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Russian liberal TV channel forced to quit premises | Russian liberal TV channel forced to quit premises |
(2 days later) | |
The best-known liberal TV channel in Russia has been forced to quit its rented studios in Moscow for the second time in as many months. | The best-known liberal TV channel in Russia has been forced to quit its rented studios in Moscow for the second time in as many months. |
Rain TV (Russian: TV Dozhd) is a digital channel whose output contrasts sharply with state-run media, providing a platform for alternative views. | Rain TV (Russian: TV Dozhd) is a digital channel whose output contrasts sharply with state-run media, providing a platform for alternative views. |
TV2, another private TV channel based in the Siberian city of Tomsk, faces closure at the end of the year. | TV2, another private TV channel based in the Siberian city of Tomsk, faces closure at the end of the year. |
The Kremlin has long been accused of undermining media independence. | The Kremlin has long been accused of undermining media independence. |
The issue of media freedom acquired a new urgency this year when Russia intervened in Ukraine, annexing Crimea after a controversial referendum in March. | The issue of media freedom acquired a new urgency this year when Russia intervened in Ukraine, annexing Crimea after a controversial referendum in March. |
Since then, the Russian government has been accused of waging a covert war in the rebel Donetsk and Luhansk regions, an allegation it consistently denies. | Since then, the Russian government has been accused of waging a covert war in the rebel Donetsk and Luhansk regions, an allegation it consistently denies. |
Rain TV resumed broadcasts later, and was believed to be operating partly from a private flat, with the backdrop of a family sofa. | |
A photo posted online showed the autocue inside the flat reading, "Good morning". The message on the Instagram post read: "You are watching the most domestic channel, but this is certainly not Domestic TV", in reference to another channel. | A photo posted online showed the autocue inside the flat reading, "Good morning". The message on the Instagram post read: "You are watching the most domestic channel, but this is certainly not Domestic TV", in reference to another channel. |
Managing director, Natalya Sindeyeva, said the channel would have to continue its broadcasts there temporarily. | Managing director, Natalya Sindeyeva, said the channel would have to continue its broadcasts there temporarily. |
It was asked to leave the premises of Russia's Snob magazine, owned by tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov's company Oneksim, at Moscow's Krasny Oktyabr business centre on Monday. | It was asked to leave the premises of Russia's Snob magazine, owned by tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov's company Oneksim, at Moscow's Krasny Oktyabr business centre on Monday. |
The channel had been using Snob's premises since being forced to leave its original home in the same business centre in October, after the landlord refused to extend the lease. | The channel had been using Snob's premises since being forced to leave its original home in the same business centre in October, after the landlord refused to extend the lease. |
Marina Gevorkyan, Snob's managing director, told Russia's Interfax news agency the magazine had never had a rental contract with Rain TV and had allowed it to use its studios "temporarily, until they found a permanent place". | Marina Gevorkyan, Snob's managing director, told Russia's Interfax news agency the magazine had never had a rental contract with Rain TV and had allowed it to use its studios "temporarily, until they found a permanent place". |
"We helped Rain as best we could but we also need to relaunch projects, therefore we asked them to move out," she said. | "We helped Rain as best we could but we also need to relaunch projects, therefore we asked them to move out," she said. |
Kremlin loyalists have long pushed for Rain TV, which came to prominence in 2011 during the mass anti-government protests in Moscow, to be closed down because of the reports it runs challenging the official line. | Kremlin loyalists have long pushed for Rain TV, which came to prominence in 2011 during the mass anti-government protests in Moscow, to be closed down because of the reports it runs challenging the official line. |
It incurred widespread wrath in January when it ran a readers' poll about the Siege of Leningrad during World War Two, asking if the city should have surrendered to the Nazi invaders. It later deleted the poll and apologised. | It incurred widespread wrath in January when it ran a readers' poll about the Siege of Leningrad during World War Two, asking if the city should have surrendered to the Nazi invaders. It later deleted the poll and apologised. |
Only this weekend, it featured a debate about Russia's future with former prisoner and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky. | Only this weekend, it featured a debate about Russia's future with former prisoner and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky. |
Broadcasting since 1991, TV2 is one of Russia's oldest private TV channels and considered by some to be the country's last politically independent television broadcaster. | Broadcasting since 1991, TV2 is one of Russia's oldest private TV channels and considered by some to be the country's last politically independent television broadcaster. |
The regional branch of the Russian state TV company, which transmits its signal, has announced it will not be extending its broadcast licence. | The regional branch of the Russian state TV company, which transmits its signal, has announced it will not be extending its broadcast licence. |
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