Venediktov divorced his wife. Sex with Venediktov. Biographical milestones

Family of Alexey Venediktov

14.10.2018

Venediktov Alexey Alekseevich

Russian Journalist

News & Events

08/22/1990 Radio station “Echo of Moscow” began broadcasting

Alexey Venediktov was born on December 18, 1955 in Moscow. Two weeks before his birth, tragedy struck: his father, who graduated from the Higher Naval Diving School in Riga and served with the rank of lieutenant on one of the submarines of the Northern Fleet, died tragically off the coast of Kamchatka.

As a child, I was left to my own devices. All the adults were working. Mom Eleonora Abramovna Dykhovichnaya worked as a radiologist in a hospital. Grandmother Nina Abramovna Dykhovichnaya - Honored Builder of Russia. Her brainchild is the Ukraine Hotel in the capital: as a design engineer, she designed the engineering structure of this building.

Seeing that all the adults in the family were busy doing what they loved, Alexey Venediktov also began to look for his place in the sun. First, he graduated from school, where he studied French in depth. Then he became a student at the Pedagogical Institute, where he chose the Faculty of History.

The young man began his working career while still a student. First, he found a position as a laboratory assistant at one of the universities. Then he got a job as a postman, delivering mail to houses where foreigners lived. Thus, the young man got the opportunity to read what was published in foreign publications and compare what was written with what was published in the Soviet media. The young man was not accepted into the army - his eyesight was too poor.

After receiving his diploma in 1978, the young historian went to school. He taught his subject to children for 20 years and succeeded in his profession, becoming an excellent student of public education in the Russian Federation.

In 1990, the radio station “Echo of Moscow” appeared in the capital. Its creators were friends of Alexey Venediktov - Sergey Buntman and Sergey Korzun. They invited a history teacher to the position of correspondent and newspaper columnist. Quite soon, the aspiring journalist “grew up” to become a political commentator. Knowledge of history and reading foreign press during his student years greatly helped him in his development. In the mid-1990s, Alexey Venediktov occupied the chair of the director of the Echo information service, and in the winter of 1998 he was elected editor-in-chief of the rapidly growing popular radio.

The journalist is proud that in the 1990s he helped 14 Russian soldiers escape from Chechen captivity. For this act he was awarded a medal of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. As a journalist, Alexey Venediktov often visited other “hot spots”.

The career and creative biography of Alexey Venediktov developed rapidly. While retaining his position as editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow, he headed the television company Echo-TV. The idea of ​​its creation appeared in the early 2000s, after the closure of the TV-6 channel. Then many professional journalists were left without work. They were the “backbone” of the new television company. During the same period of time, Alexey Venediktov acquired the Arsenal radio station as a “safety net” in case Echo of Moscow was closed. He also headed the new radio.

In 2006, Alexey Alekseevich tried himself as a TV presenter: together with Svetlana Sorokina, he hosted the program “In the Circle of Light” on the Domashny channel, which had high ratings.

And the following year, the media star becomes a member of the board of directors of the Ekho Moskvy radio company, owning 18% of the shares.

The famous journalist is considered an oppositionist. He often criticizes the authorities, which has more than once become the reason for conflicts with its representatives, including the highest level. President Vladimir Putin identified Alexey Venediktov as an enemy. Once, in a conversation with him, he said: “The enemies are right in front of you, you fight with them, then you conclude a truce, and everything is clear. The traitor must be destroyed, crushed. You know, Alexey, you are not a traitor. You are the enemy."

Alexey Venediktov is a permanent member of the Russian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. He is also one of the authors of the Moscow Charter of Journalists declaration. The journalist also has many awards, including the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, the French Order of the Legion of Honor and the Best Pens of Russia award.

Venediktov is also known as a TV presenter. He has several original programs in his arsenal, the most rated of which are “Without Intermediaries”, “Echo of the Week”, “Direct Speech”, “48 Minutes” and “Anarchy”.

In the winter of 2014, the journalist visited the Kiev Maidan. He said that for Ukrainians who came out to protest, European integration is a dream. And Viktor Yanukovych stole this cherished dream and betrayed his people, for which he received a popular revolt.

Alexey Venediktov sided with Ukraine and predicted the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian Federation. I also “drew” a similar scenario for several regions of south-eastern Ukraine.

Family of Alexey Venediktov

Wife - Elena Sitnikova, born in Moscow in 1969, graduated from the Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics of Moscow State University in 1992, has been working at the Ekho Moskvy radio station since 1993, they got married in April 1998. The couple have a son, Alexey (born 2000).

Medal of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (1998)

The public's assessment of Venediktov is extremely contradictory. Some consider him a voice of democracy, a fighter for freedom and the main oppositionist to the authorities, others speak of him as a person who has become a symbol of corruption and dishonesty, but everyone agrees that without him and his news and talk radio station, life would be more boring.

Venediktov's childhood and family

Venediktov noted that as a child he was largely left to his own devices, and considers himself a self-made man.

Alexey Alekseevich graduated from school with in-depth study of the French language. He did not serve in the army due to poor eyesight. Then he studied at the evening department of the Pedagogical Institute at the Faculty of History and first worked as a laboratory assistant in an educational institution, then as a postman. At the same time, he actively took advantage of the opportunity to read not only domestic printed publications, but also the foreign press, comparing the presentation of news and forming his own opinion.

Having received higher education, since 1978 he has been a history teacher at school for 20 years, an excellent student of public education in the Russian Federation. At the same time, it should be noted that in one of his interviews for Maxim magazine, Venediktov admitted that he allegedly had sexual relationships with high school girls whom he seduced using his status.

Venediktov’s career on radio “Echo of Moscow”

Looking back, he is proud that in 1993 he was in the White House and covered the historical events taking place there, and in 1994 he had enough courage and journalistic savvy to help 14 Russian officers escape from captivity in Chechnya.

Then, as part of a delegation of journalists and deputies, he was sent to Dudayev for captured counterintelligence officers. When it was announced to them that the officers allegedly refused to go, and it was clear that they were intimidated, there was a danger of returning with nothing, having not completed the mission entrusted to them. Alexey, despite the presence of armed thugs, found a way out of the situation - he invited the fighters to say their name into the microphone and that they themselves did not want to go home in order to report to their mothers. It was a win-win move, the guys wavered and agreed to return. For this extraordinary act, he was subsequently awarded a medal by the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

In 1995, Venediktov became the head of the information service, and in 1998 he was elected editor-in-chief. During his time on the radio, he created a large number of original programs, including “Direct Speech”, “48 Minutes”, “Without Intermediaries”, “Anarchy”.

Creation of the television company "Echo-TV" by Venediktov

In 2006, the head of the editorial office was Svetlana Sorokina’s co-host in the program “In the Circle of Light” on the Domashny television channel. In 2007, he became a member of the board of directors of the Echo of Moscow company, being at that time the owner of 18 percent of the shares.

He has repeatedly expressed the opinion that it is necessary to work with information carefully, since it can not only lead to banal quarrels between ordinary people, but also cause global disasters, the collapse of financial markets and the severance of diplomatic relations between countries.

Venediktov and Putin

That same year, Vladimir Putin, who was then prime minister, at a meeting with media leaders in Sochi sharply criticized Echo of Moscow's coverage of the military operations in South Ossetia. The incident was later published in the American weekly New Yorker in the article “Echoes in the Darkness.”

Public recognition of Alexey Venediktov

Alexey’s merits have been recognized by many awards, including the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, the Best Pens of Russia award, the annual Elite journalistic award, the highest state award in France - the Legion of Honor, and others.

Personal life of Alexey Venediktov

Venediktov considers himself a fan of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, enjoys reading memoirs, detective literature and fantasy, and also collects comics.

He believes that the policies of Putin and Medvedev are harmful to the country and are pushing Russia to a dangerous point. It will lead, according to the journalist, to an increase in existing problems, which for the most part are related to the state structure, youth extremism and isolation of the elite from the people.

The popular radio station “Echo of Moscow” can be confidently called the first step of Alexey Venediktov. Today he is a co-owner of the radio station, owning 18% of its shares. At the same time, Alexey Venediktov is the president of the Echo-TV channel, as Wikipedia describes.

In the modern press there are very contradictory and ambiguous opinions regarding the activities of Alexei Alekseevich. Despite this, he took a strong position in the “fourth estate”, joining the cohort of the most famous Russian journalists, becoming a kind of mouthpiece of domestic journalism, to which Alexey Alekseevich Venediktov devoted his entire life.

Biographical milestones

Alexey Alekseevich was born in a difficult period for the country in 1955. Only a decade has passed since a difficult and destructive war. There was a period of restoration not only of the housekeeper, but also of the social consciousness of Soviet citizens. He failed to recognize his father; he died a week before his birth. Seven years later, Alexei Alekseevich’s mother also died. His parents and family occupied important roles in society:

• father Alexey Nikolaevich Venediktov was a submarine officer;
• mother, who worked as a radiologist, belonged to the famous Dykhovichny family;
• grandmother, Nina Abramovna, was one of the leading Soviet design engineers, the author of the Ukraine Hotel project, who simultaneously taught at the Moscow Architectural Institute.

As a representative of a family that worked for the benefit of the homeland, Alexey Alekseevich Venediktov, whose biography is also closely connected with public life, chose journalism as his main field of activity. By the way, Venediktov is the real name of the journalist, and not a sonorous pseudonym. After graduating from school with in-depth study of the French language, he entered the history department of the evening department of the pedagogical institute, where he simultaneously worked as a laboratory assistant. He was exempted from service in the Soviet army due to poor eyesight. After completing his studies, he taught history in a secondary school for 20 years. IN In his youth, Alexey did not even think about the profession and activity of a journalist, but fate, through the hands of his friends, decreed otherwise.

Working on the radio: starting a career

His radio career began in 1990 with an invitation to work in the new project “Echo”, the founders of which were Venediktov’s friends - Sergei Korzun and Sergei Butman. Having started working as a correspondent, he moved into the ranks of newspaper columnists, and later began working as a political commentator.

In one interview, Aleksey Alekseevich noted that the highlights of his early career as a journalist were his coverage of the events that took place in the White House in 1993, as well as the events that happened a year later, when, thanks to his courage and ingenuity, he helped 14 Russian officers escape from Chechen captivity. Being part of the Russian delegation sent to Dudayev with a question about the return of prisoners of war, he invited the Russian military, deliberately confused by the Chechens, to openly give their names into the microphone and express their desire to return to their homeland. The mission was completed, for which Venediktov received the first state award - the medal of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

In 1995, Alexey Venediktov took over as head of the information service, and three years later became editor-in-chief. During this period his most popular original programs were released:

• "Direct speech";
• "48 minutes";
• "Without intermediaries";
• "Anarchy".

History of "Echo-TV"

A dynamically developing career on radio became the basis for a new television project - “Echo-TV”, the leader and ideologist of which was Alexey Alekseevich in 2002. The idea to create a new channel came after the closure of TV-6, as a result of which many talented representatives of the journalistic profession were left without work.

Subsequently, Echo-TV was repeatedly called a partner of RTVi, a television channel operating in an international format for Russian citizens living outside their homeland. At the same time, the Arsenal radio station was acquired, which was also headed by Venediktov. Fearing that the authorities might try to close Echo-TV due to its public positions not always coinciding with the official point of view, Arsenal would be an option for safety net. In 2007, the position of the project strengthened; since that time, Venediktov has gained fame as a venerable journalist - leader and co-owner "Echo-Moscow".

After this appointment, there was interest in Venediktov’s person. The life and work of “Echo” was not complete without scandalous stories; one of the most discussed was the conflict, the main figure of which was Lesya Ryabtseva, currently the station's former assistant editor-in-chief. The Echo scandal became one of the topics of the New Russian Sensations program on NTV. According to Lesya Ryabtseva herself, who began her career at Echo, where she came as an intern in 2011 and left the post of deputy in 2015, having completed her last broadcast, the cause of the conflict is the team with which disagreements arose. It is noteworthy that Olesya noted not only the negative aspects of his work, but also many positive aspects. Lesya Ryabtseva told her followers on Instagram about this, accompanying her posts with interesting photos.

Over the years of work in the broadcasting field, Alexey Venediktov received a number of state awards testifying to his creative and social achievements:

• Medal for Merit to the Fatherland;
• Medal of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

In addition, Alexey Venediktov is the winner of two awards:

• "Golden Pen of Russia";
• “Own track” named after. V. Vysotsky;
• Artem Borovik Prize.

Also has two foreign awards:

• Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor;
• Golden Cross of Merit for the Republic of Poland.

Alexey Alekseevich was awarded with awards from the state drug control service and certificates for participation in “hot spots”.

Personal life

Work at this radio station became fateful for Alexey Alekseevich, since in 1993 his future wife- Elena Sitnikova. In 1998, Alexey Venediktov married his colleague Elena, with whom he is still married. In 2000, the Venediktov family expanded - their son Alexey was born.

Alexey Venediktov

- What are you dreaming about?

I dream of seeing a grandson from my son, who is 17 years old. To see the next generation of Alexey Venediktov and calmly pass into eternity. I don’t need anything else, I have everything else.

- How is your relationship with your son?

We have a partnership relationship. When a person is 17 years old and taller than you, you need to understand why and what he wants. It is necessary to help him realize his dream.

His mistakes will be his, not my mistakes. This is what I teach. The main thing is that dad is always there when you need help. And even when you don't need it.

- The last example, when you helped him with something serious.

He wants to be a civil aviation pilot. I made an agreement with my friends at Aeroflot - he got the opportunity to go and train on simulators where real pilots train. Not everyone is allowed to do this, but I have friends who complied with my request. The son is delighted, whether he succeeds or fails.

If it doesn’t work out, it’s his responsibility; if it works out, it’s my luck.

Recently my son had a desire to jump with a parachute. Of course, I was against it, and my mother was in bed with validol. Nevertheless, the son convinced him that this was serious, that he needed to test himself, that this was not pampering, not a whim. I again made an agreement with my friends: they found me a good trainer at a base near Moscow. Even if I understand that this is a whim and self-indulgence, it means that I will help his whim and self-indulgence come true.

- Have you ever had the feeling that whim and self-indulgence could cross some boundaries?

Certainly. The son is a fairly free person. I have some boundaries, he has others. I think I should go beyond his boundaries, not him beyond mine. It seems that as long as I'm around, he will try more, be more irresponsible. Why would I limit it now? His life will then be limited.

- When was the last time you were truly scared?

It was really scary in 1994 in Chechnya - I was taken out to be shot. It was so scary that I don't remember anything. Everything is like a fog.

I just remember this wall, gouged by bullets, against which they put me.

I lived with this fear, I live with this fear.

- What are you most ashamed of?

Shame is the same feeling as love, which rusts, crumbles, and arises again. So that I would be completely ashamed, so that I could live with this feeling - there is no such thing. There are some actions, but for me to remember all the time as about Chechnya - no, that’s not it. No, perhaps. I have not done anything irreparable in my life. Irreparable!

- Tell me about the last shame you remember.

I do not remember.

- What do you miss in life?

Time.

- How are you coping?

I can't cope. I have so many things to do, friends, ideas, batches, trips that I simply collapse without strength and have to cancel some of my stories.

- Is it offensive to cancel some of your stories?

I take this philosophically. This is life, there should always be a little bit missing. It's impossible to implant everything, it's boring.

There should always be a feeling of unsatisfied hunger.

I just don’t have the strength, the time, it’s a pity. But this is theoretically pitiful, but in reality requires selection. Then you live a better quality life: you select meetings, people, activities, TV series, books, films. Selection is always good.

- What are your selection principles?

Absolutely intuitive. Today I chose this way, and tomorrow, perhaps, in the same situation, I would choose something else. There are no principles.

- When was the last time you cried?

On some TV series or movie. Something so sentimental was squeezed out of me. I didn’t cry, but my eyes filled with water.

Seriously speaking, I cry when friends die or loved ones leave. It's hard sometimes to keep yourself in check when people leave. Younger than me - especially.

Tell me, a young, inexperienced journalist, is it possible to do journalism in Russia, and at the same time never do something that I don’t want to do for money? Don't sell yourself.

No impossible.

A journalist is a profession, just like the profession of a doctor or the profession of a carpenter, or the profession of a politician. You are hired for money in order to fulfill an order.

We have photographs of people in our hallway, but I would never have met half of them in my life if it weren’t for my profession, because they are of interest to our audience. I work with them for a salary, like any journalist. Replace the word “journalist” with “doctor.” Is it possible for a doctor to not operate for money? It’s possible, but he’ll be hungry and his hands will shake. This is a profession, you get money for it.

Again, there are my moral standards, there are my professional standards. By my moral standards, doing an interview with Mr. Le Pen, then the head of the French National Front, is no way. But he came during my working hours, and I did it, and received a salary for it from Echo of Moscow, and not from Le Pen.

Giving a journalist the opportunity to choose who he works with is wrong.

It's like choosing a doctor: I will not operate on women, or I will not operate on Muslims, or I will not operate on anyone else - this is wrong, you get paid for this work, you have to do it.

- Is it difficult to bring some professional standards in line with personal ones?

No. Let me remind you that in my first life I was a history teacher. I have had children who were absolute scoundrels, but I had to teach them. My morals are to send them out so they don't disturb the class. And my professional principles are to educate them and give them a final grade. You just need to understand that either you change your profession, or you become a hermit, leave, sit on a pole, then your moral principles are in order.

Change your profession if moral principles prevent you from working.

Change your profession if moral principles interfere with your work.

If you could now get carte blanche from fate to instantly master absolutely any new area. What would you master?

I would master English. This is what I miss in my life. Ignorance of English in my life and in my profession is a difficult story.

I would ask, in addition to, as usual, health, longevity, happiness for everyone and let no one leave offended, I would ask for knowledge of languages ​​- English and Chinese.

- English, Chinese, and what other languages?

All! Actually everything! You need to communicate with people. Happiness is communicating with other people, exchanging views. There should be no language barrier between us.

- Do you have a recipe for how to achieve success in the journalistic profession and not go crazy?

Look, there is no journalistic profession. There are a lot of different professions. For example, I am a very good interviewer, a good moderator and a terrible news reporter. This is all a journalistic profession. Therefore, we need to improve ourselves in our profession.

There are no restrictions in our journalistic profession. None!

If you improve yourself, if you are curious, if you prepare, then you become better and better. You can persistently educate yourself; you absolutely do not need any complex or expensive subjects. You just have to try.

- What traits do you dislike most about yourself?

Cowardice. I am constantly afraid, always in this state, afraid of everything. I'm afraid of death, losing loved ones, flying on an airplane, being far from my son if something happens to him. I'm afraid of everything.

- How do you deal with this?

Here I am sitting here(edited by “Echo” - I.S.). The eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing.

- How do you fight laziness?

I don't fight it, I dream about it.

Laziness is a holiday. I can stay home, cancel everything, take a book or iPad, close the door to my room and be lazy all day. That's why I really like to fly on planes when the phones don't work. You sit lazily in a chair and it is not others who choose for you what to do. You're just sitting alone. In short, I don’t fight, I give myself over to laziness. But she is weak for me and rarely wins.

- And others choose for you, what should you do?

No, these are circumstances. And I must choose among the circumstances what I do. Others do not choose, no one ever.

- The last book that influenced you?

I can't even tell. I read not for the purpose of influence, but for the purpose of expanding education, if we talk about non-fiction. Well, Peter Aven’s book “The Time of Berezovsky” aroused in me a huge feeling of disgust.

For me, Berezovsky has always been an enemy. For Aven, he was largely a friend. It was I who had to write such a book and strive for such a goal - to belittle and distort him. But it turned out the other way around. As Demyan Kudryavtsev rightly said, “usually after a fight the losers wave their fists,” but here is the winner. Berezovsky died and there is no one to answer. This causes a feeling of disgust.

It is hypocritical, it claims to be exhaustive, it is not exhaustive, it distorts the historical reality in which I myself existed and was, as Ekaterina Shulman says, an “actor.” I see where the lies are, I see where the distortion is, I understand that this is not an accident, this is not a mistake. This is the conscious construction of a myth.

For me, Berezovsky has always been an enemy. For Aven, he was largely a friend. It was I who had to write such a book and strive for such a goal - to belittle and distort him. But it turned out the other way around. As Demyan Kudryavtsev rightly said, “usually after a fight the losers wave their fists,” but here is the winner. Berezovsky died and there is no one to answer. This causes a feeling of disgust.

I agreed to participate in a discussion with Aven in January in Yekaterinburg about this book, where I already told him everything I thought about it. I said this publicly, and I will say it again at the Yeltsin Center. But this is the book that made me want to talk about it in a negative sense outside the book world.

- Do you want to write a refutation book?

I can write such a book, but I will not write it. I can even write a book like the one Mr. Wolf wrote about Trump, but I won’t write it.

- Why?

Because life is not over, because people change, because as soon as you finish writing, it becomes a separate story. Why should I? People change. I knew Putin differently. What is the real one - the one who was, what he is now or the one who will be? And the book will remain at some point, I will look funny. Why would I look funny?

- What ideas or thoughts have you thought about most often over the past week?

Yes, I somehow think about death, because I am already an old person.

I think what will happen to my family when I'm gone.

- How would you like to die?

Falling asleep and not waking up, nothing heroic.

- What will happen to the family?

Well, I’m like a chipmunk, burying start-up capital in different hollows, I would say.

- In Russian ones?

In Russian and not in Russian, because the family will choose for itself how it will continue without me.

I also explain to my son the secrets of the universe.

- Let's reveal one of the secrets.

If you had the last name Venediktov, then I would explain it to you.

- What is the main thrill of being Venediktov?

This is communication with new and unexpected people. The surname gives opportunity, the surname gives a brand. People want to meet me and talk to me. I'm starting to meet and talk to people I would never have met if I wasn't who I am. If these people are interesting, significant, it’s a thrill. They add perspective to you.

- Many people call you one of the best interviewers in Russia.

And it is true.

- How do you feel about this?

I can feel when I'm failing their expectations. I feel uncomfortable when my interview turns out to be, in my assessment, a 4 - which means I didn’t improve by one point. And this obliges.

- Does this happen often?

Every time.

I have very few A-grade interviews, I always re-read, re-watch, flip through, with a marker in my hands, where I left out, where I fell short. Where I am! Not where the guest is, but where I am. And, of course, this happens often. This happens every time, roughly speaking.

- An example of your latest flaw in an interview?

I had US Ambassador Jon Huntsman on air after the publication of the Kremlin list. In a few hours. And since there was a translation, I did not understand the nuances of his answers, my questions very often slipped.

I had a feeling Jon Huntsman was taking advantage of this and leaving. I can’t get the hang of it because I’m not a native speaker, because it’s a matter of intonation, nuance, not translation. And, despite the fact that the interview went viral, the agencies all referred to it, everyone called me and said: “Well, you revealed it!” But I understand that if I spoke English, if I heard English, if I were a native speaker, I would have done it better.

Catching intonation in an interview is the most important thing. And when a person leaves, evades, if you do this interview in the same language, you understand it, feel it, jump into it. And if you do it late, you look like a clown. And since you don't want to look like a clown, you don't do it.

I am ready to be funny, but only when I decide that now it is beneficial for me to be funny.

- When was the last time it was profitable for you to be funny?

When Alexey Solomin went to Putin’s press conference instead of me, and he and I, naturally, discussed not what to ask, but how to ask. And he himself said that he wanted to ask about Nemtsov, and what would be the option if they asked him before, and Putin answered poorly. Knowing Putin, I said: “Say that you are stupid and don’t understand.”

Alexey gets up and says: “Echo of Moscow, Vladimir Vladimirovich, Alexey Solomin. You answered according to Nemtsov, forgive me that I didn’t understand your answer, I’m stupid.” And at this moment, I see on TV, I sit, watch and see that Putin does not react. And he caught that Putin was not reacting, and he said: “Well, I’m stupid, like our editor-in-chief, you know. We're stupid." And Putin says: “Yes, it happens.” That is, Putin decided that he made me funny, the audience laughed, I think the country laughed. But he answered for 15 minutes about Nemtsov!

That is, you become funny on purpose, but you get results for your listeners. You are being a fool, and let them laugh at you, but you are working at this moment. This is a tool question, you should get a meaningful answer. To do this, you can be cheerful, angry, stupid, funny, because you are working for the listener.

This is work, this is taking off masks, this is theater, this is a stage, you have the role of a jester.

- What is your role in life?

I'm a leader. No! I am an organizer, I am not a leader, I am no longer interested in this.

I'm an organizer. I organize processes, I organize meetings, I organize platforms, I am a communicator, I am an organizer, I am a lobbyist, this is my role in life.

I believe that if something needs to be done, some thought, some idea needs to be conveyed, then using my contacts, I try to put it into the heads of my interlocutors, explaining to them why this, from my point of view, is correct.

- Can you give an example of such lobbying activities?

For example, I have been the chief of staff of election observers in Moscow for four years. We have built such a system in Moscow that, starting from the 13th year, votes cannot be stolen.

In Moscow, the calculation is absolutely accurate. I built this scheme together with others, I proposed solutions, I proposed moves. Some were adopted effectively, some were not accepted, unfortunately, but, nevertheless, we built this scheme in Moscow. I don’t know how it will be this year, but in the mayoral elections, and then in the elections to the State Duma, the Moscow City Duma and the latter municipal elections, no votes were stolen. There were glitches here and there, but, in general, voting is fair in Moscow. And this scheme, I hope, will work in the presidential elections.

Here you go, my lobbying activity is absolute - how to make people trust the results of the vote count. I'm not talking about elections, but about counting votes. Actually, here it is.

- Do you trust the elections yourself?

- What is the meaning?

Work, friends, family. Or rather in reverse order - family, friends, work.

- Three things you talked about with your son in the last month?

We've been talking lately about relationships with women.

- What are you saying?

What he asks is what I say. I don’t bother him with my conversations. We talked about the money that he doesn’t earn, but which I provide him with, and how to treat money.

He has a fixed amount that he does not spend. Or rather, he spends as much as he needs, and not as much as he has. The balance expires every week, meaning it does not accumulate.

I foster a responsible attitude towards money that he does not earn. But he’s already making money, that’s another story.

Lately we have begun to talk not about politics, but about street stories. About young people taking to the streets, about demonstrations, about participation in protests. He doesn't go out yet, but he wants to.

- Do you yourself think that he should go to protests?

It’s how he decides, I told him that dad is always there. It’s just that when you make decisions, you must understand and correlate this with the degree of risk of changes in your life.

Well, the usual father’s story: if you think it’s worth it, then you’ll have to go, but at the same time you need to remember this, this and this.

Have you ever made any decisions when you realized that the risk was great, the degree of risk was very high, and you did it anyway?

- “Echo of Moscow” all consists of such endless decisions. When they tell you that if Navalny’s interview is published, you will be fired, then you release the interview.

- Are they telling you?

Yes, directly. Mr. Lesin, it was the 14th year. He said it directly. I called back from the court, I was conducting this interview, he was at home, under house arrest. I say: “Guys, we are doing an interview, get ready to intercept the radio station.”

But they don't tell me directly. They advise me rather: “Why do you need this?”

You can’t talk to me like that: “Don’t.”

Become the editor-in-chief. Make your own radio station and do it right.

- Who called?

Friends. My friends call me, I don’t have a boss. Who is my boss? Who is the boss of the radio station's editor-in-chief? Nobody.

They called when we published an investigation into the property of the director of the Federal Security Service. It was published, and without my consent. They just put it on the site automatically. Well, accordingly, friends called. They said: “Why do you need this? It is not true". I say: “It’s not true - write a refutation. We will place it with great pleasure.”

Listen, I'm an old wolf. What is socially important and completely self-provable, I don’t touch. But there are cases, the opposite, when they call and say: “Look, you just have an insult on top of an insult.” Let's see - it really is so. We take it out. They call and say: “And you’re on air...” I come out and apologize if I think it was done incorrectly.

So I came out and apologized to the listeners for the fact that Ksenia Sobchak burst into the air with Leonid Volkov. I apologized, although, in my opinion, this should have been handled differently. But, since I was in another country and boarding a plane for a 7-hour flight, I needed to react somehow. Inadequate, I admit, but for the listeners of those who were outraged, my apology is important, well, I apologized. I haven't lost any.

- How would you like to react?

Yes, the presenters should have taken Ksenia and seated her next to her, behind the microphone. And give it five minutes. For five minutes, sort things out.

I talked to the presenters when I arrived, they said: “Well, we are confused.” I say: “I have no complaints against you,” I would do this, and you would do this.

Next time keep in mind that you make a decision, you have this option and don't be afraid to make me angry with your wrong decision, any decision will be wrong.

- Any?

Either, of course, is wrong, because there are different options. And if something happens, it is already a failure in the system. That is, a failure has occurred in the system, it now needs to be tightened, and this is already the case - the guts are out, the wrenches are out. Therefore, do not be afraid to make mistakes, I will never punish you.

The liberal editor-in-chief drags his favorite to meetings with ministers

The liberal editor-in-chief drags his favorite to meetings with ministers

The editor-in-chief of the Ekho Moskvy radio station, Alexey VENEDIKTOV, can be congratulated. Firstly, his dismissal due to a conflict with shareholders, which was much rumored, will not take place. And secondly, the 58-year-old media boss has a charming 23-year-old assistant. With whom Alexey Alekseevich practically never leaves. Now, apparently, having gained wisdom from her beloved boss, the favorite will teach Russian journalists good manners.

In a short time, the young presenter of the “Curve of the Eye” column Olesya Ryabtseva took unprecedented power over the radio station. Here are a few comments on the Echo... page on Facebook: “Lesya Ryabtseva shows miracles! In just a week she yelled or humiliated so many people... Everything should be decided only by her. And if someone decided without her, then there will be a big scandal and complaints to the AAV vest. But just recently this girl just came to the editorial office, sat quietly as a producer and was friends with all the people whom she now pours slop on...", "She thinks that she “caught God by the beard.” Which is almost (within the framework of “Echo...”) the case”, “Yeah, that’s exactly how it happened. An irremovable stain has already appeared on Leksich’s jacket.”

Lesya is a public person. She actively shares wise thoughts on the Internet. At the same time, commenting on closed meetings of high-ranking officials with editors-in-chief, where she is personally led Venediktov! “She comes to all or almost all of my meetings, including closed ones, with decision-makers,” the editor-in-chief himself said. - Did you see her in Vienna during your visit? Putin, for some reason everyone showed her on TV - not me, the handsome guy, but her. She also attended meetings with Lavrov, With Golodets and so on. She asked my permission to write a blog on the site about what she thought was happening at these meetings. “You can’t broadcast our conversations, these are conversations at the table,” I said. She says: “Okay, I want to convey impressions.” And I thought it was interesting, I have to say it's interesting.

However, not everyone shares Venediktov’s opinion. She irritates even patented liberals, the target audience of Echo of Moscow. “What is this, excuse me, for...? - a famous blogger writes on Twitter Rustem Adagamov. - Who is this Lesya Ryabtseva and why? What's going on there in Moscow time? Gases?

“Do you know the difference between Putin’s secretaries and Venediktor’s secretaries? - a famous journalist quips Galina Timchenko. - They are silent and do not blog. What they “think” is not seen by anyone except their girlfriends, as it should be.”

But the editor-in-chief of The New Times magazine spoke out most harshly Evgenia Albats: “These girls are annoying, whose only value is what is between their legs, who believe that this is a criterion for evaluation.”

But Venediktov himself is delighted that his assistant is pissing people off. Including the guests of the “Curve of the Eye” column. “There was no case when the hero did not call me with complaints,” Alexey Alekseevich is satisfied. - Today is the 12th section - I received 11 calls. And there were meetings, and the shouting was: “What does she understand! Shut her up!” and so on. I won't shut her up. This is her view, and it seems to me that it is useful for the heroes and you to become familiar with it. On social networks, Ryabtseva’s talents are questioned: “Do you need your own Sveta from Ivanov?” - listeners write ironically.

Responding to obscene hints, Lesya on her page with dignity informed: they say that she has an official boyfriend. And his name is well known at the radio station. To which one of the Internet users replied: “Just think! Venediktov has a whole wife who works at Ekho... and a 14-year-old son. It does not interfere..."

But Lesya has no time for gossip. She aimed to create a code of conduct for journalists on the Internet. After a scandal involving inappropriate behavior of an Echo employee... Alexandra Plusheva on the Internet, which almost cost Venediktov his position as editor-in-chief, this topic is very relevant for the radio station. But Lesya does not recognize boundaries. “The maximum task is to create general rules of behavior for everyone. Each and every journalist. Radio station, holding company or country - it doesn’t matter.” This is a famous journalist Andrey Malgin wrote on Twitter: “Lesya Ryabtseva, let’s go...” And indicated the address, which the law prohibits us from voicing. Venediktov reacted harshly: “Malgin is not a man.” Alexey Alekseevich himself is, of course, a gentleman. And the fact that there is a demon in the rib is particular. But he brought up a talented replacement.