Shalimov takes over Star

The Russian ministry of defence has named Yuri Shalimov as CEO of its broadcasting division, encompassing the Star TV channel, a radio service and internet portal, according to local reports.

Shalimov previously worked for broadcaster NTV as head of programmes centred on crime and the law. He worked on two controversial shows about anti-government protests that accused the organisers of benefiting from foreign finance and support, leading to charges being laid against some protest leaders and a counter-suit against NTV for defamation.

The Russian ministry of defence last year successfully fended off moves to reallocate Star’s broadcasting frequencies to the proposed new public broadcast service championed by Russian prime minister and former president Dmitry Medvedev. However, funding for Star was cut, leading the ministry to look to an advertising-based funding model for the channel.