Echo of Moscow
Echo of Moscow (Russian: Эхо Москвы, romanized: Ekho Moskvy) was a 24/7 commercial Russian radio station based in Moscow. It broadcast in many Russian cities, some of the former Soviet republics (through partnerships with local radio stations), and via the Internet. From 1996 its editor-in-chief was Alexei Venediktov.
Russian: Эхо Москвы
- Russia
- Riga, Latvia
91.2 MHz
Russian
- Gazprom-Media (66%)
- Echo of Moscow Holding (33.2%)
- Other individuals (0.8%)[1]
22 August 1990
1 March 2022
On 1 March 2022, it was taken off the air by Roskomnadzor as a result of its coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[2] On 3 March, the board of directors voted to close the station down.[3] While the radio programming of Ekho of Moscow ceased to exist, Venediktov and most of the employees began a spin-off YouTube channel, Zhivoi Gvozd' (literally "Live Nail", in Russian a rhyming pun on the common term "Live Guest"), which follows the late station's format and schedule.[4] In October 2022, Echo resumed online programming from Berlin, Germany[5] via its Echo app.[6]
Editorial independence[edit]
On multiple occasions in 2008, editor-in-chief Alexei Venediktov was asked about whether Gazprom's majority ownership affects Echo's editorial policy. Venediktov responded that shareholders including Gazprom abide by Echo's charter, which stipulates that the editor-in-chief has the final say, and though he noted that Gazprom and others attempt to influence specific coverage in accordance with their business interests, they have never sought to actively intervene in editorial decisions.[21][22] Venediktov also noted that during his tenure it has become station policy to broadcast Gazprom press statements upon request, and to always request comment from Gazprom prior to airing negative stories about the company.[22]
(in Russian)
