NTV Director General Not To Stand Kremlin's Interference In Company's Affairs

NTV director general Boris Jordan said he would resign if he was informed of any "interference on the part of the Kremlin" in the activity of his television company. This RIA Novosti correspondent reports that, on his part, Jordan admitted that the company's management never interfered in its editorial policy. In his letter to president of the Washington National Press Club Richard Ryan Mr Jordan assured him that as long as he, Boris Jordan, "is NTV director general, there will be no interference in the editorial independence of news-making teams and commentators." The letter of the NTV director general reads that the NTV management changes were necessitated by "financial negligence and expenditures by the Vladimir Gusinsky management." Jordan noted that despite the management changes in the TV company, the "backbone" of NTV team, in particular, those who make reports on Chechnya, keep working for the TV company, sticking to "the highest standard of editorial honesty." Jordan said he was ready to meet with the leadership and members of the National Press Club during his visit to Washington. He stressed that the new NTV management shared the National Press Club's adherence to the principle of freedom of the press as the corner stone of democracy.