Having abolished all independent TV channels and big media outlets, the authorities launched a campaign to liquidate all independent radio stations who openly criticized the government and the President.  This year alone two of Russia’s very few objective sources of information “Radio Svoboda’s” and “Voice of America’s” broadcasts were severely curtailed. (30-JUL-06)

Text: HRH/ Moscow, Yanina Savenko. Sources: hro.org, demos-center.ru.

Moreover, Russian government forced more than 60 radio stations to stop broadcasts of “Voice of America” and “Radio Svoboda”.  From 42 stations, broadcasting “Voice of America” news in 2005, only five continue to do so now. Officials explained this situation away by violations of a licensing agreements and unapproved changes in programming formats. However, the radio stations’ managers put blame squarely on Kremlin. Furthermore, in contrast to 2005 when “Radio Svoboda” had 30 partner radio stations, today it has only four.

License revocation
Yuri DzhibladzeAdding insult to injury, September 2005 saw Ministry’s of Culture audits of the said radio stations. Officials from the Ministry, which issues broadcast licenses, insist that these checks were a routine part of their work. They also denied that their actions were an intentional attempt to take the licenses away. Nevertheless, Russian partners of the American broadcasters said that they appreciated American programming. However, they were afraid to lose the licenses if they continued broadcasting. “We’re witnessing the return to Soviet-style of governance, including preventive detentions of activists, threats, and now – taking away of broadcasting licenses. Habits remain they don’t disappear. We should remember lessons of struggle and confrontation of Soviet era, – said Yuri Dzhibladze of the Center for Developing Democracy”. 

Shrinking of objective coverege
In addition, this year time allocated to the coverage of the governments activities increased from 91% to 93%, while the coverage of the oppositions’ activity decreased from 2% to 1%. What’s more, 99% of reporting about the authorities is positive or neutral, when the opposition’s activity is reported negatively or in the best case scenario neutrally. President’s Putin official position on the subject is as follows: formerly the Russian Federation had no free press and now the situation has changed and is getting better.