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ftm Radio Page - April 11, 2014

Tit-for-tat in the information war
Bullies on the schoolyard?

In a clear sign that the battle over news coverage in Russia is reaching some sort of pinnacle, the Russian Federation’s chief propagandist Dmitry Kiselev informed the US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) that the contract to carry Voice of America (VOA) in Moscow has been cancelled. “We are not going to cooperate,” said Mr. Kiselev, in a one-sentence letter to the BBG dated March 21st. In a separate comment, Mr. Kiselev referred to VOA as “spam on our airwaves.”

“We urge Mr. Kiselev and other Russian authorities to open Russian airwaves to more of our programs and those of other international broadcasters,” said BBG chairman Jeff Shell in a statement on the BBG website (April 4). “We’re asking for an even playing field,” he added, noting that Radio Voice of Russia, under Mr. Kiselev’s control, in broadcasting in New York City and Washington DC.

Mr. Kiselev is best known in Russia as a well-known fire-breathing TV talk show host, vamping on various anti-Western conspiracy theories. In December Russian Federal president Vladimir Putin elevated him to head of Russia Today, which now includes the international TV channel of the same name, news agency RAI Novosti and international radio broadcaster Radio Voice of Russia. (See more on media in Russia here)

The European Union added Mr. Kiselev to its list of Russian figures sanctioned (March 20) after the take-over of Crimea. Mr. Kiselev had planned to attend a media conference in Norway at the end of the month but the Norwegian government declined to issue a visa, reported thelocal.no (April 7). Mr. Kiselev referred to the visa rejection as restricting his freedom of speech, to Izvestia (April 4), plus it ruins his vacation. The Barents Press organization, representing journalists from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, called the Norwegian Foreign Ministry decision “a shame.”

Culture supporters call digital switch for arts channel absurd
Others say far-fetched

Digital transition for radio broadcasters has been fraught with disagreement, foot stomping, pouting and the occasional lawsuit.

Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) announced plans several weeks ago to change the platform of arts and culture channel BR Klassik from FM to DAB+ by 2016. On those FM frequencies would then appear young people’s channel BR Puls, launched last year on various digital platforms. German private sector broadcasters howled about unfair competition for the youth market but BR management held firm. (See more on digital radio here)

The latest round of complaints is coming from supporters of BR Klassik. “Who protects the public broadcasters from themselves?” asked German Culture Council (Deutsche Kulturrat) managing director Olaf Zimmermann, quoted by Abendzeitung München (April 3). “Fulfillment of the cultural and educational mission is the precondition for its existence. It is therefore almost absurd that Bayerische Rundfunk wants to turn off the main distribution channel for BR-Klassik and thus causing a massive loss of listeners.” (See more on media in Germany here)

“Bayerischer Rundfunk wants to strengthen its classical programming, point to the future and win an even younger audience for classical music,” rebutted BR radio director Martin Wagner, in a statement. He noted that one-third of all DAB receivers in Germany have been acquired in Bavaria. Both platform moves – BR Puls to FM and BR Klassik to DAB+ - are designed to attract young people to the respective channels, he argued.

German private broadcasters were touched by the candor, in a manner of speaking. Private broadcaster association VPRT radio director Klaus Schunk called the plan “far-fetched,” in a statement. (See VPRT statement here – in German)


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