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."