DATE=1/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244758
TITLE=RUSSIA RADIO JAMMING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA IS PLANNING TO REQUIRE LICENSES FOR ALL FOREIGN
MEDIA BROADCASTING FROM ITS SOIL. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IS
CALLING THE MOVE AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE ORDER ON RUSSIA'S BUSY
AIRWAVES, NOT A RETURN TO SOVIET-STYLE CONTROLS. V-O-A'S EVE
CONANT IN MOSCOW HAS MORE.
TEXT: RUSSIA'S FEDERAL TELEVISION AND RADIO SERVICE CHIEF,
MIKHAIL SESLAVINSKY, SAYS FOREIGN BROADCASTERS MAY BE FORCED TO
SHUT DOWN BROADCAST OPERATIONS IN RUSSIA, IF THEY DO NOT GET A
PROPER LICENSE WITHIN ONE MONTH.
///SESLAVINSKY ACT IN RUSSIAN -- IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS, "WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT
DOES NOT INTERVENE AGAINST ILLEGAL BROADCASTS, THERE MIGHT BE
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES."
THE SERVICE CHIEF SAYS HE IS TRYING TO CREATE ORDER ON THE
RUSSIAN AIRWAVES AND IS FOLLOWING DIRECTIVES IN A RECENTLY
ADOPTED LICENSING LAW. HE SAYS THE RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA LAWS
CREATED JUST AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION WERE TOO
LENIENT, ALLOWING FOR WHAT HE CALLS THE ILLEGAL RE-BROADCASTING
OF FOREIGN MATERIAL (WITHIN RUSSIA) AND THE RE-SELLING OF
FREQUENCIES WITHOUT GOVERNMENT APPROVAL. ALTHOUGH FOREIGN
BROADCASTERS WERE TARGETED FIRST, MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS ALL
ORGANIZATIONS BROADCASTING FROM RUSSIA WILL BE REQUIRED TO GET
THE LICENSE. HE DESCRIBES IT AS FORMAL REGISTRATION.
MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS BEGINNING THIS YEAR, BROADCASTERS MUST
PRESENT PROGRAMMING CONTENT FOR REVIEW BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
AGENCY. HE MAINTAINS THE REVIEW IS SIMPLY TO MONITOR FOR PROPER
LICENSING, NOT TO CENSOR CONTENT.
///SECOND SESLAVINSKY ACT IN RUSSIAN -- IN FULL THEN FADE
UNDER///
HE SAYS, "WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CENSORSHIP OR SOVIET-STYLE
JAMMING, AS SOME ARE REPORTING."
AMONG THE BROADCASTERS TARGETED BY THE LICENSING ORDER IS THE
VOICE OF AMERICA. IN WASHINGTON, V-O-A PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR
MYRNA WHITWORTH SAYS THE AMERICAN NETWORK IS LOOKING INTO THE
MATTER. BUT SHE ADDS THAT SHE DOES NOT EXPECT ANY PROBLEMS AND
SAYS THE VOICE OF AMERICA INTENDS TO CONTINUE ITS BROADCASTS TO
RUSSIA.
MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS OTHER BROADCASTERS TARGETED INCLUDE
GERMANY'S RADIO DEUTSCHE WELLE, INTERNATIONAL FRENCH RADIO OF
RUSSIA, RADIO SWEDEN AND SEVERAL OTHERS. //OPT// NIKOLAI
GOLOVIN, BUSINESS MANAGER OF RADIO SWEDEN, ADMITTED THE NEW LAW
HAS HIM CONFUSED.
///GOLOVIN ACT///
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT IT,
AND SO I WAS SURPRISED AND SHOCKED AND I DECIDED TO CALL
COLLEAGUES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON.
///END ACT/// ///END OPT///
MEDIA WATCHDOG ALEXEI SIMONOV, PRESIDENT OF THE "GLASNOST DEFENSE
FOUNDATION," WORRIES THE EFFECT OF THE LAW MAY BE TO LESSEN
RUSSIAN ACCESS TO NEWS FROM ABROAD, JUST AT A TIME WHEN THE
RUSSIAN MEDIA IS BEING WEAKENED BY THE COUNTRY'S FINANCIAL
CRISIS.
///SIMONOV ACT///
A LOT OF THE FORMERLY INDEPENDENT MEDIA, OR SO-CALLED
INDEPENDENT MEDIA, STARTED APPLYING TO THE LOCAL
AUTHORITIES TO SUPPORT THEM SO THAT THEY COULD SURVIVE.
IT GAVE A PUSH TO THE PROCESS OF RETURNING THE MEDIA
INTO THE GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE.
///END ACT///
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS JUST PROMISED 10-MILLION DOLLARS
IN AID TO HELP DEVELOP THE INDEPENDENT RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA. BUT
RUSSIA'S COMMUNISTS CALL THE AID PROGRAM "CRUDE INTERFERENCE IN
INTERNAL AFFAIRS." THEY SAY THE RUSSIAN MEDIA IS ALREADY
CONTROLLED TOO MUCH BY PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND THAT THE
TIMING OF THE U-S AID COMES TOO CLOSE TO UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY
AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/PCF/ADEN/RRM
27-Jan-99 11:32 AM EST (1632 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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