Echo of Moscow

Echo of Moscow was a round-the-clock radio station in Russia, based in Moscow. It broadcast to many Russian cities, some areas of the former Soviet republics, and online around the world. From 1996 until it stopped, Alexei Venediktov was its top editor.

On 1 March 2022, the station was taken off the air by Russian authorities, Roskomnadzor, who said it was sharing untrue stories about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Just two days later, the station's leaders decided to close it completely. But Venediktov and many of the station's team started a new video channel on YouTube called Zhivoi Gvozd, following the same style as the old station. By October 2022, the station began broadcasting again, but this time online from Berlin, Germany, through its own app.

History

Echo of Moscow became well-known during the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt. It was one of the few news outlets that spoke out against the State Committee on the State of Emergency. The station followed a simple rule: "All important points of view about events should be presented." Many popular talk show hosts worked there, sharing different ideas on social and political issues.

In 2018, the station was mostly owned by Gazprom-Media. In March 2022, the station was taken off the air after the Prosecutor-General of Russia asked for restrictions due to its coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. The station's frequencies were later used by state-run Radio Sputnik. Some former staff started new online channels to continue their work.

Editorial independence

In 2008, the main editor of Echo of Moscow, Alexei Venediktov, was asked if the station's owner, Gazprom, affected its news choices. He said that the station's rules let the editor make the final decisions. While some companies tried to influence certain stories, they did not change the station's overall policy. The station also agreed to share Gazprom's official messages when asked and would seek the company's comments before reporting negative news about it.

Frequencies

Echo of Moscow could be heard in many cities across Russia and even in Chicago in the United States. The station used different radio frequencies in each place so listeners could tune in easily.