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Russian media watchdog denies U.S. report on radio crackdown

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MOSCOW, July 7 (RIA Novosti, Mikhail Turgiyev) - Russia's media and culture watchdog expressed its surprise Friday at a Washington Post article claiming there had been a major crackdown on U.S. radio broadcasts in the country, and called the article politically motivated.

In response to the U.S. newspaper's claim that Russian regulators had "forced more than 60 radio stations to stop broadcasting news reports produced by Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty," Boris Boyarskov, who heads the Federal Service for the Oversight of Legislation in Mass Communications and the Protection of Cultural Heritage, said: "This is news to us."

The figure of 60 stations is surprising, "since even at the best of times, Radio Liberty had never had more than 28 regional stations as its partners," he said.

Currently Radio Liberty, according to reports on its Web site, has only 15 such partners, Boyarskov said.

The media official said the watchdog had no claims against Voice of America, but did not rule out new checks in the future on Radio Liberty's Russian regional partners.

"We never had claims against the Voice of America or its regional stations," Boyarskov said.

Boyarskov said some stations that relayed Radio Liberty broadcasts had been closed in a move to bring broadcasting in line with requirements. He said four radio stations had been found to be broadcasting without licenses, adding that if they submitted the necessary documents, they would obtain their licenses.

Boyarskov said more than 300 checks had been made in the second quarter of 2006, and 42 reprimands issued. "This has nothing to do with foreign companies' broadcasting," he said.

He called on Radio Liberty "to participate in contests, legalize its relations" with regional stations.

The Washington Post's political motivation in making such claims was due to "forthcoming political events, including the [G8] summit in St. Petersburg, and a desire to find elements to damage public opinion, and draw attention to alleged violations of freedom of speech and other civil rights in Russia," Boyarskov said.

"But the reality is that it is our job to bring all broadcasters' activity, regardless of their origin, in line with our laws," he said.

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