Experts on Gazprom-Media’s change of Board of Echo Moskvy

Gazprom-Media demanded the resignation of the Board of Echo Moskvy and a change of directors, Editor-in-Chief of the radio station Alexey Venediktov said. He added that he will be dismissed with his deputy Vladimir Varfolomeyev.

Yuri Fedutinov had been Director General of Echo Moskvy since 1992 and Director general of Echo TV since 2002.

According to the charter, Alexey Venediktov will stay in his position for two years.

Alexander Makovsky, deputy head of the research center for private law of the Russian president, said that the change of board may affect the editorial policy of Echo Moskvy, Interfax reports.

Makovsky said that Gazprom-Media Holding, holder of 66% of shares of Echo Moskvy, was not the initiator of the reshuffles. It was probably a minor company.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian president, said that the process was not provoked by criticism of the radio station from Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, it was probably an inter-corporate change, RIA Novosti reports.

Echo Moskvy is a closed joint-stock company, with 66% of its shares belonging to Gazprom-Media Holding. 34% of shares belong to journalists of the radio station, Alexey Benediktov owns 18%. The Borad consists of four Gazprom directors, three from Echo Moskvy and two independent.

The radio stations has 24/7 broadcasting. It was launched on August 22, 1990. It broadcasts in Russia, the CIS, Chicago and New York. About 900,000 people listen to it daily and 46 million weekly.

Venediktov has been heading the radio station for 14 years. Yuri Fedutinov has been its Director General. He is a member of the National Association of TV and Radio Broadcasters.

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