The official press release from the US Embassy regarding the emergency aid to Russian media.
DRAFT: Press Release: Assistance to the Independent Media
On January 25, 1999, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced in Moscow that the United States will commit USD 10 million to fund training and support for Russia's independent media. This commitment builds on more than five years of assistance programs to promote the professionalism and financial viability of the regional independent media in Russia.
Assistance will be implemented primarily through non-profit Russian media assistance organizations selected by the U.S. Government for their expertise and extensive networks of contacts with regional Russian broadcasters and print media. Assistance organizations receiving support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will include the National Press Institute, Internews Russia, the Eurasia Foundation and other providers. The U.S. Information Agency will also expand media exchange opportunities for Russian media professionals in such areas as economic-related reporting for journalists and crisis management training for media managers.
In general, only regional non-governmental media will be eligible for assistance. Most support will involve training and related activities to promote both the short- and long-term financial self-sustainability of regional independent newspapers and television stations.
The United States Government commitment represents one component of a package of assistance from an international consortium of governmental and private donors who will make announcements about their programs when appropriate.
Contact Information:
1. Print Media
The National Press Institute (NPI) will provide crisis-related consulting assistance to independent regional newspapers in the areas of crisis management, advertising strategies, and business-related legal issues. As a matter of policy, NPI does not award direct grants to newspapers. Instead, NPI training and consulting can assist regional non-governmental newspapers to streamline their management, cut costs, increase advertising revenues, increase circulation, improve Internet applications, draft business plans and write more effective applications for bank loans to acquire needed capital infusions. NPI also offers journalism and cyberjournalism training, organizes press conferences, and provides other media assistance services.
For further information, contact: National Press Institute E-mail (best for initial inquiries): npi at npi.ru Mailing Address: P.O. Box 229, Novy Arbat 2, Moscow, 121019 TEL: (095) 245-3008 or 245-3072 FAX: (095) 246-7502
2. Electronic Media
In addition to crisis-related business management consulting, professional training, advertising sector support, and production support activities for regional independent TV broadcasters, Internews will organize additional program production and documentary competitions for public service announcements (PSA) and social issue-oriented programming. Competition details will be publicly announced, beginning mid-spring, 1999.
The financial crisis has greatly increased economic pressures on independent broadcasters, and the resulting political climate has become more difficult for the non-governmental media. Accordingly, Internews Russia will also work with a broad range of other Russian media support organizations (including the Glasnost Defense Fund, the Journalist Union of Russia, the Media Law and Policy Center, the National Press Institute, and the Standing Commission on Freedom of Information) to help research, publicize and defend press freedoms and the legal rights of independent regional media.
For further details, please contact: Internews E-mail (best for initial inquiries): info at internews.ru TEL: (095) 956-2248 FAX: (095) 956-2249 3. Eurasia Foundation Programs:
As part of its mission to promote the advancement of democratic institutions and private enterprise in Russia and other Newly Independent States, the Eurasia Foundation seeks to increase citizen participation in political and economic decision-making, including through work with media organizations. Foundation-supported media programs facilitate the creation of more effective media; increase the sustainability of media; and reduce obstacles to media development. Specific examples of programs which are eligible for Foundation support include: university-level journalism programs that instill new skills and professional standards; projects which increase advertising revenues and decrease costs of newspaper printing and distribution; and promotion of laws that guarantee access to information. In Russia, proposals are reviewed and funded through an ongoing open-door grant making process in the Foundation's representative offices in Moscow, Saratov and Vladivostok.
For further details, please contact: The Eurasia Foundation Moscow: efmoscow at eurasia.msk.ru Saratov: ef at overta.ru Vladivostok: postmaster at eurasia.marine.su
4. Media Exchange Programs with U.S. Media
The U.S. Information Service (USIS) will administer a limited number of programs designed to support Russian media. USIS does not operate grants programs and thus will not be asking for applications to receive grants. USIS assistance will take the following forms:
* Professionals in Residence: U.S. media professionals will be invited to Russia to work with Russian colleagues on emergency-related projects. Working together with Russian media institutions, USIS will focus on specific problems, such as downsizing or raising revenue. * Thematic tours to the U.S. Russian journalists will be chosen to visit the U.S. to review specific themes such as crisis management in difficult economic times. * Internship program. A limited number of Russian journalists will visit the U.S. to undertake internships at publications and electronic media outlets to understand how U.S. media organizations change in times of economic crisis. * A small portion of this allocation will be available as support for TV programs with democracy themes.
For further information, please contact:
U.S. Information Service U.S.Embassy Moscow Ms. Marina Kalashnikova Tel. (7-095) 956-4238 Fax (7-095) 255-9766