Russia’s “Last Independent Radio”

This chapter traces the historical development of Russia's "last independent radio" - Ekho Moskvy. The founders of Ekho Moskvy were not professional journalists. The chapter focuses on the important role the Editor-in-Chief Alexei Venediktov plays. Venediktov was not particularly interested in the beginning, so he turned up on the third day of broadcasts. The chapter discusses how the situation has changed since Gazprom-Media appropriated the majority shares in the radio station. The official history of Ekho Moskvy on their website did not deal with the period since Gazprom-Media appropriated the majority shares in the radio station and did not even mention Gazprom-Media's appropriation of shares. Gazprom-Media did not offer an explanation as to why Yuri Fedutinov was dismissed. Venediktov and the Ekho Moskvy journalists strongly objected to the dismissal. Venediktov had another memorable meeting with Yeltsin a few years later in 1997, which reveals the generally amateurish approach to journalism that characterised his first years in the profession.