INTERACTIVE:

• Go to The Russia Journal MESSAGE BOARD
• VOTE on the the government's handling of the NTV affair.
• 
  Read the earlier news about NTV from the RJ ticker.

- EU EXPRESSES 'CONCERN'
Brussels, Belgium - The European Union said Wednesday it worried about the takeover of a private Russian television network critical of President Vladimir Putin by a state gas utility saying diversity in media ownership was key to "a strong, modern democracy."
The 15-nation EU said it has watched events leading to NTV's takeover by Gazprom, a state-owned gas giant, adding it hoped the move has no "negative impact on media pluralism in Russia."
The EU "views with concern the circumstances surrounding changes that appear to have taken place at NTV," said the statement, issued by Sweden, which now holds the EU presidency.said.
"It is a well-known fact that media pluralism is essential to ensure the proper functioning of a strong, modern democracy ... (The EU) stresses the importance that any changes at NTV do not have a negative impact on media pluralism in Russia."

- GORBACHEV CALLS ON PUTIN TO INTERVENE IN NTV CONFLICT
Moscow - On Wednesday Mikhail Gorbachev called on President Putin, as the guarantor of the Russian Constitution, to intervene in the NTV affaire, according to Gazeta. Gorbachev, who is the president of the NTV Public Council, also said he is against any contacts with the newly appointed NTV management and board of directors.

- INTERIOR MINISTER: CONFLICT OVER NTV MUST BE SETTLED LAWFULLY
Moscow - Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov has said that the conflict evolving around the NTV broadcasting company "should remain and be settled within the ramifications of the law", according to Gazeta.
At a Wednesday news conference at the Interfax central office, he said that all the necessary guarantees of freedom of speech in Russia are being observed and will not be broken. He said that all the necessary ways of settling the situation exist and "there is no need to inflate it into a political issue."






THE RUSSIA JOURNAL LINKS:




NTV General Director Yevgeny Kiselyov's profile and interview, published in the RJ earlier

• Kiselyov's long journey: from Farsi, KGB to NTV
• Kiselyov interview: ‘Our job’ to inform, criticize

Earlier RJ articles on NTV, Media-Most and Media in Russia

• All eyes on Putin’s next move in Gusinsky arrest
• When two fight, the third wins
• Fight for press freedom takes a summer holiday
• Media-MOST vows to fight ruling
• Foreign investors seen as making NTV less critical
• Even foreigners’ money won’t save NTV this time
• Media-MOST to sell NTV stake
• Katya's kitchen table
• Media moguls maneuver

Earlier Media Watch columns from The Russia Journal

• Double standards in television row
• Television as a political tool
• ‘Internal editor’ at work
• All eyes on Putin’s next move in Gusinsky arrest
• Gusinsky blasts Putin, warns of 'fascist state'

EARLIER UPDATES:

- CHIEF BAILIFF DENIES PLANS OF "ARMED SEIZURE" OF NTV
Moscow - There will be no "armed seizure" of NTV offices about which the former managers of the company are so vocal about, Moscow's chief bailiff Vladimir Zhmyachkin has said. He told RIA today that allegations about NTV journalists waiting for the arrival of bailiffs accompanied by "people sporting balaklava" in Ostankino as "utter nonsense". According to Zhmyachkin, the bailiffs have no intentions to go to Ostankino to ensure that new NTV managers can replace the former leadership. The chief bailiff has emphasized that the bailiffs only obey court rulings, but not decisions of shareholders' meetings. He said that there would be "no balaklava shows" in Ostankino.

- GUSINSKY TO SELL STOCK TO CNN FOUNDER TURNER
Washington - The owner of Russia's only independent television network, Vladimir Gusinsky, has signed the ``outline of a deal'' with representatives of CNN founder Ted Turner to sell most of his stock in the company to Turner, CNN said on Wednesday.
Under the deal, Turner would acquire most of Gusinksy's, holdings, CNN said, citing a source. CNN said Turner's representative will meet later this week in Western Europe with representatives from Gazprom, Russia's state-dominated gas monopoly, which took over NTV on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the Atlanta-based cable news network told Reuters Turner was acting outside of his role as Vice Chairman of AOL Time Warner, the parent company of CNN.

OTHER LINKS:



News links

• Gazeta.ru (English)
• Strana.ru (English)
• Lenta.ru (English)
• RBC News (English)

Related links

• NTV (Russian)
• Media-Most (Russian)
• Gazprom (English)
• Rusian government (Russian)

- PRESS MINISTRY NOT TO INTERFERE IN NTV CONFLICT, SAYS JORDAN
Moscow - Russia's press minister Mikhail Lesin holds that the conflict in NTV should be solved by shareholders, without any interference of the Press Ministry, NTV’s Gazprom-appointed director general Boris Jordan told reporters after his meeting with the minister on Wednesday.
According to Boris Jordan, the minister voiced concern over the situation with NTV, however, he emphasized that “presently no administrative measures will be taken” against NTV. Jordan said he had personally asked the minister of that.
In Jordan’s opinion, the conflict may be settled through negotiations. He urged NTV’s journalist team to meet with him and hold talks. Besides, he asked Yevgeniy Kiselyov for a meeting, and added that so far the incumbent NTV director is not willing to do so.

EARLIER DEVELOPMENTS. (Read details in RJ news ticker, link in the top most block)

- LESIN INVITES JORDAN, KISELYOV TO DISCUSS NTV
- NEW NTV MANAGERS CALL EXTRAORDINARY BOARD MEETING FOR APRIL 6
- NEW NTV MANAGEMENT CONFIDENT OF SETTLING DISPUTE WITH NTV JOURNALISTS
- NTV SUPPORTERS CONTINUE DEMONSTRATION NEAR OSTANKINO TV CENTER
- POLICE DECLARES MEETING INFRONT OF NTV OFFICE ILLEGAL