News Media of the News of media

Assets

For August, 2020 assets of holding are among:

• Life.ru is the Internet portal
• Mash is groups in social networks
• Super.ru
• "Life" - the newspaper
• Gigarama - VR and AR content
• LiveCorr is mobile application for monetization of video by users
• Five Public is advertizing agency
• Raisin - a creative and production of advertizing.

History

2018: Aram Gabrelyanov left the company. The new CEO - Anatoly Suleymanov

In August, 2018 the CEO of News Media holding Aram Gabrelyanov left the post. His deputy Anatoly Suleymanov became the new head of holding.

"Aram Ashotovich warned in advance that he resigns as the CEO. The post of the CEO was offered me, a post of the head of Life - to Alexander Potapov. Appointment to the post of the CEO was, documents are transferred to tax", - Suleymanov told the RNS agency.

Gabrelyanov was engaged generally in the projects which are not connected with media recently. "I assume that at some point to him it became uninteresting", - he told.

After Gabrelyanov's leaving the Life edition which is included into News Media holding will change a format, Suleymanov told. In particular, according to him, it will refuse the license of media and will become the platform for placement of content of users on which anyone will be able to be published.

"Giving of the political and social phenomena which was in Life should change. First, we want to provide the platform with audience of 20-23 million unique users in a month for all comers regardless of political convictions, secondly - to pay for content", - Suleymanov explained.

As the head of Life Alexander Potapov told, the fees to authors of publications will be charged proceeding from readability of their materials. As expected, will direct about a half of advertizing revenues of the project to it.

According to Potapov, change of the concept of the project will not lead to reductions of editorial office employees and that the project will not refuse completely editorial content.

2017: Closing of Life TV channel

In August, 2017 the Life TV channel placed the message about the termination of broadcasting and suggested the audience to watch news on the website and in social networks. Read more here.

2016

Termination of the contract on the edition of Izvestia

On the first of August, 2016 the rights to the edition of the Izvestia newspaper passed to JSC Izvestia Newspaper. The agreement with LLC INEWS (is under control of Aram Gabrelyanov) issuing Izvestia since June sixth, 2011 terminated on July 31, 2016.

Restart of Life.ru as head platform of holding

In April, 2016 restart of the website Life.ru as the head platform integrating content of other editions of holding took place.

For April, 2016 company assets are among:

• website Life.ru
• Lifenews.ru TV channel
• Marker.ru (Marker.ru)
• website Super.ru
• Zhizn newspaper
• Tvoy Den newspaper
• the tabloid is the Zhara magazine
• other editions

In 2011 NMG transferred to the control the companies:

• Russian News Service radio station (in 2016 it is renamed into "Life#звук")
• Izvestia newspaper

Besides, the company executive Aram Gabrelyanov heads since the beginning of 2015 the Baltic media group (TV channel "100 TV", Baltika and Zenit radio stations) which is closely connected with NMG.

2015

Reduction of wage fund for 30%

In December, 2015 it became known that the holding in connection with crisis reduces wage fund by 30%. Heads of the divisions entering into holding had to decide — to reduce salaries or employees. ​

Failure from payments to informants

Imposed on the staff of News Media new job requirements. Now journalists of holding (including to employees of LifeNews) are forbidden to be represented by the staff of other organizations, to enter the financial relations with agents and newsmakers and also to use any means for obtaining information except the press card, Gazeta.ru writes.

The order became effective since September 11, 2015 and for its non-execution the management of holding threatens journalists with authority punishments up to dismissal.

The Chief Editor of LifeNews Anatoly Suleymanov confirmed the fact of innovations and called them "transition to civil journalism".

"With agents, is more correct with informants, we continue to work, but money for them will not be selected. We decided to transfer everything to the new scheme of so-called civil journalism — Anatoly Suleymanov reported. — One and a half years works for us the application through which people send video, a photo and information and receive for it money. This application was downloaded already by about half a million people. Now we will pay money to people who send us materials through the application. We do not work any more with a system at which we pay certain informants", - Suleymanov reported Gazeta.ru^[1].

Searches in edition

On March 24, 2015 the editorial offices of LifeNews TV channel, the website of the same name and the Izvestia newspaper there was a withdrawal of documents and servers. Vedomosti was reported about it by the owner of "A news of media" (owns or manages these media) Aram Gabrelyanov.

On the website of LifeNews it is specified that searches "are initiated" by the Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR). In the resolution shown to edition it is specified that in ICR to check edition the Soprotivleniye human rights organization which drew the attention of investigators to the publication the website LifeNews of information on two crimes directed against minors appealed.

Gabrelyanov specified that it is about article "In the Moscow Nursing Home Teachers Hid Sex between Pupils" published by LifeNews last November. Apparently, claims concern that journalists could reveal the identity of victims, he argues: "But we changed surnames of the victims and covered their faces on time of shootings". He is surprised that the ICR took legal action behind the resolution on a search and withdrawal of documents, but did not request them from edition.

Gabrelyanov says that investigators withdrew documents, video records and hard drives, but it will not interfere with work of edition.

The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov reported that Vladimir Putin is already notified on searches in edition, however the Kremlin never comments on investigative actions. According to him, the president obtains information of media on a permanent basis, "including the message about the made investigative actions in edition LifeNews".

"It is hard to say, we never comment on investigative actions, and there is no opportunity them somehow to comment and this time. We know that every time our colleagues from Investigative Committee give information, we hope that information and this time too will be given", – Peskov told journalists, answering a question whether searches on TV channel can be connected with notes that the authorities finance opposition (the quote by RIA Novosti).

The founder of Resistance Olga Kostina reported to Vedomosti that the complaint to LifeNews came to this organization last year: journalists published personal data of the victim and information on a nursing home where she studies, as a result the child suffers because of excessive attention. Who exactly addressed with the complaint, it did not begin to open. At the end of December Resistance directed the corresponding application to Investigative Committee and still did not receive the official answer about it, Kostina specified.

The representative of ICR refused comments, official statements of ICR about a search were also not published in LifeNews. The source close to investigating bodies confirmed to Vedomosti that the search passed within criminal case about rape in one of orphanages. Within verification of the statement of Resistance the search was also carried out. There is no separate case against employees of the edition, the interlocutor of Vedomosti specified.

Kostina, according to her, is shocked with actions of Investigative Committee:

"We work ten years and far not for the first time we complain of media which quite often open data of victims of violence. If law enforcement agencies also react to our such statements, then most often case comes to an end with a penalty of media. We for the first time face a search and withdrawal of documents. In my opinion, it is absolutely inadequate reaction. What it is provoked by and against whom it is directed, it is necessary only to guess".

The source close to the management of LifeNews suspects that claims of law enforcement agencies to edition are connected with its investigation on so-called case of Alexandrina Markvo, the common-law wife of the chief executive of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Vladimir Ashurkov. The Izvestia newspaper wrote earlier that Markvo won several large tenders of the Government of Moscow. The newspaper insisted that as a result budget money went for financing of activity of the oppositional politician Alexei Navalny. Navalny denies it. Soon after the publication the Investigative Committee brought against Markvo criminal case according to Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud in a large and especially large size). As witnesses the former head of committee on media and advertizing Vladimir Chernikov and the Deputy Mayor of Moscow concerning regional security and information policy Alexander Gorbenko was on this case interrogated, told Vedomosti sources in the mayor's office. Officials did not comment on it.

Interlocutors of Vedomosti connected initiation of proceedings with opposition of first deputy heads of Presidential Administration Alexey Gromov and Vyacheslav Volodin. Gromov, they explained, it is close to acting leadership of Moscow. Gabrelyanov, on the contrary, works recently with Volodin more.

The source in LifeNews believes that a search – attempt to prevent edition to make further investigation of communications between Navalny and the management of the mayor's office, available by which journalists of Izvestia are sure. He reminds that Kostina heads Public council at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow.

Gabrelyanov refused to comment on this version. Kostina insists that she cannot be considered the person loyal to authorities of the capital in any way: "It is enough to look at my work on fight against parkings in Moscow".

On the other hand, Kostin – the wife of Konstantin Kostin, the chairman of the board of Civil Society Development Foundation, the former head of department of the President of Russia on domestic policy (one of divisions of Presidential Administration). This fund researches the Russian society, including by request of management of domestic policy which is supervised now by Volodin.

Kostin in reaction to a search agreed with the wife: "Arise a question on that, the search in edition LifeNews is how justified. Disclosure of private data – administrative violation, not criminal".

The source of Vedomosti close to the Kremlin assumed that could use a request of Resistance just for the purpose of colliding and etching in Volodin's team^[2].

However, two other sources of Vedomosti close to administration are categorical: scandal with LifeNews is created from scratch for derivation of attention. From what the attention distracts, they could not explain.

2014

Revenue of 1.38 billion rub

Revenue of LLC INEWS (the main legal person of News Media) in 2014 made 1.38 billion rubles, net profit — 14.6 million rubles (SPARK this base).

Reduction of staff from 480 to 410 people

At the end of 2014 it became known of mass reductions in News Media holding. Reduction of the state concerned both the website LifeNews, and the TV channel of the same name. At the end of year about 20% of employees were laid off. As it was reported later in connection with expense optimization of LifeNews laid off employees — from 480 to 410 people.

Gabrelyanov's son Ashot leaves a post of the chief executive of holding

In September, 2014 Ashot Gabrelyanov leaves a post of the chief executive of Nyyuz of Media holding and the CEO of LifeNews channel.

Nyyuz of media is founded by his father Aram Gabrelyanov. At this time the holding manages the website LifeNews, the channel of the same name, the Izvestia newspaper, the website Super, Russian News Service radio station, the Tvoy Den newspaper, publishes comics. Ashot Gabrelyanov began to work in holding as the trainee in photodepartment ten years ago, after that it passed into PR-department and so on. Recently he was engaged first of all in start and development of a newsfeed of LifeNews which appeared on air last fall.

Gabrelyanov told Vedomosti that he left LifeNews to be engaged in own Babo project^[3]. It is the platform for TV channels through which they get access to the user video. Users can load into Babo of video of incidents, video stories from life of stars and other rollers which are necessary to media for work, he explained. Such video evidences by eyewitnesses now even more often appear in an air.

Babo is a name of the great-grandmother of Gabrelyanov. It is its personal project, the Nyyuz of Media holding does not participate in it.

The similar platform is used now by LifeNews. At many TV companies both in Russia, and in the world witnesses a system for loading of video of incidents, Gabrelyanov specifies, but, as a rule, the systems of the fees for authors of rollers are not provided in these platforms. Therefore these applications of channels also do not enjoy wide popularity, he considers.

According to him, LifeNews always paid suppliers of video therefore it receives a set of interesting rollers from witnesses. "Now I want to apply this experience and to suggest to use to Babo not only the Russian channels, but also world media", - Gabrelyanov says. Channels will be able to show video received thus under own brands and not to refer to Babo, he emphasizes.

According to Gabrelyanov, the potential volume of the world market of similar platforms - $80 million a year.

2013: Start of LifeNews TV channel

The LifeNews TV channel was started based on the website of the same name in the fall of 2013, investments into its start were estimated at $20-30 million. Advertizing had to become one of the main sources of income.

The CEO of LifeNews and the younger son of Gabrelyanov Ashot Gabrelyanov directed start. In the interview to Lenta.ru dated for start he said that he wanted "create accurate association of the LifeNews brand with the most urgent news on the air". In spite of the fact that the channel was compared both to Russia-24, and to Rain, Ashot Gabrelyanov denied similarity between these channels, noting that these channels show a lot of the written blocks and transfers whereas LifeNews in a priority has an air and exclusive video. At start Gabrelyanov was guided by a brand of the British newsfeed SkyNews.

In two years LifeNews came out on top on quoting among the Russian TV channels (Russia-24 — on the second, and Rain — on the eighth). Its website is in the sixth place on quoting among the Russian internet mass-media (data Medialogiya for November, 2015). The average daily scope of LifeNews TV channel in the fourth quarter made 2015 2.4 million people (for the same period in 2014 – 1.7 million people). For comparison, the average daily scope of Russia-24 for the same period made 12.6 million people, and Rain — 200 thousand people (data "TNS Russia" on the Russian cities with the population it is more than 100 thousand, age 4+).

According to data of LiveInternet, the average daily audience of Lifenews.ru in December, 2015 made 866 thousand unique visitors. In September of the 2013th, before start of the channel, the average daily audience of the website made about 300 thousand visitors.

2011

Gabrelyanov is the chairman of the board of directors of Izvestia

In April, 2011 Gabrelyanov held a post of the chairman of the board of directors of JSC Redaktion gazety Izvestia belonging to "National media group". Earlier Gabrelyanov was appointed the deputy CEO of "National media group".

The owner of the Izvestia newspaper — National Media Group holding (NMG), but under the contract since 2011 calculated on five years manages the edition of the newspaper News Media media holding of Aram Gabrelyanov, and the INews company entering it is a publisher of the newspaper.

Reduction of 60% of personnel of Izvestia, moving on the Dux plant

After Gabrelyanov's appointment, at the end of May, 2011 the editorial office of Izvestia moved from Pushkin Square where it was since 1926 — in office center in the territory of the Dux plant in the Northern Administrative District of Moscow industrial zone. Moving was integrated to mass reductions of labor collective — was dismissed about 60% of personnel that caused the conflict in edition. A part of journalists refused to submit to Gabrelyanov and the Chief Editor Malyutin, having chosen on works meeting of the new Chief Editor. However it did not prevent Gabrelyanov to continue to issue the Izvestia newspaper on the new place.

2010: Restart of the website of Marker.ru

At the beginning of March, 2010 the holding began to issue the business newspaper "Marker.ru" again.

2009: Instead of Life.ru Lifenews.ru is started

Fall of 2009 instead of Life.ru the informational portal Lifenews.ru is started, the glossy tabloid — the Zhara magazine is open, the thematic Internet portals LifeSports.ru and LifeShowbiz.ru began to work.

2008

Yury Kovalchuk redeems a packet of UFG in News of Media

In 2008 UFG sold the share block of News of Media holding to certain "non-market fund of technical character", presumably "National media group" of the St. Petersburg businessman Yury Kovalchuk.

Start of Life.ru

On March 11, 2008 the new project of Gabrelyanov — the information and entertaining Internet portal Life.ru began to work.

2007: Gabrelyanov is the CEO of News of Media

In 2007 — Gabrelyanov the chairman of the board of directors and the editorial director of holding, since 2008 — the CEO of News of Media.

2006

Start of the tabloid "Your Day"

In the fall of 2006 the daily tabloid "Your Day" is founded.

Consolidation in holding of assets Life and sale of a share to UFG fund for $40 million

In 2006 Aram Gabrelyanov integrated the editions appearing under the Life brand in 50 cities of Russia in the holding, having sold 50%-1 share for $40 million to UFG investment group, one of co-owners of which is Boris Fyodorov, the ex-Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation.

Notes