[HCDX] VOICE OF RUSSIA EXPANDS BROADCASTING TO TRANSCAUCASIA

["Alokesh Gupta" <alokeshgupta@xxxxxxxxx>]

VOICE OF RUSSIA EXPANDS BROADCASTING TO TRANSCAUCASIA

During the armed conflict in South Ossetia the Voice of Russia was the only
broadcaster quickly delivering the latest news and the position of Russia to
the people of Georgia. As of now the Voice of Russia will stipulate more
airtime to broadcast to Transcaucasia.

On August 9th the Georgian authorities banned all Russian television and
radio channels and blocked access to all ru-Websites. Voice of Russia
FM-band broadcasts to Tbilisi discontinued as of the night of August 8th.
But the Voice of Russia has retained its presence on the Georgian
information space. Moscow is broadcasting to Georgia and the neighboring
regions 14 hours a day. The Voice of Russia's Commonwealth Service, which
broadcasts in Russian to post-Soviet republics and the Baltic countries, has
launched an on-line service broadcast reports by Russian news agencies and
commentaries by prominent Russian politicians and experts. Yekaterina
Yagunova is the head of the Voice of Russian press service.

The Voice of Russia increased the number of short-wave and medium-wave
transmitters to broadcast to Georgia. Besides, programs of the Voice of
Russia in Russia are retransmitted in Sukhumi in Abkhazia at the
FM-frequency of 107.9 MHz. Airtime has now been increased from 6 to 10 hours
per day. And August 8th saw the opening of the South Ossetia Website at
www.ruvr.ru which is called "South Ossetia: events and opinion" and is
available in Russian and 31 foreign languages. During the conflict the Voice
of Russia Internet audience increased by more than two and a half times.

In addition, the Voice of Russia has started a text message service, which
is available at +7 (917) 767 7845. Listeners can subscribe to a free news
service which will be available in any corner of the globe and supply timely
and unbiased information on the developments in South Ossetia regardless of
access to the Internet.

During the conflict the Voice of Russia World Service broadcast to global
audiences in 37 foreign languages. Georgia's aggression against South
Ossetia triggered a wide-ranging reaction with people sending letters,
making phone calls and texting to express concern and regret over the loss
of life and to voice hope for a peaceful settlement. Many listeners express
their gratitude to the Voice of Russia for providing an unbiased coverage of
the latest developments in South Ossetia. For many the Voice of Russia was
the only source of compete and comprehensive information on what was
happening in the region. State Duma deputy Gennady Gudkov said as he spoke
on the Voice of Russia that the broadcaster was doing the great service of
filling foreign countries up on the viewpoints they rarely hear at home.

Lada Korotun ,Voice of Russia.
----------------------------------

Alokesh Gupta
New Delhi

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