Who owns and operates Vesti FM in Russia?
Vesti FM is owned and operated by VGTRK, one of Russia's largest state media companies. The station's manager is Ekaterina Shchekina.
Questions about Vesti FM
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Vesti FM start broadcasting?
Vesti FM began broadcasting on the 5th of February 2008 at 6:00 in Moscow, initially on 97.6 MHz. It launched in Moscow and St. Petersburg before expanding to more than sixty regions across Russia.
What is the Vesti FM transmitter in Grigoriupol and how powerful is it?
The Grigoriupol transmitter is a Soviet-era medium-wave facility in the Maiac region of Transnistria, originally built in the late 1960s to broadcast propaganda westward. Vesti FM has used it since 2014 on 1413 kHz with a power of 500 kilowatts, a signal strong enough to reach all of Ukraine and a substantial portion of Europe.
What happened to the Vesti FM antenna in Transnistria in 2022?
On the 26th of April 2022, unknown perpetrators blew up one of the multiple antenna systems at the Grigoriupol site as part of the wider Transnistria attacks. The medium-wave station on 1413 kHz continued to operate despite the damage.
What controversy did Vladimir Solovyov cause on Vesti FM in 2017?
In June 2017, journalist Vladimir Solovyov called protest participants "the eternal two percent of shit," "the children of corrupt officials," and "majoritarian imbeciles" during his Vesti FM program. He also suggested counter-protesters would "simply tear them to pieces" without police, a remark criticized by journalist Alexander Nevzorov and by the protesters themselves.
Is Vesti FM available on digital television in Russia?
Yes. Vesti FM is included in the first multiplex of digital television in Russia, using DVB-T2 technology, alongside Radio Rossii and Radio Mayak.