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[Third Issue of the Day]
#9
Financial Times (UK)
10 January 2002
Editorial
Kremlin TV
The struggle for media freedom in Russia is murky and complicated. But it is important if the country is ever to develop into a fully fledged democracy.
In the latest twist, Boris Berezovsky, the exiled businessman linked with Boris Yeltsin, former president, is considering selling control of his television network, TV6. This follows moves by Lukoil, the big oil company, which has a stake in the network through its pension fund, to drive TV6 into liquidation.
Lukoil argues it is acting on commercial grounds. But Mr Berezovsky claims the oil company is co-operating with the Kremlin in a political attack on him and a broad assault on media freedom.
The argument echoes the row last year over control of NTV, Russia's largest non-state television channel, where Gazprom, the state-backed gas monopoly, forced out Vladimir Gusinsky, NTV's former owner, who had also upset the Kremlin and is also now in exile.
Neither Mr Berezovsky nor Mr Gusinsky is an ideal champion of media freedom. Each has in the past cynically manipulated his channels for political ends. But even they are more suitable media owners than big corporations closely linked to the state. Private owners compete with each other, however crudely, and produce a market, of sorts, in information. State ownership stifles competition and undermines the free flow of information. This is particularly true in Russia, where the state until recently had a media monopoly.
Following the chaos of the late Yeltsin years, Vladimir Putin has stabilised Russia politically and economically. But this stability has come with an increase in the Kremlin's power almost everywhere, including in the media. As an ex-KGB man, Mr Putin is not, by instinct, a democrat. He was right to reassert the Kremlin's authority. But he must not go too far. Democracy cannot flourish without a host of public and private institutions, including media organisations, competing for influence.
Mr Putin claims to understand this. He says the real guarantee of media freedom is financially secure media groups, free from control of the state or of big business. That is true. But the way forward does not lie via extra Kremlin media control. Lukoil should step aside from talks over TV6's future and Gazprom should go ahead with plans it has aired to sell NTV. After that, the Kremlin should consider privatising one of the two big state networks, ORT and RTR. Then, the necessary increase in the Kremlin's administrative authority would be matched by an expansion of institutions capable of keeping at least a modest watch on that authority.
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