Russian Crisis: Battle begins for control of media

THE BATTLE for control of the media is always the first and fiercest fight in any coup or revolution. And so it was yesterday in Moscow when President Boris Yeltsin's hardline enemies launched their bid to overthrow him.

The deputies of the Soviet-era parliament complain that journalists, both domestic and foreign, are all in Mr Yeltsin's pocket, and it therefore came as no surprise that Alexander Rutskoi - who has declared himself president - told his forces to give priority to seizing the Ostankino television tower.

With the attackers using grenade launchers and machine-guns, Channel One, which reaches all of the post-Soviet Commonwealth, was quickly put off the air - though later, when reinforcements came to help the defenders, the tide of battle seemed to turn in favour of Mr Yeltsin's democrats.

But throughout, Channel Two, which serves Russia, managed to keep broadcasting and the footage it showed was grim. Women staff screamed, glass shattered and uniformed bodies were dragged along corridors as the two sides blasted each other with repeated and rapid fire. At least eight people were killed and 100 injured last night.

Ostankino was not the only target of the hardliners, however. Itar-Tass also had a visit from armed men representing the rebels. 'Two men arrived and told the director-general, Vitaly Ignatenko, that from now on he had to work for Rutskoi,' correspondent Alexander Bechayev said. 'They gave him an hour to think it over. When the hour had elapsed, a gang with sub-machine-guns burst in and asked Ignatenko if he had made up his mind. He said: 'Tass is an official government agency and is loyal to the President and the Prime Minister.' The guests left but we think they may come back.'

To some extent, the deputies had a point when they said the Russian media was biased towards Mr Yeltsin. Television, in particular, slanted much of its material in his favour, although before the present crisis the assembly had a slot every evening called Parliamentary Hour, when the President would receive a regular drubbing. And even when the White House was blockaded, television continued to run 600 Seconds, anchored by the extreme nationalist broadcaster Alexander Nevzorov.

If Russians bothered to read newspapers, they got a wider spectrum of views, ranging from the liberalism of Komsomolskaya Pravda to the pro-Communist line of Pravda and the rabid nationalism of Den. Foreign correspondents have been doing their best under difficult circumstances. Mr Yeltsin's media manager, Mikhail Poltoranin, refused them access to the blockaded White House, saying he was concerned for their safety. This was frustrating. But they did do not expect better treatment from Mr Rutskoi and those who would try to turn the clock back.

(Photograph omitted)