Hell Hath No Fury Like Russian Women Scorned

REN TV news editor Yelena Fyodorova tendered her resignation Monday (December 5), protesting changes in the stations editorial posture since the October ownership change. She also charged REN TV management with forcing out Ms Romanova. Russian commentators have considered REN TV the only remaining “mildly” independent television channel even though its majority owners are Kremlin-connected.

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Moscow sources describe Ms Romanova’s presentation style as ranging from “outspoken” and “sarcastic” to “sloppy” and “cynical.”

Media watchers, including Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), say control over content on Russian television is firmly in the hands of the Kremlin-connected. But even Ms Fyodorova did not claim direct political influence, rather operators “self-censorship” of content that might upset the people riding around Moscow in those long black automobiles. In her resignation letter, quoted by The Moscow Times, Ms Fyodorova said she was “effectively stripped of the possibility of running the information service and controlling the content and quality of the television products.”

“I have doubts that (REN TV General Director Alexander) Ordzhonikidze and (Editor.in-Chief Ilya) Kuzmenkov have any desire to negotiate with me,” said Ms Fyodorova in an RFE/RL interview.

Ordzhonikidze was appointed CEO of OOO Media-Holding REN TV, owner of REN TV, in October when the structured sale of the channel was completed with Russian oil company Surgutneftegas and steel manufacturer Severstal Group holding 70% and RTL Group holding 30%. Ralph Siebenaler, from RTL’s strategy and development group, became CEO of REN TV and Mr. Ordzhonikidze’s chief deputy.

After Ms Romanov’s disappearance from TV became rather obvious and, for Moscow, well-reported, Mr. Ordzhonikidze told one and all that ratings were the only issue and new anchors would be auditioned.

Mr. Kuzmenkov just started his job as Editor-in-Chief on Monday, November 28. A noted Moscow public relations specialist, as is Mr. Ordzhonikidze, his first job, according to an Interfax article, was to “demand” that Ms. Romanova come up with a new program format.

Ms Romanova vowed to sue all the owners the day after security guards allegedly barred her from entering the studio (November 25). A few hours before that incident, she complained of management censorship in an interview on radio station Ekho Moscovy. A few hours before THAT incident, REN TV management informed her appearance on the TV ‘24’ show was not required.

Speaking to Interfax last Wednesday (November 30) Ms Romanova said she consulted with German lawyers. “RTL should have reacted to the unlawful actions of the station’s management, she said” Later that same day, in an interview on radio station Ekho Moscovy, she said she had accepted an offer to host a new program. A REN TV spokesperson also indicated that Ms Romanova would be offered a new program “in about three months,” more or less confirming Mr. Ordzhonikidze’s previous statement. Mr. Kuzmenkov, according to another Moscow source, told Ms Romanova to stop talking publicly about internal company matters, i.e. those security guards.

The timing of all these little events and statements is a bit confusing. Again, this is not good social dialogue.

“We have terrorists nowadays,” Mr. Ordzhonikidze told the St. Petersburg (Russia) Times explaining the presence of private security guards. “We cannot allow into the studio anyone who wants to get in.”

Indeed he may have had justifiable concern. The dispute with Ms Romanva arose from a news item stricken from her nightly commentary about an automobile accident last May involving Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov’s son in which a elderly woman pedestrian was struck and died at the scene. The case was dismissed November 21st when no witnesses came forward.

REN TV shareholders issued a joint statement regarding “news reports on the show ’24’” which “re-iterate, as previously communicated, that they do not plan to interfere, or change, the editorial line of the station.”

Hell Hath No Fury Like Russian Women Scorned

After REN TV bars the studio door, TV anchor Olga Romanova quits and vows to sue owners, including RTL Group. The station’s news director also quit and others might follow. This is not social dialogue.

Olga Romanova