Changes in Store for TV
by Yuri Bogomolov Moscow News No. 19, May 22-28, 1997

Serious personnel changes have been made in the two largest television companies recently. Famous television journalist Leonid Parfenov has been appointed general producer of NTV, and at ORT there is talk of Alexander Lyubimov (who has already left his post as the head of ViD) taking the place of Kseniya Ponomareva (head of ITA). By the way, in a telephone conversation Lyubimov did not confirm his possible crossing over to ORT, but he did not deny it either.

As one could easily guess, neither of the two events has political grounds - at least not obviously. The fact that both events occurred simultaneously is a coincidence, though it may be a symptomatic one. Trends Before, many television stars went into politics. During early perestroika, they went to representative organs with ease. Then they went into business - "creative business", as Konstantin Ernst put it in a recent interview (examples: Listyev, Lyubimov, Sagalayev, Legat, and Dibrov). Now they are becoming government functionaries (Ernst, Svanidze, Legat, Parfenov and, finally, Lyubimov).

We believe that the mobility of these people and the volatility of their professional interests can be explained by the instability of the overall situation the boundaries between creative activity, commerce, and politics are still too vague. The level of professionalism in each of these areas is too hard to be defined.

The boundaries between government service and big business are also very vague today. The transparency of those boundaries is a perfect basis for unexpected and unpredictable mutations.

Personal Ambition This factor does not seem absolutely secondary in the personnel reshuffle in ORT. The confrontation between Sergei Blagovolin and Kseniya Ponomareva was thrown out of the press some time ago. The tense relations between Konstantin Ernst and Kseniya Ponomareva, as well as the differences between Ernst and Sergei Lisovsky (who not only heads ORT advertising but is trying to take over control of music broadcasting), have long been kept as the company's internal affairs: Conflicts were skillfully extinguished and Ostankino's dirty linen was never washed in public.

The situation was still more complex because the company's administrative structure was never like a strict hierarchy. Not one among ORT's top people knew who was who's boss. therefore, everyone thought (not without reason) that if they were not at the top of the chain of command, they were just next to it. Boris Berezovsky was and still is at the top. He presses all the buttons. The fact that Ponomareva, according to our information, is not leaving her position just to go anywhere, but to the Security Council to head a group of analysts, may be indirect evidence of Berezovsky's influence.

Berezovsky may have thought that this move would eliminate the main source of tension in his TV company. How will the resignation of TV-amateur Ponomareva and the arrival of TV-professional Lyubimov affect television? Only "Vremya" will tell. A stereotype already exists that NTV shows well-produced news programs while ORT broadcasts creative entertainment. There was more than one attempt to create an ideal: Oh, if we only could add NTV's analytical news programs to ORT's entertainment programs...

ORT has been trying to overcome its inferiority complex about news programs for some time. They have tried just about everything. Kseniya Ponomareva, a professional in news programs, was invited to work. The company paid dearly to create the expensive "19.55" program. First Alexander Nevzorov, then Sergei Dorenko were invited to be analytical television hosts. Then there was the renovation of the "Vremya" program, with permanent hosts Arina Sharapova and Igor Gmyza.

For its part, NTV declared information its top priority at the very beginning. All other programs on the channel served as a background for the news and analytical programs. Sometimes, the background came out ahead, as was the case with "Kukly" and "Namedny". For a time, this coexistence of creative and documentary programs was acceptable - when NTV was on air only in evening hours on Channel 4. When NTV started broadcasting during the day, a certain inconsistency in the channel's strategy became evident. In particular, the "swing" effect became too obvious: from highly-respected programs "Itogi" and "Segodnya," to wild entertainment programs like "Imperiya Strasti." Even now, the channel may look like a gentleman donning a tuxedo and bow tie with tennis shoes on bare feet. It is clear that under intense competition from ORT, NTV bosses will have to solve the problem of forming a more harmonious image. Possibly, Leonid Parfenov has been called upon to repeat the feat of Konstantin Ernst on Channel 1 - to build a consistent broadcasting plan and fill it with the relevant content. Up until now, Ernst and Parfenov, the two friends now working for different companies, have cooperated closely and productively. They pulled off the "Pesnio Glavnom" program together. Now they find themselves in a situation of creative competition without any com-promises. At the same time, Alexander Lyubimov still has to achieve the heights in the news field that Oleg Dobrodeyev, the architect of NTVss news broadcasting, once conquered. The permanent host of "Vzglyad" never had anything to do with news programs. However, the level of mutual understanding in the ORT administration will surely rise significantly. Ernst and Lyubimov are from the same team - a team of television professionals.

The Other Perspective The situation still should be assessed from another perspective. It should be looked at through the eyes of large television companies fighting for a place in the sun (on the air, that is).

One of the reasons why ORT emerged was that growing private television companies were having problems broadcasting to the public. The three most significant television companies that helped launch ORT were ViD, ATV, and REN-TV. Later, they cooperated with ORT. In 1996, all three companies went in different directions. ATV took a big risk and proposed its material to two different channels - Channel 2 and NTV. REN-TV made plans to create its own channel, and ViD remained loyal to ORT.

Each of these three options had its pluses and minuses. ViD has the least opportunity of expanding production, since it is mostly oriented toward ORT, where the competition is especially intense.

Now, with Lyubimov taking the helm at ORT's administration, ViD will get a strong, stubborn lobbyist, and a real chance to get air time on ORT for its new projects.

The Domino Effect Reshuffling on the highest levels of the television pyramid can only result in migrations on the lower floors. New bosses entice some to go with them, while some are forced out of their long-occupied positions. Aside from that, there is another factor that causes commotion in creative and administrative minds: Another powerful federal channel, TV-Tsentr, is being created by Anatoly Lysenko.

At the same time, REN-TV has not lost hope of expanding, and it is rumored that the company has recently found a wealthy investor. Because of this, many television professionals are being enticed to switch companies. We now know that journalist Yelena Sarkisyan is leaving ViD for TV-Tsentr. Politkovsky is going there as well.

It is rumored that the group that filmed "Starye Pesni o Glavnom" is going to NTV to realize Leonid Parfenov's new project, "50 pesen o Moskve." Overall, the situation is similar to the one soccer players face in the middle of the season, when there is an energetic and intensive reformation of teams on the eve of a new round of intense competition.

Television channels are looking to catch two rabbits - commercial profit and political influence.