The only TV channel in Russia that aired a fascist parade video over the Kremlin’s objections is RenTV. It’s actually not the channel that is so brave, it’s one particular journalist, creator of the “24” program, Olga Romanova.
The Kremlin has asked RenTV quite a few times to cool down the rhetoric and not to be as critical of Mr. Putin and the government; RenTV has passed these concerns to Olga Romanova, but the lady just would not stop being a free journalist. All this led to quite interesting events: the “24” program was abolished, Ms. Romanova was blocked from entering the studio just a few minutes before going on the air by three armed guards, and the chief editor of the channel was fired.
The new chief editor, Ilya Kuzmenkov, ordered Olga Romanova to stop leaking corporate information about events at the channel (Olga told the media about being locked out of the studio), and to create a new news program that would have “interesting and appropriate” content.
While Olga Romanova couldn’t find any support from the major TV channels, she sent all the information to the online independent newspapers, and told them that for the past two days her car has been followed by a black Audi, and the same three guards were following her everywhere around the building. When she shared this information, the Audi disappeared, but the guards stayed.
Olga thinks that nothing will happen to her, but that the government will continue to try to intimidate her until she resigns, to make everything look legally correct for her employers.
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PYA
Posted by: ruddy ratheau | October 5, 2006 5:19 AM