Rise and fall of the most popular independent TV Channel in Russia

NTV Channel is one of the most popular ones in Russia. 20 years ago it looked like a free and independent Channel, that's where contemporary video journalism started from. Now things have changed and independent journalism continues on KZhead.
This story is worth talking about because it shows a real contrast between Russian TV in 1990s and now. Here we are going to talk about different spheres of influences, people who made a difference and how relative freedom turned into a monopoly.
Contents:
0:00 Intro
1:02 Why is this episode unique?
2:18 A witness describes their experience on the siege of NTV office.
6:10 "I knew it was a dream job."
13:34 Depiction of Chechen War on NTV and how it was different from other channels.
16:52 Elena Masyuk, her experience of being a Chechen War captive.
18:17 1990s, a golden age of NTV Channel
21:00 In what ways did NTV changed Russian TV broadcasting?
25:49 How Namedni program was approved and created?
27:22 Yelena Khanga's program: coming out and early # MeToo
28:20 Independent Investigation program by Nikolay Nikolaev that created a new genre Emergency Situation.
29:57 To what extent NTV was a free Channel?
37:07 Alfred Koch: "I was being harassed!"
40:50 Were journalists of NTV told to criticise anyone without a reason?
44:51 The Dolls TV show: a criminal case and popularity.
48:17 Presidential elections in 1996: NTV supports Yeltsin but harshly criticises Zyuganov.
52:31 How much could NTV journalists make at the time?
55:24 Oleg Dobrodeev, editor-in-chief left NTV which was a sign for the split that followed soon.
58:55 Why Gusinsky did not get on well with Putin?
1:02:51 Gusinsky debt to Gasprom Media.
1:06:03 Why was Gusinsky arrested? З
1:10:06 NTV journalists went to see Putin. How did it go?
1:14:57 Protests to support NTV.
1:19:23 How split of the NTV journalists team began?
1:28:12 A siege of NTV office at night, April 2001.
1:35:58 What do those who witnessed the events think about it now?
1:41:06 Freedom of speech after NTV was sieged.
1:47:37 How is it different now, 20 years later?