MOSCOW -- Some 30 people have rallied in Moscow to protest the upcoming end of medium-wave broadcasts by RFE/RL's Russian Service and its restructuring.
Kirill Filimonov, the protest's coordinator and a former intern for the service, said he was briefly detained during the protest.
RFE/RL is a private media company funded by the U.S. Congress.
Medium-wave broadcasts by RFE/RL's Russian Service will end on November 10, in compliance with a new media law restricting foreign ownership of a broadcast license.
Similar laws exist in Europe and the United States.
This has led to a restructuring of the service, including the buyouts of a number of staffers.
Addressing the changes, Julia Ragona, a vice president at RFE/RL, said: "The times and technology have changed. And we must too. As a result, RFE/RL is investing, not divesting money, in Russia to reach broader target audiences.
"Our goal is to keep the legacy of Svoboda's incredible history alive and the best way to do that is to provide more forward-leaning and interactive digital content. We believe that our new strategy, along with Masha Gessen's leadership as director, will enable us to do precisely that," Ragona said.
Kirill Filimonov, the protest's coordinator and a former intern for the service, said he was briefly detained during the protest.
RFE/RL is a private media company funded by the U.S. Congress.
Medium-wave broadcasts by RFE/RL's Russian Service will end on November 10, in compliance with a new media law restricting foreign ownership of a broadcast license.
Similar laws exist in Europe and the United States.
This has led to a restructuring of the service, including the buyouts of a number of staffers.
Addressing the changes, Julia Ragona, a vice president at RFE/RL, said: "The times and technology have changed. And we must too. As a result, RFE/RL is investing, not divesting money, in Russia to reach broader target audiences.
"Our goal is to keep the legacy of Svoboda's incredible history alive and the best way to do that is to provide more forward-leaning and interactive digital content. We believe that our new strategy, along with Masha Gessen's leadership as director, will enable us to do precisely that," Ragona said.
