DATE=1/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244758
TITLE=RUSSIA RADIO JAMMING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA IS PLANNING TO REQUIRE LICENSES FOR ALL FOREIGN 
MEDIA BROADCASTING FROM ITS SOIL.  A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IS 
CALLING THE MOVE AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE ORDER ON RUSSIA'S BUSY 
AIRWAVES, NOT A RETURN TO SOVIET-STYLE CONTROLS.  V-O-A'S EVE 
CONANT IN MOSCOW HAS MORE.

TEXT:  RUSSIA'S FEDERAL TELEVISION AND RADIO SERVICE CHIEF, 
MIKHAIL SESLAVINSKY, SAYS FOREIGN BROADCASTERS MAY BE FORCED TO 
SHUT DOWN BROADCAST OPERATIONS IN RUSSIA, IF THEY DO  NOT   GET A
PROPER LICENSE WITHIN ONE MONTH. 

   ///SESLAVINSKY ACT IN RUSSIAN -- IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///

MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS, "WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT 
DOES  NOT  INTERVENE AGAINST ILLEGAL BROADCASTS, THERE MIGHT BE 
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES."

THE SERVICE CHIEF SAYS HE IS TRYING TO CREATE ORDER ON THE 
RUSSIAN AIRWAVES AND IS FOLLOWING DIRECTIVES IN A RECENTLY 
ADOPTED LICENSING LAW.  HE SAYS THE RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA LAWS 
CREATED JUST AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION WERE TOO 
LENIENT, ALLOWING FOR WHAT HE CALLS THE ILLEGAL RE-BROADCASTING 
OF FOREIGN MATERIAL (WITHIN RUSSIA) AND THE RE-SELLING OF 
FREQUENCIES WITHOUT GOVERNMENT APPROVAL. ALTHOUGH FOREIGN 
BROADCASTERS WERE TARGETED FIRST, MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS ALL 
ORGANIZATIONS BROADCASTING FROM RUSSIA WILL BE REQUIRED TO GET 
THE LICENSE. HE DESCRIBES IT AS FORMAL REGISTRATION.  

MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS BEGINNING THIS YEAR, BROADCASTERS MUST 
PRESENT PROGRAMMING CONTENT FOR REVIEW BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT 
AGENCY.  HE MAINTAINS THE REVIEW IS SIMPLY TO MONITOR FOR PROPER 
LICENSING,  NOT  TO CENSOR CONTENT.

   ///SECOND SESLAVINSKY ACT IN RUSSIAN -- IN FULL THEN FADE 
                            UNDER///

HE SAYS, "WE'RE  NOT  TALKING ABOUT CENSORSHIP OR SOVIET-STYLE 
JAMMING, AS SOME ARE REPORTING."

AMONG THE BROADCASTERS TARGETED BY THE LICENSING ORDER IS THE 
VOICE OF AMERICA.  IN WASHINGTON, V-O-A PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR 
MYRNA WHITWORTH SAYS THE AMERICAN NETWORK IS LOOKING INTO THE 
MATTER.  BUT SHE ADDS THAT SHE DOES  NOT  EXPECT ANY PROBLEMS AND
SAYS THE VOICE OF AMERICA INTENDS TO CONTINUE ITS BROADCASTS TO 
RUSSIA.

MR. SESLAVINSKY SAYS OTHER BROADCASTERS TARGETED INCLUDE 
GERMANY'S RADIO DEUTSCHE WELLE, INTERNATIONAL FRENCH RADIO OF 
RUSSIA, RADIO SWEDEN AND SEVERAL OTHERS.  //OPT// NIKOLAI 
GOLOVIN, BUSINESS MANAGER OF RADIO SWEDEN, ADMITTED THE NEW LAW 
HAS HIM CONFUSED.

                       ///GOLOVIN ACT/// 

         THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT IT, 
         AND SO I WAS SURPRISED AND SHOCKED AND I DECIDED TO CALL
         COLLEAGUES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON.

                   ///END ACT/// ///END OPT///

MEDIA WATCHDOG ALEXEI SIMONOV, PRESIDENT OF THE "GLASNOST DEFENSE
FOUNDATION," WORRIES THE EFFECT OF THE LAW MAY BE TO LESSEN 
RUSSIAN ACCESS TO NEWS FROM ABROAD, JUST AT A TIME WHEN THE 
RUSSIAN MEDIA IS BEING WEAKENED BY THE COUNTRY'S FINANCIAL 
CRISIS. 

                       ///SIMONOV ACT/// 

         A LOT OF THE FORMERLY INDEPENDENT MEDIA, OR SO-CALLED 
         INDEPENDENT MEDIA, STARTED APPLYING TO THE LOCAL 
         AUTHORITIES TO SUPPORT THEM SO THAT THEY COULD SURVIVE. 
         IT GAVE A PUSH TO THE PROCESS OF RETURNING THE MEDIA 
         INTO THE GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE.

                          ///END ACT///

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAS JUST PROMISED 10-MILLION DOLLARS
IN AID TO HELP DEVELOP THE INDEPENDENT RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA.  BUT 
RUSSIA'S COMMUNISTS CALL THE AID PROGRAM "CRUDE INTERFERENCE IN 
INTERNAL AFFAIRS." THEY SAY THE RUSSIAN MEDIA IS ALREADY 
CONTROLLED TOO MUCH BY PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND THAT THE 
TIMING OF THE U-S AID COMES TOO CLOSE TO UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY 
AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. (SIGNED)  

NEB/EC/PCF/ADEN/RRM

27-Jan-99 11:32 AM EST (1632 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.