03.04.09

A presidential bill guaranteeing equal state media coverage for parliamentary parties was passed by the State Duma in the first reading on Friday, March 27. There are four parties represented in parliament: United Russia, the Communist Party (CPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), and Just Russia. The bill covers state-controlled television and radio channels: VGTRK, the Vesti 24-hour news channel, RTR Planeta, the Russian version of Euronews, three radio stations (Radio Rossii, Radio Mayak, Radio Kultura), and the Rossiya state internet channel, which combines over 20 Internet resources.

Garry Minkh, the president's representative in the Duma, told lawmakers that this bill is aimed at implementing an objective set out in last year's presidential address to parliament. President Dmitri Medvedev said in his address that parties ought to have equal access to the media. The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has to develop a methodology for counting airtime and prepare an appropriate proposal. According to the bill, if the CEC detects any irregularities it will award compensation airtime to the party whose interests have been affected.

Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov told a press conference that when television news programs show lawmakers or party leaders making statements, they will have to add text indicating party affiliation; radio programs will have to add the relevant explanations. During elections, coverage of parliamentary parties will be regulated by electoral legislation, not the bill in question.

"In effect, this bill is based on the same principle that is used in the State Duma," said Gryzlov, noting that factions are given equal amounts of time to state their positions on various issues.

The CPRF faction abstained from voting on the bill, on the grounds that it doesn't trust the CEC. CPRF lawmaker Oleg Kulikov said that the CEC's reputation is "gravely damaged." Kulikov added that the president's new bill "essentially takes campaign debates in the media out of political practice."

The LDPR faction supports the president's bill. LDPR lawmaker Sergei Ivanov said: "Being optimists, we are hoping for the best." LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky is one of the most colorful television personalities in Russian politics.

Just Russia also supports the bill. Just Russia lawmaker Gennadi Gudkov described as "a step forward." He also proposed extending the equal access principle to regional and municipal media outlets, as well as those at the federal level. Gudkov alleged that television networks have "blacklists" of political figures who must not get any coverage at all. Gudkov said that according to his sources, one network's blacklist even includes Auditing Chamber Chairman Sergei Stepashin.

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Source: Vremya Novostei