The Broadcasting Board of Governors has condemned a decision by Russian authorities to cut off all remaining radio transmissions by US international media in Russia.
In a one sentence letter dated March 21, Dmitriy Kiselev, the director of the Russian information agency Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today), stated that “we are not going to cooperate” with the BBG’s request to continue a longstanding contract for broadcasting on Russian soil. From the end of March, this decision removes the last vestige of Voice of America [VOA] programming including news in Russian and English language lessons from a local frequency in Moscow (810 AM). This frequency also carried selected programmes from Radio France International.
“Moscow has chosen to do the wrong thing and restrict free speech,” said BBG chairman Jeff Shell. “This is a fundamental value shared by many countries around the world. The BBG will continue to reach audiences in Russia through digital platforms and via satellite transmissions.” Distribution of VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty [RFE/RL] programming in Russia reached a high point in 2005, when VOA Russian programming was distributed on a nationwide television network and both VOA and RFE/RL had extensive partnerships with domestic Russian radio stations. But starting in that year, the Russian government turned greater attention to these stations and
asked them all to reapply for their licences. And beginning in 2006, by denying the licences of the stations that reapplied and intimidating the others, Russian authorities systematically eliminated domestic radio distribution of BBG supported
programmes and almost all television distribution. In 2012, Russian authorities forced RFE/RL off its last remaining domestic radio outlet, an AM frequency in Moscow.
“We urge Mr Kiselev and other Russian authorities to open Russian airwaves to more of our programmes and those of other international broadcasters,” Shell added. “We’re asking for an even playing field: As Moscow’s media crackdown deepens, Russian media including Russia Today television, which is under Mr Kiselev’s authority enjoy
open access to the airwaves in the United States and around the world. The Russian people deserve the same freedom to access information.”
Kiselev was appointed in December 2013 to lead Russia Today. At the same time the Voice of Russia and the RIA Novosti news agency were merged into Russia Today.
Russians are increasingly turning to the internet and social media for their news. VOA’s digital strategy incorporates content across platforms. In addition to live interactives with domestic television channels, such as Russian Business Channel, VOA’s webTV
show, “Podelis”, allows users to connect and engage with the content in real time using social media. “Podelis”, which means “share” in Russian, provides a unique opportunity to engage in discussions about current events, Russian politics and US-Russia
relations. VOA’s social media following in Russia has grown significantly and visits to VOA’s website have doubled every year since 2008.
There is an abridged version of a report into the way Russians consume news in the MIPTV supplement to the AIB’s international media magazine, The Channel.