekly newspaper."

"No details of the deal were given, and Gaidamak could not be reached Sunday. Moskovskiye Novosti had been owned by Ukrainian media magnate Vadim Rabinovich, who acquired it in July from Leonid Nevzlin, a core Menatep shareholder, who lives in Israel and is wanted in Russia on charges of fraud and tax evasion."

Belarus/Opposition Daily under Pressure

RFE/RL: Belarus´s only opposition daily under pressure from authorities

"On 28 September Belsayuzdruk, Belarus's state monopoly running a nationwide network of kiosks and newsstands, terminated a contract for the distribution of the country's only opposition daily, "Narodnaya volya," which is struggling to remain afloat after a court froze its bank account and seized newsprint demanding payment of libel damages (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 27 September 2005), Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported."

"The same day, the Minsk-based printing plant Chyrvonaya zorka annulled its contract for printing the daily. The authorities' moves against "Narodnya volya" were announced immediately after the daily transferred 70 million rubles out of the 100 million rubles ($46,500) it was obliged to pay in libel damages to lawmaker Syarhey Haydukevich, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party."

"The newspaper managed to collect the money after appealing for help to its readers. "Narodnaya volya" Editor in Chief Iosif Syaredzich told journalists that he is not sure whether the newspaper will be able to survive next month, as it has no alternative distribution network. "Narodnaya volya" has until now appeared five times per week, selling some 30,000 copies of each issue."

Hungary/Foreign Media Giants/Marketing Agency

FT: Aegis to buy Hungarian media group for €10m

"Aegis, the UK media and market research group facing a possible 140p-a-share bid from French rival Publicis, said it had bought Kirowski Rt, a Hungarian marketing agency, for up to €10m in cash.The acquisition is the latest in a series of small startegic deals for Aegis. In August, it bought Glue London, an online creative agency, for £14.7m in a deal driven by the belief that advertisers want to buy new media campaigns."

Belarus/EU/Radio Programmes


RFE-RL: EU holds another tender for radio broadcasts to Belarus.

"In November, the European Commission is going to announce a winner of its tenderfor organizing radio broadcasts to Belarus as of 1 January 2006, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported on 9 September. The winner is to obtain 2 million euros ($2.5 million) for organizing and sending radio programs to Belarus during two years. European Parliament Deputy Speaker Janusz Onyszkiewicz told RFE/RL that a bidder for the EU tender is required to have no less than 1 million listeners in former Soviet countries and report no less than 3 million euros in its yearly turnover. "This means that the tender will be decided in a circle of such giants as Deutsche Welle, BBC, Radio France International, and Euronews," Onyszkiewicz said."

East Europe/RFL-RL/Internet

The Prague Daily Monitor: Radio Free Europe looking for new methods to spread information

"The goals of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE) remain similar to those in the Cold War times and only methods and strategy are changing, adviser to the station Ross Johnson told the Czech News Agency (CTK) yesterday. RFE is marking its tenth anniversary of broacasting from the Czech capital."

"Following extending of its broadcasts to include the countries of the Middle East and Asia the station is now seeking to improve its Internet offer. Televised versions of some of its programmes have even appeared in Ukraine and Bosnia, said Johnson, adding that although there were many information channels in the world that did not necessarily mean better access to information. He said that the use of RFE's websites was rapidly growing also in such countries as Belarus, Uzbekistan or Iran, adding that spread of the information via the Internet was maybe one of the most important moments in its development, but only one of the many methods that compete with other sources of information."

Russia/The Gazprom-Media/Weekly

RFE/RL: Gazprom-media buys political weekly in St. Petersburg

"The Gazprom-Media holding company has purchased a controlling stake in
the weekly "Peterburgskii Chas pik" for an undisclosed sum,
"Vedomosti" reported on 5 September, quoting the weekly's new general
director, Aleksei Turchenko. An unnamed source at the newspaper told
"Vedomosti" that Gazprom-Media acquired 70 percent of "Chas pik"
shares, while a Gazprom-Media subsidiary called Aura now owns the
other 30 percent. A St. Petersburg-based consultant, Kirill Nikolaev,
told "Vedomosti" that the deal was likely politically motivated."

Slovenia/New Sport Daily

Editorsweblog: Second sports daily launched

"Delo, the biggest newspaper publisher in Slovenia, launched a new sports daily called As yesterday. The 24-page paper will appear Monday to Saturday, reports Der Standard. As will be a competitor to the existing sport daily Ekipa that has a circulation of about 22,000 copies and belongs to Salomon. Slovenia, which has a population of around 2 million, has now seven daily newspapers."

East Europe/News Corp./Outdoor Advertising

Reuters: News Corp. may buy out ad partner-NYT

"Media giant News Corp. is in talks to buy out the minority partner in its growing outdoor advertising business in Central and Eastern Europe for an undisclosed sum, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing a person involved in the venture."

"The unit, News Outdoors, has been built as a joint venture with the London-based private equity arm of the fund manager Capital International Inc., said the newspaper. Since 1999, the unit has been building a presence in advertising venues like billboards and bus shelters in eight countries that it refers to as "emerging Europe," said The New York Times."

East Europe/Outsourcing

Vnunet.com: Outsourcers move to central and eastern Europe

"Locations in central and eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are emerging as strong markets because of the advantages they offer in terms of cheap manpower, inexpensive real estate and sound infrastructure, a study published today has claimed."

"Analyst firm Frost & Sullivan said that the total market size of contact centres in the EMEA region was 34,674 in 2004. The market is likely to grow at a compound annual growth rate of five per cent to 44,574 by 2009."

"While the firm noted that western Europe is ' approaching saturation' in terms of agent positions, eastern Europe holds great potential to attract new business especially as the trend for outsourcing gains momentum."

"The contact centre market is expected to experience maximum growth in eastern Europe, followed by parts of the Middle East, Africa and southern Europe."

Bulgaria/PR

Sofia Echo: Advocating the need for PR

"BULGARIA’S PR industry needs to educate local blue-chip companies of the need of public relations to operate successfully, Ian Herbison, country manager of Mmd for Romania and Bulgaria, said in an interview with The Sofia Echo."

"In the past 12 months there has been a strong growth in the PR services’ market in Bulgaria, he says. ' I expect this trend to continue, as more and more businesses in this country realise the need of efficient PR for their operations.'

"He believes that there are mainly two key drivers to the success of the PR business in Bulgaria and the South-East European region and its faster development now and in the near future. The first driver for Bulgaria is related to the 2.5 billion euro foreign investment the country has registered. As more money is poured into the economy, companies are more open to options that will help them build their image and reputation."

Belarus/Radio Station

RFE/RL: POLISH PLANS TO LAUNCH RADIO BROADCASTS TO BELARUS REPORTEDLY MOVING AHEAD.

"Gazeta Wyborcza" reported on 2 September that a business plan
for creating an independent radio station to broadcast to Belarus
from Poland is to be ready by mid-September. According to the
Warsaw-based daily, Poland will ask Brussels to sponsor broadcasting
to Belarus from the sum of some 2 million euros ($2.5 million) that
the European Commission has recently allocated to support democracy
in Belarus. In August, Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka decided to
earmark 950,000 zlotys ($290,000) for the Polish nongovernmental
organizations planning to create an independent Belarusian-language
radio

Russia/Tv/Foreign Media Giants

The Guardian: News Corp fails in bid for Russian TV station

"Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has been thwarted by an oil giant in its bid to enter the Russian television market.News Corp executives held talks last month about buying a 35% stake in Ren-TV, the only remaining major television channel in Russia that is not under state control."

"The media giant, parent company of the Sun and Times newspapers as well as the Fox TV and film business in the US, wanted to gain a foothold in Russian TV for the first time, adding to the street-advertising business and popular radio station it already owns in the country."

"But today it emerged that oil group Surgutneftegas, which has strong ties with the Russian government, had agreed to buy the stake."

Russia/Radio Stations

St. Ptersburgs Times: Ekho Moskvy Celebrates 15 Years of Free Speaking

"As Ekho Moskvy radio turned 15 last week, the country’s most prominent independent-minded station was inundated with plaudits for its professionalism and dedication to freedom of speech from across the political spectrum."

"' Ekho Moskvy fulfills the function of the only objective radio station that says what is really happening in the country,' said Oleg Panfilov, director of the Center for Extreme Journalism. ' It’s difficult to find better journalists who report the news as promptly and without censorship.'

"As well as being the country’s largest private news-based station, Ekho Moskvy was also the first to adopt a talk-radio format."

"Although majority-owned by Gazprom-Media since 2001, the station remains one of the country’s last independent broadcast media, with its journalists retaining editorial independence through their blocking 34 percent stake in the company."

Belarus/Radio Broadcasts/EU

RFE/RL: European Commission To Fund Pro-Democracy Radio Broadcasts

"The European Commission said today it will start funding independent radio broadcasts to Belarus starting from 1 November. The commission has contracted the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle to carry out the program, which may also extend to the Internet. The scheme originally intended to run for one year. Officials in Brussels say the planned broadcasts are intended to increase awareness among the Belarusian population about democracy, human rights, and other issues. But pro-democracy circles in Belarus have criticized the plan, saying Deutsche Welle should broadcast in Belarusian - not Russian."

Russia/New Magazine

Yahoo! Finance: Ziff Davis Launches Foreign Editions in Brazil, Russia and Mexico

"Ziff Davis announced today that it has joined forces with several leading international media partners, Editorial Televisa, Conrad Editora and (game) Land, to launch three new foreign editions of PC Magazine and Sync. These new foreign editions, which will provide product reviews, expert advice and entertaining features, to serve the demands of IT professionals and consumers in the world's fastest growing and emerging technology markets."

"' We couldn't be more excited to extend our brands into countries as diverse as Brazil, Mexico and Russia,' " said Kristin Holmes, Vice President, International Licensing, Ziff Davis. ' With these latest international editions of PC Magazine and Sync, Ziff Davis Media's international network is stronger than ever, and the capabilities we can offer to our clients are truly global.' "

Russia/Media Landscape/Comments on Kasyanov´s comments

RIA Novosti: Opinion: Kasyanov - the messenger vs. the message

"None of Kasyanov's criticisms of Kremlin policies is new, or his own invention. However, what is more than disingenuous is the fact that Kasyanov was prime minister when almost all the ' negative tendencies' he cites were coming about."

"Kasyanov's comments on state control of electronic media, particularly television, cast doubt on his integrity. Never once did he speak out when the Kremlin wrestled control of television from Russia's oligarchs. Kasyanov's comment that 'the judiciary is increasingly servile' sounds like selective memory serving self-interests - the business groups he is associated with have been among the major beneficiaries of Russia's "servile" legal system."

Russia/Media Landscape

MosNews.com: A Blueprint for Russia

Former prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov:

"The Government and Parliament can no longer function without daily instructions and the judiciary is increasingly servile. Not even a single independent central television station exists any longer. Moreover, the state continues to increase its grip over electronic and print media. The abolition of the election of regional governors and the corresponding destruction of the municipal level of power add to the systemic crisis."

Ukraine/New Media Landscape

Eurasia Daily Monitor: Ukrainian parties scramble for media

"When the Ukrainian parliament reconvenes in early September, the March 2006 parliamentary election campaign will officially begin. Over the summer Ukrainian political parties have been energetically seeking media resources (especially television) and foreign support."

"Since Viktor Yushchenko became president, several television channels have changed hands. The big losers have been the three oligarchic clans who were the bedrock of support for ex-president Leonid Kuchma's regime and their related political parties. The Social Democratic Party-United (SDPUo) had directly controlled directly State Television Channel One, Inter, and, indirectly, 1+1. The last two channels are the largest in Ukraine."

"Channel 1 is now under Yushchenko's control. Inter's president died in June and the new CEO is likely to be Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy (Ukrayinska pravda, June 30). Khoroshkovskiy is a protégé of oligarch Viktor Pinchuk (Kuchma's son-in-law) who financed the Winter Crop Generation party that Khoroshkovskiy jointly led in the 2002 election. Under Khoroshkovskiy Inter TV will be far less confrontational toward Yushchenko than it was in the Kuchma era, when it became the main anti-Yushchenko television channel."

Russia/International tv-channel - Russia Today

Russia Today: Russia To Launch 24-Hour English News TV Channel

"Russia has launched a new, round-the-clock, English-language television news project called Russia Today. It will be broadcast in the U.S., Europe, Russia, the CIS, and several Asian states and is the first project of its kind undertaken in Russia."

"We carefully studied the experience of countries that have national networks broadcasting to foreign states. The television channels CNN, BBC World, Euronews, and Al Jazeera are well known throughout the world."

"Germany, Japan, China, Italy, Israel, South Korea, Kazakhstan, and many other countries also broadcast television shows in English. The time has come for Russia, an increasingly dynamic participant in globalization, to appear in the international television medium."

"The Russia Today channel will promptly provide information about Russia to the general public abroad, giving people the opportunity to learn about the Russian perspective of world events, forming a positive image of Russia abroad, and creating a familiar information climate for compatriots living outside Russia."

Hungary/TV

C21medianet: MTM sells TV2 stake to Hungarian start-up

"Hungary's TV2 has come under new ownership after the broadcaster's ceo Gabor Kereszty bought out MTM Communications' original stake in the joint-venture with SBS Broadcasting."

"Kereszty, together with TV2 board member, Dr Gabor Benke, has set up a new company called VT2, which has bought out MTM Communications' 16% share of the TV2 business."

Russia/Foreign Media Giants/MTG

C21Medianet: MTG lifts stake in Russian net

"The race for Russia continues, as broadcasters from Europe and beyond continue to lift their stakes in broadcasters in the burgeoning Eastern European market whenever possible."

"Scandinavian media conglom Modern Times Group is the latest, increasing its share in Moscow-based commercial broadcaster CTC Media by 3.3% to 43.1%. Through its Viasat Broadcasting arm, MTG first bought into CTC three years ago, and through local companies also controls Russian channel DTV."

Russia/International tv-news-channel

The Age: Russia's 'CNN' wants to tell it like it is

"Russia is to launch a 24-hour English-language TV news channel similar to CNN, in an effort to project an image of its own choosing across the world.It also wants to correct the 'erroneous' Anglo-American stereotypes about its people."

"A Russian CNN may sound far-fetched but the project is already well advanced, and the channel, to be called Russia Today, is expected to go on air as early as next month."

"Just like CNN, its reach will be vast. Offering a mix of international news ' from a Russian perspective' as well as domestic news, it will be broadcast on cable and satellite TV throughout Europe, the UK, the US and parts of Asia, as well as in the former Soviet Union and Russia itself. With 500 staff, including 200 journalists, it will have bureaus in London, Washington, Jerusalem and Brussels, and be based in central Moscow."

Russia/Piracy

MosNews.com: Copyright Piracy Situation Seriously Improved in Russia — Official

"Russia has been excluded from the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI) blacklist of top ten copyright violators, Alexander Romanenkov, the deputy head of Russia’s Federal Office for Media Law Enforcement and Cultural Heritage Protection announced."

"In an interview with RIA Novosti Romanenkov said that thanks to effective efforts by domestic law-enforcement agencies, Russia’s share in global music piracy has now been cut to 7.3%."

"As MosNews reported earlier, the turnover of Russian pirated music recordings exceeded $312 billion for 2004. Meanwhile, according to the IFPI official web-site IN June 2005 Russia occupied the eight position on the blacklist, led by Brazil."

Russia/Media Giants/News Corp.

Business Week: Murdoch wants part of independent Ren-TV - and the Kremlin may O.K. it

"When media mogul Rupert Murdoch and a small group of American executives met Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in St. Petersburg this June, the News Corp. chief broached a controversial issue: Was the Kremlin ever going to lift its virtual monopoly on Russia's national TV networks? For Murdoch, it was a burning question. The increasingly lucrative Russian TV market is one of the few beyond his global reach. The surprise answer from Putin: There may be room for competition after all."

"From the Kremlin's perspective, Murdoch might prove the ideal foreign investor. The Australian-born media mogul is accustomed to dealing with authoritarian regimes. In China, for instance, his satellite network Star TV stopped broadcasting the BBC in 1994 for fear of offending Beijing authorities."

"Murdoch is no stranger to Russia. News Corp. already has about a quarter of the $800 million outdoor advertising market and has investments in two Russian radio stations. Nearly two years ago the company sought to acquire a stake in the satellite arm of No. 4 broadcaster NTV, which is owned by state-controlled Gazprom, but was rebuffed. ' We've been looking closely at the Russian TV market for a long time,' says Marty Pompadur, News Corp.'s chairman for Europe."

Russia/Media giants/Gazprom

Kommersant: Gazprom Media Estimated to Be Worth $700 Million

"Gazprom yesterday completed a deal to transfer its media assets to its subsidiary Gazprombank in exchange for 100 percent of the stock in Gazoenergeticheskaya Co. The value of its media assets were estimated at more than $700 million. Experts say that Gazprom's desire to transfer those assets to its subsidiary is related to the liberalization of Gazprom stock. Gazoenergeticheskaya Co.'s main asset is 5.3 percent of the stock in RAO UES of Russia."

"Gazprom Media is the largest non-state-owned media holding in Russia. It includes controlling packages in NTV, NTV Plus and TNT television channels, several radio stations, including Ekho Moskvy, and the Seven Days publishing company. The consolidated income of the holding's companies in 2004 was $556 million."

Russia/News Corp.

The Guardian: News Corp. faces Russian bidding war

"Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation looks set to become embroiled in a bidding war with rival Russian investors as it tries to strengthen its position in the Russian media market. Local news agency Interfax reported last week that News Corp was holding negotiations to acquire a stake in Ren-TV, the only remaining major television channel in Russia that is not under state control."

"But now the original founders of Ren-TV have announced their intention to win back some control of the channel, which broadcasts to more than 700 cities and towns. A spokesman for Ren-TV said today that the station's founders, Irena and Dmitry Lesnevsky, have begun negotiating to buy back their shares in the channel just a month after selling their 30% stake."

"The size of the stake that the Murdoch empire could acquire is restricted by a law that says no foreign or Russian entity that has foreign shareholders can own more than 50% of a TV channel."

"News Corp already owns a street-advertising business in Russia and the popular radio station Nashe Radio. But if successful, a News Corp bid for Ren-TV would mark the first time the global media empire has been able to get a serious foothold in Russian television."

Russia/Newspapers



RFE/RL: NEW OWNER DISCUSSES PLANS FOR 'NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

"Konstantin Remchukov, who recently purchased the daily ' Nezavisimaya gazeta,'
told Ekho Moskvy radio on 8 August that he plans to retain the newspaper's general director, Rustam Narzikulov, and Editor in Chief Tatyana Koshkareva. Narzikulov and Koshkareva have run the newspaper since 2001, when the previous owner, Boris Berezovskii, fired Vitalii
Tretyakov, who had edited ' Nezavisimaya gazeta' since its creation in 1990."

"Remchukov said he will search for new leadership at the daily only if Narzikulov and Koshkareva decline his offer. He also praised the newspaper's current journalists, but said he plans to hire additional writers. Remchukov explained that he sees ' Nezavisimaya gazeta' occupying a market niche for ' quality interpretation and analysis,' rather than competing with major news agencies and Internet news sources. "

"Technically, Remchukov's wife, Yelena Remchukova, is the owner of the newspaper, because Remchukov's position as adviser in the Economic Development and Trade Ministry restricts his outside business activities (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 5 August 2005). However, Remchukova has not spoken publicly about the daily and appears unlikely to play an active management role. In contrast, Remchukov speaks freely in interviews about his reasons for buying the newspaper "just business," he claims, not politics and his plans. "

Source:

(RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 9, No. 149, Part I, 9 August 2005)

Russia/Weeklies

RFE/RL

"Motherland leader Rogozin on 5 August confirmed that his party will sign a cooperation agreement this month with Aleksandr Prokhanov, editor of the weekly ' Zavtra,' Interfax reported."

"However, Rogozin denied rumors that Motherland will buy the weekly or turn it into a ' party organ.' He said that ' Zavtra' is a well-known "patriotic brand" in Russia and is ' ideologically close to us.' Prokhanov also denied that the weekly is for sale, telling Interfax that ' Zavtra' is a ' sovereign publication.'"

"Prokhanov said the editorial collective decided to turn away from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF), ' with whom we very closely cooperated' over the course of a decade, toward Motherland. ' The KPRF has newspapers that are close to it, but Motherland does not have its own publication, and we consider it good to ideologically feed this young movement, which is not yet standing on its own feet.' "

Source:
(RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 9, No. 148, Part I, 8 August 2005)

Russia/Foreign Correspondence


RIA Novosti: Russia could reduce Radio Liberty's correspondent network

"The Russian Foreign Ministry may take measures to reduce the number of correspondents working for Radio Liberty/ Free Europe after its journalist Andrei Babitsky interviewed Russia's most wanted terrorist, Shamil Basayev, for U.S. television network ABC."

"A spokesman for the ministry said ABC's assertion that the interview had been broadcast at Babitsky's initiative was ridiculous."

"According to the source, RL/FE used loopholes in Russian legislation in the sector of information and immense foreign resources to create an extensive network of freelance correspondents in Russia. The spokesman said this was prohibited by Russian media laws."

"The source said the Foreign Ministry would consider the possibility of restricting the activity of the radio station's correspondents in Russia."

Russia/Mass Media Markets

Kommersant: Mass Media 2000-2004

"The media industry in Russia has grown steadily and rapidly in the last four years, primarily through growth of the advertising market. During this time, advertising revenues have nearly tripled from $1.1 billion in 2000 to $3.1 billion (forecast) in 2004. However, the growth was generally not the result of an increase in television audiences or increased circulation but of so-called media inflation – an increase in the cost of placing advertisements caused by the recovery of the market after the 1998 crisis. This is shown, for example, by the fact that the combined circulation of print media hardly increased at all in those four years and just barely exceeded pre-crisis levels, although the number of registered publications increased 1.5 times to 41 000."

Latvia/Broadcasting/Berezovsky

MosNews.com: Putin´s Critic Berezovsky Buys Tv Channel in Latvia - Paper


"Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky, once a powerful Kremlin insider and now a staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin’s policies has bought a TV-Channel in neighboring Latvia, a local newspaper Chas reported on Thursday."

"The TV5 channel changed hands in the last week on July, the newspaper reported. The channel’s PR service said that all its shares had been bought by the Bete limited liability company."

"However, the newspaper quoted some non-official sources as saying that the real buyer of the TV5 channel was Boris Berezovsky. "

"The paper wrote that Berezovsky visited Latvia’s capital Riga in February and told a news conference that he might have business interest in the country, particularly in its real estate and media sectors. ' It is very probable that some political forces in Russia want to make Latvia a center of anti-Putin opposition,' the newspaper wrote."

Estonia/Magazines

Guardian: FHM targets international markets

"Internationally, Spain is the magazine's best market. When the magazine launched there it grew to sell 250,000 copies, smashing the 100,000 circulation of DT, the previous men's market leader. The toughest market is Estonia.' We launched there about 18 months ago and that's proved to be difficult as copy sales are under 10,000, which makes it difficult to make money,' the Emap director said."

Russia/Broadcasting

RFE/RL: Government prepares state tv reforms to create ' public' networks

"The Culture and Trade and Economic Development ministries are jointly drafting legislation on ' public television and radio' that envisages the transformation of state stations into new public entities, strana.ru reported on 2 August. The draft reportedly sets out "strict obligations as far as objectivity and pluralism of information is concerned," strana.ru reported. Meanwhile, the government is purportedly preparing amendments to the Criminal and Administrative codes that will prescribe punishments for denying access to information or hampering the work of journalists, strana.ru reported."

Source: RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 9, No. 145, Part I, 3 August 2005

Russia/Foreign Media Companies/Google/St. Petersburg

MosNews.com: Google to Start Operations in Russia’s St. Petersburg, Hire 3000

"Google may set up operations at Russia’s new IT Park in St. Petersburg. ' We spoke with Google representatives, and they seemed very keen on the idea,' Russia’s deputy IT and communications minister, Dmitry Milovantsev, was quoted by the media as saying."

"Google’s partner will be the St. Petersburg-based Bonch-Bruyevich State University of Telecommunications. The Internet giant’s spokeswoman was quoted by The Moscow Times newspaper as saying ' we are very interested in Russia and are working to learn more about this important market. We will continue exploring business opportunities in Russia.' "

"Google’s operations at the new IT Park may employ up to 3,000 workers. The park is set to open as early as 2008 and will require an estimated $1 billion in investment, the dean at the university, Alexander Gogol, said. The project will be financed by federal and regional authorities, the World Bank and the tenant companies at the park."

Russia/Foreign Media Companies/News Corp.


RIA Novosti: Opinion: For Murdoch it is always money before politics

"Murdoch is no stranger to Russia's media market. News Corp is already a significant player in the street advertising sector, announcing last month that it would invest over $130 million in this very lucrative business. Two years ago News Corp was in negotiations to purchase a stake in NTV; eventually Gazprom took possession of the network."

"It is not surprising that News Corp remains keen to expand its presence in Russia. Russia's total advertising market grew 33% in 2004, to $3.85 billion. Television advertising increased 37% during the same period, to $1.7 billion. According to market experts, Russia's total advertising market is expected to expand, with television advertising growing faster than the entire sector and valued in the area of $18 billion over the next few years. Murdoch has a proven track record around the world when it comes to investing in media assets, and Russia is his next logical target."

Russia/Foreign Correspondence

Christian Science Monitor/Daniel Schorr: Russia cracks old whip at foreign press
"I felt that old déjà vu when Vladimir Putin banned ABC News from operating in Russia. It was the first official crackdown on foreign journalists since Soviet times."

"In 1958, the CBS Moscow bureau, which I'd opened, was ordered closed by Nikita Khrushchev's government, enraged over a Playhouse Ninety production, ' The Plot to Kill Stalin,' which suggested Khrushchev had been complicit in Stalin's death. We tried, in vain, to explain that CBS News had no connection with CBS Entertainment. The bureau stayed closed for two years."

"ABC's sin, in the Kremlin's eyes, was broadcasting an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, who has a $10 million price on his head. The interview was obtained by a Russian freelancer. No matter. Mr. Putin wasn't amused. The Ministry of Interior said the interview amounted to ' propaganda for terrorism.' "

See more: CNN: Basayev interview: Russia bars ABC

Russia/Broadcasting

Ria Novosti: Russia to launch science TV channel

"Russia will soon have an all-science satellite television channel of its own, based on the same concept as the Discovery channel, a prominent media figure said Monday."

"Valery Ruzin, vice president of the Eurasian Television and Radio Academy, one of the co-founding organizations, told a RIA Novosti news conference that the channel, The World of Knowledge, was being set up in association with Moscow City Hall and that it would likely begin broadcasting by the end of this year. Several private regional broadcasters, such as Ukraine's Inter, may also contribute to the project, he said."

Russia/Broadcasting

Washington Post/AP: News Corp. in Talks for Russian TV Stake

"News Corp., the global media conglomerate controlled by Rupert Murdoch, is in talks to acquire a minority stake in a Russian television station, an official close to the talks said Monday."

"Top News Corp. executives met Monday for talks with senior executives from the Russian industrial conglomerate Severstal, which owns a majority stake in the Moscow-based REN TV network, Severstal spokeswoman Olga Antonova said."

"An official familiar with the talks, who asked not to be named because the talks are in progress, said News Corp. wants to buy 35 percent of REN TV."

"REN TV broadcasts in more than 700 towns and cities throughout Russia, and its news coverage is considered liberal compared with the country's three state-controlled national channels."

"Severstal, which is controlled by metals tycoon Alexei Mordashov, purchased a 70 percent stake in REN TV from state electricity monopoly Unified Energy Systems for $100 million in July. German media company Bertelsmann AG holds the remaining 30 percent stake."

Murdoch and other top U.S. and German executives met for closed-door discussions with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg in June.

"News Corp. is one of the largest global media companies with properties including the Twentieth Century Fox movie studio, the HarperCollins book publishing unit, British satellite network BSkyB and newspapers in London, New York and Australia."

"The company is also a major player in Russia's advertising billboards market."

Poland/Springer

Bloomberg:

"Since taking charge at Springer in 2002, Chief Executive Officer Mathias Doepfner, 42, a former journalist, has beaten established competitors in new markets. The company's Fakt tabloid became Poland's most-read newspaper two months after its October 2003 debut. Doepfner more than doubled Springer's profit in the past two years to 142.9 million euros by cutting jobs and selling such units as book publisher Ullstein Heyne List."

" ' Poland shows that Springer has a very fine feeling for what readers and advertising customers want,' says Tom Shrager, a managing director at New York-based fund manager Tweedy, Browne Co., which owns 7 percent of Springer. ' Regardless of what issue he tackles, Mathias is one of those people who always wants to win.' Shrager says Tweedy Browne would support an offer for ProSiebenSat.1 if the price was right."

Read more

Russia/Int. media

RFE/RL

"The Russian Foreign Ministry on 29 July strongly condemned the U.S. ABC television network for broadcasting an interview with radical Chechen field commander Shamil Basaev, who claimed responsibility for the September 2004 Beslan school hostage taking and several other bloody raids and for whom the Kremlin has set a $10 million reward, international media reported."

"The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on 29 July that it will not deny ABC accreditation despite the announcement by Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier the same day that his ministry will boycott the network."

Russia/Internet

BBC: Number of Russian internet sites rises by over 20 per cent since start of 2005


"The number of registered internet sites in the Russian segment of the web has risen by more than 20 per cent since the beginning of the year, Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported on 30 July."

"The agency quoted data from the regional web information centre, which handles almost 70 per cent of domain registrations, which said that the number of domains rose from 305,000 to 368,000. The web information centre also said that the proportion of legal entities owning sites had fallen from 60 per cent to under half."

"Around 50 per cent of sites are registered in Moscow, and 8 per cent in St Petersburg, TASS reported. It also quoted the information centre as saying that the proportion of foreign-owned sites has risen to 3-4 per cent."

Ukraine/Media/President vs. Press

NY Times: Ukrainian Media Tests Freedom Boundaries

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) "Ukrainian media are testing the boundaries of their newly won freedoms with hard-hitting exposes on the allegedly extravagant lifestyle of President Viktor Yushchenko's son, sparking a feud with the president over what is fair game in this former Soviet republic."

"Yushchenko claims the press went too far in attacking his teenage son, while journalists are now questioning the president's commitment to freedom of the press."

''' This is a test of what kind of relationship we are going to have in Ukraine between the government and the press, and it is difficult to say how it is going to develop,' '' said Dmytro Krikun, development director at Internews, a nonprofit group that aids the formation of a free press.

Russia/Weeklies

RFE/RL: Motherland to take over nationalist weekly?

"The Motherland party's Duma faction leader, Dmitrii Rogozin, told journalists on 27 July
that his party is in talks with the national-patriotic weekly "Zavtra," published by Aleksandr Prokhanov, about "an agreement on cooperation for the next five years," polit.ru and other media reported."

"Rogozin said he doesn't want to take control of "Zavtra," but "to create a pool of independent patriotic media, the epicenter of which will be 'Zavtra.'" An accord with "Zavtra" will allow the
newspaper to preserve its independence and Motherland to regulate the publication of its materials in the weekly, he added."

"A flagship of the national-patriotic media with a strong pro-imperial and anti-Western stance, "Zavtra" was created by Prokhanov in October 1993, after the weekly "Den" was banned for supporting the Russian parliament disbanded by President Boris Yeltsin."