Channel One decided to add more political topics to Andrei Malakhov’s talk show “Let Them Talk.” This was the cause of the conflict, as a result of which the channel is threatening to leave its most famous presenter, BBC sources assure.
RBC reported Malakhov’s possible departure from the First at the beginning of the week. The information was confirmed by three interlocutors of the BBC Russian Service on the channel.
Recently, the presenter had conflicts with the channel’s management, employees of the television company explained in a conversation with the BBC (all asked for anonymity, as they are not authorized to communicate with the press).
Problems began in May, when producer Natalya Nikonova, who had previously headed the First’s special projects studio and had already managed, among other things, the production of the show “Let Them Talk,” returned to the channel. In recent years, Nikonova worked as a producer of “Live Broadcast” on “Russia 1”, a competing program of “Let Them Talk”.
Too much politics
The main thing that caused dissatisfaction with Malakhov’s team was the topics that appeared on the program with the arrival of Nikonova. The show “Let Them Talk” has always specialized in discussing the social agenda and show business: from the mass poisoning with Hawthorn to the addiction of presenter Dana Borisova.
Now, according to two BBC sources, political themes have begun to appear in the programme. According to a BBC interlocutor in the television industry, this could be the cause of Malakhov’s conflict with the producer.
“Nikonova returned to First to shake up the socio-political bloc before the presidential elections,” says a BBC source.
Several episodes of “Let Them Talk” aired since May were indeed devoted to politics. For example, on July 10, a program about Oliver Stone and his film about President Vladimir Putin was released. In the June 27 episode they talked about the murder of former deputy Denis Voronenkov in Kyiv. Another issue on the same topic was published on July 12 - “Maksakova and Voronenkov: new details of the “elimination” operation.”
Topics about politics and politicians are more often discussed in the direct competitor of Malakhov’s program, “Live,” where producer Nikonova came from. While in Malakhov’s studio the program participants watch funny videos from YouTube (the episode “Childhood Burns” on June 1), on “Live” they talk about the age difference between the new French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife (the episode “Unequal Marriage” was released on that same day, June 1).
But, as data from Mediascope (formerly TNS) shows, political topics are of much less interest to viewers (see chart). Even the rating of “Direct Line” with the President on Channel One turned out to be lower than the rating of the “Let Them Talk” episode on the same day. In Malakhov’s studio, they then discussed scandals with actor Alexei Panin.
All the changes that are currently taking place on Russian television must be looked at through the prism of the upcoming presidential elections, says political scientist Konstantin Kalachev.
“We need some kind of release, anxieties, phobias and fears need to be relieved,” he believes. “We need an expansion of social optimism; our citizens’ social well-being is falling.” According to him, as part of the search for a new approach on TV, the appearance of political topics in Malakhov’s program is also one of the options to conduct a dialogue with the voter.
Harsh propaganda on television needs to be changed, and this should have been done a long time ago, says political scientist Grigory Dobromelov. In his opinion, doing this immediately before the elections is dangerous for the authorities - any changes bring instability. Dobromelov notes that Malakhov is not a propagandist and has little connection with politics.
“It is rather like a drug on which a significant part of our fellow citizens is addicted - if it goes to another channel, they will watch it there too,” the political scientist noted.
Team conflict
Andrey Malakhov is the most popular TV presenter. The program that he has been hosting for 16 years (at first it was called “The Big Wash”, then “Five Evenings”, and finally “Let Them Talk”) is one of the most famous on Russian television. According to Mediascope, almost every week at least one of the “Let Them Talk” episodes makes it to the top of the ratings of the most popular programs.
Russians have included Malakhov himself in the list of representatives of the Russian elite for several years in a row. Thus, in December 2016, 4% attributed it to representatives of the country’s elite (Levada Center survey).
And in 2011-2012, the TV presenter was in the top ten representatives of the elite, along with President Putin, Foreign Minister Lavrov and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (VTsIOM poll). Moreover, the patriarch lost to Malakhov in popularity.
The TV presenter was dissatisfied with many changes that appeared in the program after the change of producer. Nikonova brought part of the team with her, and the “Let Them Talk” program began to be filmed in the new studio.
“When she arrived, everyone didn’t really understand what was happening. There was no conflict as such, but everyone was tense. She did “Live Broadcast” on “Russia 1”. And this is shit. The editors don’t want to do shit,” a BBC source explains the reasons for the conflict between the program editors and Nikonova.
The conflict, which resulted in Malakhov’s threat to quit, developed not only because of this, but also because of Nikonova’s attitude towards the program and the people working on it in general. “She didn’t take into account that the team was already established,” sums up the BBC’s interlocutor.
New people are already being tried for Malakhov’s position, RBC wrote. Interlocutors of the BBC on Channel One say that they heard about the casting for the position of presenter. One of the contenders is the current presenter of “Evening News” Dmitry Borisov. Another candidate is Dmitry Shepelev, who recently began hosting the “Actually” program on the First. Shepelev and Borisov did not confirm this information, but did not refute it either.
Malakhov himself can move to “Russia 1” to “Live”, transferring there the employees of the talk show “Let Them Talk,” RBC claimed. However, a BBC interlocutor close to the editors of “Let Them Talk” claims that so far no one has written a letter of resignation.
TV critic Irina Petrovskaya is sure that the information about Malakhov’s departure to VGTRK is “80% fake.” “It’s like assuming that Putin will move from the post of president to work in the Moscow mayor’s office,” she added. Malakhov is a sensible person, notes Petrovskaya, but there is no common sense to leave the First.
First did not respond to the BBC's request. VGTRK neither confirmed nor denied Malakhov’s transition. “Our entire management is on vacation, so this physically cannot happen at the moment,” a representative of VGTRK told the RT television channel.
The holding's press secretary, Victoria Arutyunova, did not answer calls from the BBC correspondent. Nikonova refused to comment on the situation. Malakhov also did not answer calls. His representative declined to comment, saying that Malakhov is on vacation until August 10.
In an interview with GQ magazine in June 2017, Malakhov answered the question of what could force him to leave the First: “Only if, to increase ratings, they would force me to fuck a pig on live air.”
I took it at the beginning of summer. And the contract with the employer ended on December 31, 2016 - and the TV presenter did not want to renew it. Malakhov informed the producer of the program “Let Them Talk” a month in advance.
“But everyone somehow didn’t believe it,” the TV presenter said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper. - And on the first day of vacation I wrote Konstantin Ernst a letter saying “I’m tired, I’m leaving.”
Malakhov sent an official statement of resignation to the management of the channel by Russian Post, since at that time he was not in Moscow. Alas, some people took this act of Andrei incorrectly.
Andrei Malakhov said that his departure from Channel One had nothing to do with the transition to Rossiya 1. The TV presenter began to consider offers for a new job only after his story on First was already completed.
“I was even offered to host Dom-2.” We decided it would be a good show if it were in the Seychelles. Then there was an offer from a new big project at STS. The reaction of my colleagues was interesting. Vadim Takmenev (chief editor of NTV infotainment programs) called on the second day after submitting the application, we talked about television life, and he could not believe that I was leaving,” says Malakhov. - But when an incredible corset comes across the country, which, let’s be honest, won the last TV season, and you are invited, realizing that you are clearly not a fool on television, then you feel respect and understand that here you are no longer the boy who makes coffee".
On “Russia 1” Malakhov will not only be the host of “Live Broadcast”, but also the producer of the program:
“My wife calls me boss baby. It’s clear that television is a team story, but the producer has the final say.”
Andrey Malakhov named the main reasons for his transition to a new job:
« This is a series of different events in life. I came to Ostankino as a student for an internship and stood for three hours waiting for my pass. I was fascinated by this big world and started by running for coffee during the day and going to the stall for vodka for television legends at night. And although you have become a popular TV presenter, you still work with the same people who treat you like the son of the regiment. This is a situation where your colleagues came much later, but already have their own projects. And you still have the same old status. You are expected to be the “talkie” presenter, but you already have something to talk about with your viewers.
It’s like in family life: at first there was love, then it grew into a habit, and at some point it was a marriage of convenience. My contract with Channel One ended on December 31, 2016 and was not renewed - everyone was so used to me being here. I want to grow, to become a producer, a person who makes decisions, including determining what my program should be about, and not giving up my whole life and looking like a puppy into the eyes of people changing during this time. The TV season ended, I decided that I needed to close this door and try myself in a new capacity in a new place.”
Andrei Malakhov also wrote an open letter to his former colleagues in Starhit. Here are excerpts from it:
"Dear friends!
In our digital era, the epistolary genre is used extremely rarely, but I came to Channel One in the last century, when people still wrote letters to each other, not text messages. So forgive me for such a long message. I dare to hope that you know the true reasons for my unexpected transfer to “Russia 1”, where I will host the new program “Andrei Malakhov. Live broadcast”, working on a Saturday show and other projects.
I remember the day when I crossed the threshold of the Vremya program as an intern and saw big television from the inside for the first time. From that “ice age”, only 91-year-old Kaleria Kislova (former chief director of the “Time” program) remained. – Note from StarHit). Kaleria Venediktovna, colleagues still talk about you with aspiration. People who could “build” ;-) everyone – both presidents and top officials of the state – will no longer be seen on TV. You are an example of the highest professionalism!
From the amazing past, I will also miss Kirill Kleimenov, who stands today at the helm of news broadcasting. We started together on the Good Morning program. Kirill then read the morning news, and today he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders, he practically lives in the Television Center. Kirill, for me you are an example of self-denial in the name of your favorite business, and there is the highest justice in the fact that you got the office with the most beautiful view of the ancient Ostankino Park. I also admire that you can easily communicate even in such a complex language as Finnish. When conjugating verbs in my “easy” French classes, I always think of you.
Head of the First Channel company. World Wide Web,” my classmate and classmate at Moscow State University Lesha Efimov, you remember how you and I flew to open the channel’s broadcasts in Canada and Australia? Sorry we couldn't resume our business trips.
Your deputy and my good friend is news anchor Dmitry Borisov.
Dima, all my hope is in you! The other day I saw fragments of “Let Them Talk” with your participation. I'm sure you will succeed!
Some of the main creators of my style are: Tatiana Mikhalkova and the super team of the image studio “Russian Silhouette”! How many hairstyles Regina Avdimova and her magical masters did, in a matter of minutes. I think this could not have happened without the help of the collection of frogs that Reginochka collects for good luck.
My dear 14th studio! I recently watched with tears in my eyes as it was dismantled. Wonderful design, invented by the chief artist of Channel One, Dmitry Likin. Who can do better, endow the scenery with the same internal energy?! Dima is generally a very versatile person. The interiors of the Moscow Pioneer cinema and the embankment of the Muzeon art park are also his creations. I am also grateful to Dmitry for being one of the first to infect me with a love for contemporary art, and this added an incredible cascade of emotions to my life.
My beloved Catherines! “Sister-Capricorn” Katya Mtsituridze! Sorry for not telling you personally, but as a person working on the channel and heading Roskino, you understand: I need to grow and move forward. Katyusha Andreeva, you have a cool page on Instagram, and special respect for your likes. Katya Strizhenova, how many events, starting with “Good Morning”, holidays, concerts, our “sweet couple” has endured ;-) – it’s impossible to count!
The main music producer of the channel, Yuri Aksyuta, you and I also have a rich experience of TV hours spent together. “Eurovision”, “New Year’s Lights”, “Two Stars”, “Golden Gramophone” - that was recently, it was a long time ago... You brought me to the big stage: our duet with Masha Rasputina still does not allow envious people to sleep peacefully.
Lenochka Malysheva, you were the person who first called in excitement, refusing to believe what was happening. But you need to develop, you, as the producer of your own program, understand this better than others. And if at the same time I brought you up to a new broadcast topic called “The first manifestations of male menopause” ;-), that’s also good.
And if we continue to joke, another producer of his own show understands me well - Ivan Urgant. Vanya, thank you for the numerous mentions of my person and raising the ratings of that rather large part of the audience that spins spinners.
Lenochka Queen! In memory of your grandmother Lyudmila Gurchenko, to whom I promised not to abandon you in life, I still took you to work. You yourself know that you were not the most exemplary administrator. But now, having gone through the “Let Them Talk” school, I dare to hope that you won’t let me down anywhere.
And if we are talking about Maxim Galkin... Max, everyone says that I am repeating your television fate (in 2008, Galkin left Channel One for Rossiya, but returned seven years later. - Note from StarHit). I will say more, as a teenager I, a novice fan of Alla Borisovna, also dreamed of repeating your personal destiny... ;-) And one more thing. I didn’t comment on your recent video with the castle in the background, because if money had come first in this story, my transfer, as you guessed, would have happened nine years ago.
Press service of Channel One - Larisa Krymova... Lara, it was with your light hand that I became editor-in-chief of StarHit magazine. It was you who organized my first meeting with the president of the Hearst Shkulev Publishing house, Viktor Shkulev, where this magazine has been successfully published for the tenth year.
Well, in conclusion - about the owner of the main office of Ostankino, on the door of which there is a sign “10-01” attached. Dear Konstantin Lvovich! 45 years is an important milestone in a man’s life, 25 of which I gave to you and Channel One. These years have become part of my DNA and I remember every minute you dedicated to me. Thank you so much for everything you did, for the experience you shared with me, for the amazing journey along the television road of life that we went through together.
The only request is to take care of your assistants, especially Lenochka Zaitseva . She is not only a very dedicated and professional employee, but also can easily lay claim to the role of the chief psychologist of Channel One.
I wrote all this and I understand: a lot has happened in 25 years, and although I am unbearably sad now, I will remember only one thing - how good we were together. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, my beloved! God bless us!
Yours, Andrey Malakhov.”
Andrei Malakhov first told Antenna magazine about his departure from Channel One. The TV presenter did not hide the fact that he had a conflict with management.
The first promotional video has already appeared on the network, in which Andrei Malakhov announces a show with his participation on “Russia 1”. It turned out to be the “Live Broadcast” project, which Boris Korchevnikov was previously involved in. According to Malakhov, after he turned 45 last January, he experienced a real “crisis of the genre.” And this applied to absolutely everything.
"Starting with programs that began to seem secondary: this was already in The Simpsons, and ending with complete dissatisfaction with my position. I was always subordinate. A human soldier, following orders. But I wanted independence. I looked at my colleagues: they became producers their programs, they began to make decisions themselves. And suddenly the understanding came: life goes on, and we need to grow, get out of the tight confines,” Malakhov said.
In addition, Malakhov was exhausted by the closure of his favorite studio in Ostankino, where they recorded “Let Them Talk.” According to rumors, this happened by the decision of Ernst’s new deputy, Natalya Nikonova.
“On April 25 at 18:45 they called me and said that we were changing the studio and had to leave Ostankino. And Ostankino is my second home. It has its own aura, energy. Our team has never changed the studio either. This is the place there was strength. We came in and understood what needed to be done. I was left without a home and a familiar atmosphere, and when I saw a new room a thousand meters away from our backstage two hundred, I realized that this was the point, I probably just couldn’t handle a studio of that size.” - Malakhov said.
This was the last straw for the Channel One star. “And then they sent me a video of how the “Let them talk” studio was being dismantled. I don’t know what to compare what I felt with. Probably, if they brought me to the morgue and showed how they dissect a person close to you... And just like that - drop by drop “They burned everything that was dear to me, to which I was mentally attached. Then you understand that you have been building something for so many years and you cannot afford to disappear like this. You understand that a new stage has come. You must close this door,” he said. Malakhov.
The TV presenter chose not to comment on his conflict with the new producer of “Let Them Talk” Natalya Nikonova. "Can I remain silent?" - Malakhov said. As a result, he agreed to the offer of the Russia 1 channel, which provided the presenter with greater independence. “And - again a coincidence - they called me from the Russia 1 channel and offered me to become the producer of my own program. A person who will decide for himself what to do, how to present and what topics to cover,” Malakhov noted.
Channel One decided to add more political topics to Andrei Malakhov’s talk show “Let Them Talk.” This became the cause of the conflict, as a result of which the channel is threatening to leave its most famous presenter, BBC sources assure.
RBC reported Malakhov’s possible departure from the First at the beginning of the week. The information was confirmed by three interlocutors of the BBC Russian Service on the channel.
Recently, the presenter had conflicts with the channel’s management, employees of the television company explained in a conversation with the BBC (all asked for anonymity, as they are not authorized to communicate with the press).
Problems began in May, when producer Natalya Nikonova, who had previously headed the First’s special projects studio and had already managed, among other things, the production of the show “Let Them Talk,” returned to the channel. In recent years, Nikonova worked as a producer of “Live Broadcast” on “Russia 1”, a competitor program to “Let Them Talk”.
The main thing that caused dissatisfaction with Malakhov’s team was the topics that appeared on the program with the arrival of Nikonova. The show “Let Them Talk” has always specialized in discussing the social agenda and show business: from the mass poisoning with Hawthorn to the addiction of presenter Dana Borisova.
Now, according to two BBC sources, political themes have begun to appear on the programme. According to a BBC interlocutor in the television industry, this could be the cause of Malakhov’s conflict with the producer.
“Nikonova returned to First to shake up the socio-political bloc before the presidential elections,” says a BBC source.
Several episodes of “Let Them Talk” aired since May did focus on politics. For example, on July 10, a program about Oliver Stone and his film about President Vladimir Putin was released. In the June 27 episode they talked about the murder of former deputy Denis Voronenkov in Kyiv. Another issue on the same topic was published on July 12 - “Maksakova and Voronenkov: new details of the “elimination” operation.”
Topics about politics and politicians are more often discussed in the direct competitor of Malakhov’s program, “Live,” where producer Nikonova came from. While in Malakhov’s studio the program participants watch funny videos from YouTube (the “Childhood Burns” episode is on June 1), on “Live” they talk about the age difference between the new French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife (the “Unequal Marriage” episode was released on that same day, June 1).
But, as Mediascope data shows, political topics arouse much less interest among viewers (see graph). Even the rating of “Direct Line” with the President on Channel One turned out to be lower than the rating of the “Let Them Talk” episode on the same day. In Malakhov’s studio, they then discussed scandals with actor Alexei Panin.
All the changes that are currently taking place on Russian television must be looked at through the prism of the upcoming presidential elections, says political scientist Konstantin Kalachev.
“We need some kind of release, anxieties, phobias and fears need to be relieved,” he believes. “We need an expansion of social optimism; our citizens’ social well-being is falling.” According to him, as part of the search for a new approach on TV, the appearance of political topics in Malakhov’s program is also one of the options to conduct a dialogue with the voter.
Harsh propaganda on television needs to be changed, and this should have been done a long time ago, says political scientist Grigory Dobromelov. In his opinion, doing this immediately before the elections is dangerous for the authorities - any changes bring instability. Dobromelov notes that Malakhov is not a propagandist and has little connection with politics.
“It is rather like a drug on which a significant part of our fellow citizens is addicted - if it goes to another channel, they will watch it there too,” the political scientist noted.
Andrey Malakhov is the most popular TV presenter. The program that he has been hosting for 16 years (at first it was called “The Big Wash”, then “Five Evenings”, and finally “Let Them Talk”) is one of the most famous on Russian television. According to Mediascope (formerly TNS), almost every week at least one of the “Let Them Talk” episodes makes it to the top of the ratings of the most popular programs.
Russians have included Malakhov himself in the list of representatives of the Russian elite for several years in a row. Thus, in December 2016, 4% attributed it to representatives of the country’s elite (Levada Center survey).
And in 2011-2012, the TV presenter was in the top ten representatives of the elite, along with President Putin, Foreign Minister Lavrov and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (VTsIOM poll). Moreover, the patriarch lost to Malakhov in popularity.
The TV presenter was dissatisfied with many changes that appeared in the program after the change of producer. Nikonova brought part of the team with her, and the “Let Them Talk” program began to be filmed in the new studio.
“When she arrived, everyone didn’t really understand what was happening. There was no conflict as such, but everyone was tense. She also did “Live Broadcast” on “Russia 1”. And this is shit. The editors don’t want to do shit,” a BBC source explains the reasons for the conflict between the program editors and Nikonova.
The conflict, which resulted in Malakhov’s threat to quit, developed not only because of this, but also because of Nikonova’s attitude towards the program and the people working on it in general. “She didn’t take into account that the team was already established,” sums up the BBC’s interlocutor.
New people are already being tried for Malakhov’s position, RBC wrote. Interlocutors of the BBC on Channel One say that they heard about the casting for the position of presenter. One of the contenders is the current presenter of “Evening News” Dmitry Borisov. Another candidate is Dmitry Shepelev, who recently began hosting the “Actually” program on the First. Shepelev and Borisov did not confirm this information, but did not refute it either.
Malakhov himself can move to “Russia 1” in “Live Broadcast”, transferring there the employees of the talk show “Let Them Talk,” RBC claimed. However, a BBC interlocutor close to the editors of “Let Them Talk” claims that so far no one has written a letter of resignation.
TV critic Irina Petrovskaya is sure that the information about Malakhov’s departure to VGTRK is “80% fake.” “It’s like assuming that Putin will move from the post of president to work in the Moscow mayor’s office,” she added. Malakhov is a sensible person, notes Petrovskaya, but there is no common sense to leave the First.
First did not respond to the BBC's request. VGTRK neither confirmed nor denied Malakhov’s transition. “Our entire management is on vacation, so this physically cannot happen at the moment,” a representative of VGTRK told the RT television channel.
The holding's press secretary, Victoria Arutyunova, did not answer calls from the BBC correspondent. Nikonova refused to comment on the situation. Malakhov also did not answer calls. His representative declined to comment, saying that Malakhov is on vacation until August 10.
In an interview with the magazine in June 2017, Malakhov answered the question of what could force him to leave the First: “Only if, in order to increase ratings, they would force me to fuck a pig on air.”
Finally, all the i's are dotted - Andrei Malakhov officially left Channel One. “I was always subordinate. A human soldier, following orders. But I wanted independence. I looked at my colleagues: they became producers of their programs, they began to make decisions themselves. And suddenly the understanding came: life goes on, and you need to grow, get out of the tight confines.” , Malakhov explained in an interview with Woman`s Day.
ON THIS TOPIC
And in his address to the country’s chief television doctor, Elena Malysheva, published in StarHit, he was a little more specific: “We need to develop, you, as the producer of your own program, understand this better than others. And if at the same time I brought you up to a new broadcast topic called “First manifestations male menopause" is also not bad."
Now for people far from the television kitchen, it’s worth explaining what Malakhov meant. The fact is that Natalya Nikonova returned to Channel One as a producer. She returned and developed vigorous activity, seizing the reins of the “Let Them Talk” program. Employees of Channel One reported that Nikonova’s task is to “shake up the socio-political block of broadcasts.” These changes were not to the liking of the star TV presenter.
The changes, it must be said, were revolutionary. Firstly, Andrei, as they say, was deprived of the opportunity to formulate the editorial plan of the Let Them Talk program. He was assigned only the role of the presenter, to whom questions are written to the heroes and into whose ear monitor the director gives the commands “Let them fight,” “Don’t approach the heroine, let her scream,” “Approach the experts in the hall.” Malakhov was not satisfied with the “talking head” function in any way.
The second change concerns the subject matter of his program. If “Let Them Talk” previously touched on the social and everyday sphere, Nikonova decided to make the program a political talk show, which would talk about America, Syria, Ukraine and other news-producing countries. The new format has already been tested - the first episode of “Let Them Talk” with a new host was dedicated to Mikheil Saakashvili. Malakhov, of course, is not at all interested in politics.
Finally, competitors from “Russia” are said to have offered Andrey almost twice as much salary. And the “best presenter in the country,” as Malakhov was introduced to the “Live Broadcast” team, now really needs money for diapers, rattles and strollers - at the end of the year he will become a dad.
