This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/world/europe/independent-news-station-feeling-kremlins-wrath-asks-why.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Independent News Station, Feeling Kremlin’s Wrath, Asks ‘Why?’ Independent News Station, Feeling Kremlin’s Wrath, Asks ‘Why?’
(7 months later)
MOSCOW — It is not quite clear what Dozhd, Russia’s only liberal, independent television news station, did wrong. MOSCOW — It is not quite clear what Dozhd, Russia’s only liberal, independent television news station, did wrong.
It could have been the report on a secret dacha owned by a top aide to President Vladimir V. Putin.It could have been the report on a secret dacha owned by a top aide to President Vladimir V. Putin.
Or it could have been its coverage of the political crisis in Ukraine, which officials here ascribe to the work of fascist revolutionaries and meddling Western diplomats. Or its discussions of corruption at the Olympics, which state television presents in manicured panoramas of Sochi’s sparkling new facades.Or it could have been its coverage of the political crisis in Ukraine, which officials here ascribe to the work of fascist revolutionaries and meddling Western diplomats. Or its discussions of corruption at the Olympics, which state television presents in manicured panoramas of Sochi’s sparkling new facades.
The answer, people at the station say, could be all of the above or perhaps different reasons entirely. Russia, after all, is a country where an independent television news channel is increasingly an oxymoron.The answer, people at the station say, could be all of the above or perhaps different reasons entirely. Russia, after all, is a country where an independent television news channel is increasingly an oxymoron.
But they all reject that the reason was a poll on a Sunday evening talk show late last month that asked whether the former Soviet leaders should have surrendered Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, to the Nazis “in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives” from a crippling, 900-day siege during World War II.But they all reject that the reason was a poll on a Sunday evening talk show late last month that asked whether the former Soviet leaders should have surrendered Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, to the Nazis “in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives” from a crippling, 900-day siege during World War II.
Some interpreted the survey as an attempt to question the country’s immense sacrifice during the war, a conflict that killed an estimated 27 million citizens of the Soviet Union and touched almost every family in this country, including Mr. Putin’s.Some interpreted the survey as an attempt to question the country’s immense sacrifice during the war, a conflict that killed an estimated 27 million citizens of the Soviet Union and touched almost every family in this country, including Mr. Putin’s.
Legislators from United Russia, the ruling party, claimed that the poll was unpatriotic, and the national prosecutor and the Federal Communications Agency began an investigation of Dozhd. The station’s executives said that the poll, which was pulled from the broadcast after only 12 minutes, had been posed previously by other news outlets. The negative reaction began two hours later when a group of pro-Kremlin bloggers began distributing a screenshot from the original broadcast.Legislators from United Russia, the ruling party, claimed that the poll was unpatriotic, and the national prosecutor and the Federal Communications Agency began an investigation of Dozhd. The station’s executives said that the poll, which was pulled from the broadcast after only 12 minutes, had been posed previously by other news outlets. The negative reaction began two hours later when a group of pro-Kremlin bloggers began distributing a screenshot from the original broadcast.
In the 14 days since the television station conducted the poll and then apologized for it, the channel has been condemned by the Kremlin, and by all of Russia’s major cable operators, who as of Monday will have cut off access to 80 percent of the nearly 18 million homes the channel reaches.In the 14 days since the television station conducted the poll and then apologized for it, the channel has been condemned by the Kremlin, and by all of Russia’s major cable operators, who as of Monday will have cut off access to 80 percent of the nearly 18 million homes the channel reaches.
It appears to be the most aggressive assault on an independent television station here since a state-backed energy monopoly bought the NTV station in 2001 and transformed it into a pro-government mouthpiece.It appears to be the most aggressive assault on an independent television station here since a state-backed energy monopoly bought the NTV station in 2001 and transformed it into a pro-government mouthpiece.
“If the situation does not change, we will cease to be a television station,” said Aleksandr Vinokurov, a former investment banker who finances Dozhd and is the husband of its general director, Natalya Sindeyeva.“If the situation does not change, we will cease to be a television station,” said Aleksandr Vinokurov, a former investment banker who finances Dozhd and is the husband of its general director, Natalya Sindeyeva.
Mr. Vinokurov, 43 and dressed in a button-down shirt, jeans and thick-rimmed glasses, looks like the audience he targets — young, successful, upwardly-mobile Russians, many of whom poured onto the streets of Moscow in 2011 to urge Mr. Putin to exit politics. He modeled the channel, which began broadcasting in 2010, on Fox News, a strategy that he says usually elicits gasps from Western interviewers, who do not realize that he means the Fox News business model of politically charged news, and not the station’s politics.Mr. Vinokurov, 43 and dressed in a button-down shirt, jeans and thick-rimmed glasses, looks like the audience he targets — young, successful, upwardly-mobile Russians, many of whom poured onto the streets of Moscow in 2011 to urge Mr. Putin to exit politics. He modeled the channel, which began broadcasting in 2010, on Fox News, a strategy that he says usually elicits gasps from Western interviewers, who do not realize that he means the Fox News business model of politically charged news, and not the station’s politics.
That model is now broken here. The station will have to cut nine-tenths of its staff and cease almost all of its live broadcasts if the contracts with the cable providers cannot be renegotiated, Mr. Vinokurov said, as he perched on a stool in one of Dozhd’s frosted-glass cubicles in the station’s downtown studios in a former Soviet chocolate factory.That model is now broken here. The station will have to cut nine-tenths of its staff and cease almost all of its live broadcasts if the contracts with the cable providers cannot be renegotiated, Mr. Vinokurov said, as he perched on a stool in one of Dozhd’s frosted-glass cubicles in the station’s downtown studios in a former Soviet chocolate factory.
Yet for the time being there are no negotiations, even after the station offered to broadcast at no charge.Yet for the time being there are no negotiations, even after the station offered to broadcast at no charge.
“We know that someone has pressured them, and we have our guesses, but we do not know specifically who,” Mr. Vinokurov said.“We know that someone has pressured them, and we have our guesses, but we do not know specifically who,” Mr. Vinokurov said.
“This is a bit like a hunt,” he added. “We will try to understand the political solutions for each cable operator to put us back on the air.”“This is a bit like a hunt,” he added. “We will try to understand the political solutions for each cable operator to put us back on the air.”
On a recent morning, Mikhail Zygar, Dozhd’s editor in chief, hurried about signing papers, huddling with reporters and sending off a blizzard of texts.On a recent morning, Mikhail Zygar, Dozhd’s editor in chief, hurried about signing papers, huddling with reporters and sending off a blizzard of texts.
Although Mr. Zygar said that there had always been a sense that “we would never receive the leeway that another station might receive,” the strategy would remain not to pull back on news coverage or avoid delicate topics.Although Mr. Zygar said that there had always been a sense that “we would never receive the leeway that another station might receive,” the strategy would remain not to pull back on news coverage or avoid delicate topics.
“We’ve already lost most of our viewers due to technical reasons,” he said. “We can’t risk losing the rest of them by becoming less interesting.”“We’ve already lost most of our viewers due to technical reasons,” he said. “We can’t risk losing the rest of them by becoming less interesting.”
Three nationwide cable operators that canceled contracts with Dozhd, including Tricolor TV, Russia’s largest cable operator, refused to comment for this article. Two others could not provide a spokesman, despite repeated written requests.Three nationwide cable operators that canceled contracts with Dozhd, including Tricolor TV, Russia’s largest cable operator, refused to comment for this article. Two others could not provide a spokesman, despite repeated written requests.
Previously, a member of Tricolor’s board of directors said in a statement that because of a question posed about “TV Dozhd’s politics” at a recent board meeting, the agreement between Dozhd and Tricolor was considered “unsuitable.” Rostelecom, another operator, said it would consider returning the channel to its cable package “if it restores its reputation.”Previously, a member of Tricolor’s board of directors said in a statement that because of a question posed about “TV Dozhd’s politics” at a recent board meeting, the agreement between Dozhd and Tricolor was considered “unsuitable.” Rostelecom, another operator, said it would consider returning the channel to its cable package “if it restores its reputation.”
In a recent interview with the television station, Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s personal spokesman, said that Dozhd had “crossed a moral and ethical red line” with the Leningrad poll.In a recent interview with the television station, Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s personal spokesman, said that Dozhd had “crossed a moral and ethical red line” with the Leningrad poll.
Reporters and editors at Dozhd said they believed that the station had powerful enemies seeking to close it down. But they did not expect that moment to come because of a survey held on an otherwise tame history talk show.Reporters and editors at Dozhd said they believed that the station had powerful enemies seeking to close it down. But they did not expect that moment to come because of a survey held on an otherwise tame history talk show.
“Investigations in Sochi? That’s off limits,” said Yulia Taratuta, a news presenter, who sat with a cup of coffee in an oversize black leather armchair in the station’s lobby. “Investigating someone close to Putin? Too dangerous, someone might get offended. But to think this might happen because of a historical poll? We could never have predicted that one.”“Investigations in Sochi? That’s off limits,” said Yulia Taratuta, a news presenter, who sat with a cup of coffee in an oversize black leather armchair in the station’s lobby. “Investigating someone close to Putin? Too dangerous, someone might get offended. But to think this might happen because of a historical poll? We could never have predicted that one.”
“Even if you suddenly wanted to censor yourself, you could not, because you have no idea what will evoke a reaction,” she added.“Even if you suddenly wanted to censor yourself, you could not, because you have no idea what will evoke a reaction,” she added.
The sense, above all, has been that Dozhd must save itself, which has put the station in the awkward position of reporting on its own possible demise.The sense, above all, has been that Dozhd must save itself, which has put the station in the awkward position of reporting on its own possible demise.
During one broadcast, the founder of Beeline, one of the operators that canceled its contract with the station, told Ms. Taratuta that his “soul hurt” over the situation.During one broadcast, the founder of Beeline, one of the operators that canceled its contract with the station, told Ms. Taratuta that his “soul hurt” over the situation.
“I think that everyone understands that this is not Beeline’s decision, nor the decision of the other companies, that have shut you off,” said Beeline’s founder, Dmitri Zimin.“I think that everyone understands that this is not Beeline’s decision, nor the decision of the other companies, that have shut you off,” said Beeline’s founder, Dmitri Zimin.
In a news conference last week, Mr. Vinokurov and Ms. Sindeyeva, the general director, said that the channel would not close, and that their staff would look at developing new applications for smartphones and tablets to replace some of the lost customer base.In a news conference last week, Mr. Vinokurov and Ms. Sindeyeva, the general director, said that the channel would not close, and that their staff would look at developing new applications for smartphones and tablets to replace some of the lost customer base.
“When we became television, we suddenly realized we had coverage throughout Russia, and the responsibility that comes with that,” said Denis Kataev, a culture reporter who said he joined the station because it represented his political views, which he called “extremely liberal.”“When we became television, we suddenly realized we had coverage throughout Russia, and the responsibility that comes with that,” said Denis Kataev, a culture reporter who said he joined the station because it represented his political views, which he called “extremely liberal.”
Mr. Kataev said he hoped the episode would not force Dozhd off the television airwaves, where most Russians get their news, and into the wilderness of the Internet.Mr. Kataev said he hoped the episode would not force Dozhd off the television airwaves, where most Russians get their news, and into the wilderness of the Internet.
“It’s just a different consciousness there,” he said.“It’s just a different consciousness there,” he said.