Russian journalists resign over censorship issues

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent
In a growing scandal over the state of Russian press freedom, eight journalists resigned at the weekend from a radio news service to protest what they call Kremlin-ordered "censorship" that required them to broadcast good news about Russia.

Experts say the resignations, which have ironically received little coverage in Russia, are part of a wider offical crackdown on independent media. The journalists were employed by the Russian News Service, which prepares radio news spots used by hundreds of Russian regional radio stations.

In a statement to journalists, the eight complained they had been ordered to ensure at least half of all their news cast Russia in a good light and to never give favourable coverage to political opponents of the Kremlin.

"People left because there was no chance to work professionally," Mikhail Baklanov, the former RNS editor-in-chief, who was fired last month when new owners took over the news service.

"They weren't allowed to do what journalists are supposed to do." But the new director of RNS, Alexander Shkolnik, denies the allegations. "It's a lie," he told journalists.

"We cover all sides of issues in a balanced way." Sources say the troubles at RNS reflect growing official efforts to place Russia's media under state control in advance of looming parliamentary elections and next year's presidential polls to replace President Vladimir Putin.

"Freedom of the press has ceased to exist in Russia as a systematic category," says Igor Yakovenko, head of the Russian Journalists' Union (RJU). "All major TV channels, radio and newspapers have censorship and stop-lists," he says. "Everybody knows what issues may be touched upon, and which not."

Yakovenko says all independent journalists have come under pressure lately, as has the RJU, which is facing what he calls "illegal" eviction from its stateowned Moscow headquarters. Russia's State Property Committee last week served the RJU with a notice to vacate the offices, which are owned by the Kremlin news service RIA-Novosti, and hand it over to the English-language Russia Today TV network, which broadcasts pro-Russian news and views via satellite to the world.