Radio Liberty Vows Continued Presence

Radio Liberty will now focus on live content and digital platforms, including web and mobile devices.

By Jonathan Earle

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: September 26, 2012 (Issue # 1728)

MOSCOW U.S. government-funded Radio Liberty has reiterated its commitment tooperating inRussia after Nov. 10, when anew law forces it todiscontinue AM broadcasts, andafter dozens ofjournalists andeditors left theorganization last week.

We are not giving up onour commitment toprovide you with Svobodas unique perspective onnews andevents inRussia, wrote Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Steve Korn, referring tothe networks Russian name, Radio Svoboda, ina statement posted onthe networks website Monday.

Thenetwork, founded in1953 toprovide coverage incountries with limited press freedom, was forgenerations athorn inthe side ofthe Soviet government.

Radio Liberty will now focus ondigital platforms, including web andmobile devices, andon-demand andlive content, Korn wrote.

Thenetwork will stop AM broadcasts onNov. 10, when alaw will take effect that makes it illegal forstations more than 48 percent foreign-owned tobe onthe airwaves.

Thesame law will brand non-governmental organizations that receive grants fromabroad as foreign agents, ameasure that has been roundly condemned byopposition andcivil rights activists.

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Radio Liberty Vows Continued Presence