RFE/RL’s Current Time Russian-language TV celebrates five years—despite incessant Kremlin attacks – USAGM

RFE/RL’s Current Time Russian-language TV celebrates five years—despite incessant Kremlin attacks

February 8, 2022

Washington, D.C. — Since its formal launch as a 24/7 TV channel on February 7, 2017, Current Time’s mission has been to bring real news to Russian-speaking audiences everywhere. Five years on, Current Time has established itself as a popular alternative to Kremlin-sponsored media, despite near-constant harassment of the channel and its journalists by Russian authorities.

Said RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly, “Current Time was established to reach Russian-speaking audiences seeking honest news and information and unfortunately, as the Kremlin attempts to censor information, the need for Current Time is greater than ever. RFE/RL looks forward to many more years of growth and engagement with Current Time’s audiences in Russia and around the world.”

Pavel Butorin, director of Current Time since 2018, stressed the channel’s role in providing balanced reporting of issues that matter to its audiences. Said Butorin, “We don’t tell our audience what to think. Instead, we engage all sides of a debate and give voice to those who are too often silenced or ignored by authorities or government-friendly media.”

Current Time has been under attack from the Kremlin since the channel began. Current Time was designated as a foreign agent in December 2017, less than one year after its formal launch, and two Current Time journalists have been named as individual “foreign agents.” Current Time was forced to move production of some of its programs outside of Russia after authorities threatened to shut down RFE/RL’s Moscow bureau over RFE/RL’s unwillingness to submit to unjust labeling requirements in May 2021. This past weekend the Kremlin threatened to ban Current Time’s website and those of seven other RFE/RL services if they did not immediately remove content related to high-profile investigations by opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny that involve Russian President Vladimir Putin, former President Dmitry Medvedev, and other prominent Russian politicians.

“The Kremlin doesn’t own the Russian language,” said RFE/RL Editor in Chief Daisy Sindelar, who served as Current Time’s director when it first launched. “Current Time stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its audience and shows life as it is, not as politicians and autocrats claim it to be.”

While Current Time launched its 24/7 TV channel five years ago, the network’s roots reach back to August 2014 and the debut of the currenttime.tv website, soon followed by its YouTube and Facebook channels and, in October 2014, the launch of its first, 30-minute news program. In addition to reporting uncensored news and debunking disinformation through its Smotri v Oba (“Footage vs. Footage”) program, Current Time is the largest provider of independent, Russian-language films to its audiences. A sampling of Current Time’s best content can be found on the channel’s English portal.

The Current Time digital and TV network is produced by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America. In September 2021, the network’s measured weekly audience was 8.5 million, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year. Current Time also currently reaches 7 million followers across social media platforms, a 35 percent jump up over September 2020.. Between October 2020 and September 2021, Current Time videos were viewed more than 1.3 billion times on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

About RFE/RL

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach influential audiences in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.

Incessant search for 5 children and a young man disappeared in the Magdalena River - Other Cities - Colombia

On this Tuesday morning, The Colombian Navy located and recovered three bodies in the Magdalena River, which correspond to minors.

“Two bodies were located near the crash site, On the Tolú corregimiento, the third body was found in Buenavista, approximately 6 kilometers from the initial point. At this time, support is being provided with river transport for SIJIN DEBOL personnel, in order to identify and recognize the recovered bodies”says the Navy.

(Also: Five children and one adult missing after boat crash in Bolívar)

In the municipality of Maganguéauthorities and community maintain the incessant search for five children and one adult missing since Sunday night, after two boats collided.

Tragedy in the same family

The children that an entire municipality desperately seeks today they are Carolina Castro Muñoz, 4 years old; Yomadis Castro Muñoz, 8; Solangie Guzmán Retamoza, 10; Dioselin Muñoz Guerra, 10; and Marcela Muñoz Guerra, 13. The five minors are members of the same family. In addition to the children, 23-year-old Vinson Barranco is missing.

“The search and rescue activities are concentrated from kilometer 0 to kilometer 8, linking three vessels of the municipal administration in which the Civil Defense and the Red Cross are transported, in addition to the support of 14 canoes belonging to fishermen of the region”, reported the National Navy.

Nelviz Gutiérrez, mother of Vinson Barranco, recounted that they were returning to their town on the Magdalena River but in the dark of the night they did not see the other boat. The woman said that the fury of the water dragged her several meters while I heard people’s cries for help.

(Also: Threats against social leaders in Cesar tarnish the electoral campaign)

However, 12 of the 18 passengers managed to swim to shore. But the fury of the river and the darkness of the night swallowed the 5 children of the Muñoz family and Barranco, who lives in Barranquilla, and had come to Magangué to visit his mother.

There are two captured fishermen

A few hours after the accident, and already with daylight, the authorities located two fishermen, hidden in a house in the district of Tolú, who apparently were the crew of the boatman identified as ‘El Cipriano, who loaded with provisions, was involved in the collision on the night of Sunday, February 6.

The two fishermen were captured and they are identified as responsible for the crash against the boat where 18 people were traveling between the districts of San Sebastián del Coyonal and Buena Vista, municipality of Magangué.

(Also: The letter of cultural and political leaders of Medellín against Quintero)

“With the use of slings and artisanal means used by the fishermen of the region, it was possible to find the place where the boat named ‘La Niña Natalia’, where people were travelling, was sunken,” assured the National Navy.

With the support of fishermen from the sector, the boat ‘La Niña Natalia’ was refloated, during the maneuver no bodies were found on board the boat, the hypothesis of the presence of bodies trapped in the tent of the boat was handled, which it was dragged by the current of the Magdalena River”, underline sources from the National Navy.

The boat was towed to the San Sebastián de Buenavista sector, where it was placed at the disposal of the National Police.

Cartagena

More news in Colombia

Threats against social leaders in Cesar tarnish the electoral campaign

Christian Daes and other celebrities who sympathized with the ‘Alligator Man’