Support for independent journalism - the case of NTV in Russia

VIENNA, 2 April 2001 - Thousands of people gathered in Moscow on 31 March in support of freedom of expression. Many of the speakers at this rally underlined their concern regarding the future of NTV, Russia's only privately-controlled national television network. Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, voices his support for the journalistic independence of NTV stressing that a complete take-over by Gazprom, a state-controlled company, could mean the end of editorial independence for NTV.

Without going into all the financial issues related to the future of NTV, Freimut Duve would like to underline that an independent television network free of any control by the state or state-owned companies is of paramount importance to the future of an open and public debate in Russia. The popularity of independent stations like NTV shows that the citizens of Russia do want to have such an independent voice.

For more information contact the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel.: +43-1-512 21 45 - 0, fax: +43-1-512 21 45 - 9, e-mail: pm-fom@osce.org