Channel One (Russia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Channel One (Russian: Пе́рвый кана́л, Pervy kanal; IPA: ['pʲɛrvɨj kan'ɑl]) is one of Russia's most highly rated TV channels with the widest reception area. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51% of its shares. Its headquarters are in the Technical Center "Ostankino" near the Ostankino Tower, Moscow. Until 1 September, 2002 the channel was called ORT (ОРТ—Общественное Российское Телевидение, Public Russian Television). ORT was founded in 1994 to replace the Soviet Radio Televidenie Ostankino (RTO), while maintaining its traditional programs and shows, such as Vremya, KVN, Chto? Gde? Kogda?, V mire zhivotnykh and Klub puteshestvennikov. ORT began broadcasting in April 1995, with the prominent TV journalist Vladislav Listyev as its leader. The former Radiotelevidenie Ostankino (RTO) was admitted as a full active member of the European Broadcasting Union on 1 January, 1993. The membership is currently held by Channel One.

However, following Listyev's assassination in March 1995, Boris Berezovsky, the leading shareholder of ORT, took control of operations.

1 Political coverage
2 Management and shareholders
3 Channel One movies
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Political coverage

In autumn of 1999 the channel actively participated in State Duma electoral campaign by criticizing Moscow mayor Yuriy Luzhkov, Yevgeny Primakov and their party Fatherland-All Russia, major opponents of the pro-Putin party Unity. Sergey Dorenko, popularly dubbed as TV-killer, who was a close ally of Boris Berezovsky and in September 1999 - September 2000 hosted influential weekly "Sergey Dorenko's program" on Saturdays at 9pm, was especially heavy on criticism and mercilessly attacked Putin’s opponents [1][2][3]. It's social effect was undermining notion of fair journalism; Dorenko became a synonym of dirty TV campaigns.

In August 2000, however, his program criticized how the government handled the Russian submarine Kursk explosion. When Dorenko’s show was in turn suspended on September 9, 2000, ORT director-general Konstantin Ernst insisted that, contrary to Dorenko's allegations, government had not been involved in the change, and that he yanked the show because Dorenko had defied his orders to stop discussing the government's plan to nationalize media magnate Boris Berezovsky's 49-percent stake in the network. [4] [5][6]

Berezovsky claims that in 2001 he was forced by the Putin administration to sell his shares. He first tried to sell them to a third party, but failed. A close friend of Berezovsky, Nikolai Glushkov, was arrested while seriously ill, and Berezovsky gave up the shares (and, according to some sources, transferred them to Roman Abramovich's Sibneft) for the promise to release him, which was not fulfilled. [7][8] Soon after Berezovsky's withdrawal, the new ownership changed the channel's name to Pervy Kanal (Channel One). The current General Director of Channel One is Konstantin Ernst. Currently Channel One's minority shares are held by three little-known companies, ORT-KB, Eberlink-2002, and Rastrkom. Some speculate that these companies are owned by Roman Abramovich, although this claim lacks definitive proof.

Russian television media in the Putin era are being criticized for the pro-government bias. The critics charge that Channel One's news and information programs are frequently used for propaganda purposes. These critics contend that Channel One airs a disproportionate amount of stories focusing on positive aspects of official government policy, while largely neglecting certain controversial topics such as war in Chechnya or social problems. In addition, some have argued that the station's news reports often blur the line between factual reporting and editorial commentary, especially when broadcasting stories concerning Russian government policies or goals. For example, during the 2004 Ukrainian Presidential elections, many political observers believe the Russian government actively supported the candidacy of then Ukrainian Prime-minister Viktor Yanukovich. Similarly, in an October 13, 2004 news story, Channel One reporter Natalya Kondratuk declared that "the Premier [Yanukovich], as a candidate, is adding to his ratings by working on the economy and by solving current social problems; he does not use slogans; he is not criticizing his opponent; and he is not creating scandals. Yushchenko’s style of campaigning is diametrically opposite."

In another controversial example, on a January 23, 2005 broadcast, in the midst of widespread protests against a new reform of Russia's social benefits system (L'goty), a Channel One anchor opined, "you can understand, and should understand, those who went out on the streets, but you also have to understand that the old system has completely outlived its use." Later, in the same story, a reporter characterized those protesting against the reforms as political opportunists, adding, "criticizing the reform is good PR." A few days later, on January 27, 2005, as the protests continued across Russia, a Channel One reporter noted, "You can understand the elderly [protestors, but] repealing free [bus] fares was the last hope for public transport."

Similarly, on a February 12, 2005 broadcast, a Channel One anchor declared, "The key question of the week has been: how are Presidents Saakashvili (of the Republic of Georgia) and Yushchenko (of Ukraine) different? At first, it seemed the difference was only in their appearance, in all other ways, they were like characters from the film Attack of the Clones for us." Critics of Channel One news argue that hundreds of similar examples exist where station news reporters and anchors insert editorial commentary into news reports, almost always to commend perceived allies of Russia or criticize perceived enemies.

As of 2006, Vladimir Pozner, Ekaterina Andreeva, Petr Tolstoy and Mikhail Leontiev are among the most prominent political journalists of the channel.

On Sunday, January 28, 2006, Channel One news and analytical program Sunday Time (Voskresnoye vremya) hosted by Petr Tolstoy distorted the content of a speech by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko related to Russia-Belarus energy dispute to the contrary by editing it and deleting some crucial words. ([9], video (in Russian): [10], text of original speech in Russian: [11])

[edit] Management and shareholders

According to the inspection ([12]) conducted by the Audit Chamber of Russia and initiated by MP Alexander Lebedev, in 2005 the channel had the following shareholders structure and board of directors:

Rosimushchestvo – 38.9 %
ORT Bank Consortium – 24%
RastrKom 2002 – 14%
EberLink – 11%
ITAR TASS – 9.1 %
TTTs – 3%

Alexey Gromov (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Press Secretary of President Vladimir Putin)

Konstantin Ernst (Director General of the Channel One)

Alexander Dzasokhov (then President of North Ossetia-Alania)

Galina Karelova (Chairman of Russia's Social Insurance Fund)

Mikhail Lesin (Adviser to President Vladimir Putin, former Mass Media Minister)

Nikita Mikhalkov (President of Russia's Cinematographers Union)

Mikhail Piotrovsky (Director of the State Hermitage Museum)

Ilya Reznik (poet, composer)

Alexander Chaikovsky (Chairman of the Composition Department of Moscow Conservatory)

Mikhail Shvydkoi (Chief of the Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography, former Culture Minister of Russia)

ORT Bank Consortium, RastrKom 2002 and EberLink (49%) are controlled by Roman Abramovich, while Rosimushchestvo, ITAR TASS and TTTs vote on behalf of the Russian state (51%). [13]

As of 2006, the Board of Directors of the Channel One consisted of:

Sergei Naryshkin (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Minister, Chief of Staff of the Russian Government)

Konstantin Ernst (Director General of the Channel One)

Lyudmila Pridanova (Deputy Head of Rosimushchestvo)

Alexey Gromov (Press Secretary of President Vladimir Putin)

Mikhail Lesin (Adviser to President Vladimir Putin, former Mass Media Minister)

Nikita Mikhalkov (President of Russia's Cinematographers Union)

Mikhail Piotrovsky] (Director of the State Hermitage Museum)

Ilya Reznik (poet, composer)

Alexander Chaikovsky (Chairman of the Composition Department of Moscow Conservatory, Rector of Saint Petersburg Conservatory)

Mikhail Shvydkoi (Chief of the Federal Agency of Culture and Cinematography, former Culture Minister of Russia)

[edit] Channel One movies

Channel One remains the most prosperous of Russian TV channels and wields the largest budget by far. Most recently, it produced three of the highest-grossing Russian movies ever, Night Watch (2004), Turkish Gambit (2005), and Day Watch (2006).