Natalya Sindeyeva

Summary

Natalya Vladimirovna Sindeyeva (Russian: Наталья Владимировна Синдеева, IPA: [nɐˈtalʲjə sʲɪnˈdʲejɪvə]; born June 11, 1971) is a Russian journalist, founder, main owner and chief executive officer of the TV Rain media holding,[1][2] which includes the TV Rain channel, the Republic.ru online magazine and the Big City [ru] magazine. She is the co-founder and former general producer of the Silver Rain radio station, and founder of the Silver Galosh [ru] anti-award. She is also a three-times winner of the "Media Manager of Russia" prize,[3][4][5] an honorary academician of the Russian Academy of Radio.[6]

Natalya Sindeyeva
Sindeyeva at the MediaMakers conference
Наталья Синдеева Edit this on Wikidata
Born11 June 1971 Edit this on Wikidata
Michurinsk (Soviet UnionEdit this on Wikidata
Alma mater
OccupationPublisher, journalist, media manager Edit this on Wikidata
Spouse(s)Alexander Vinokurov Edit this on Wikidata
Awards
  • M100 Media Award (Tanit Koch, 2017) Edit this on Wikidata
Signature

Early life and education edit

Natalya Vladimirovna Sindeyeva was born in Michurinsk into the family of a military dentist.[7] From the age of three, Natalya was transferred to the care of her grandparents. As a child, she was fond of sports, graduated from a ballet school, studied music and folk dances. After school she received a specialty "teacher of elementary grades and mathematics" at the Michurinsk State Pedagogical Institute (MGPI).[8][9]

Career edit

After graduation in 1992, she moved to Moscow. In the beginning, she worked in an Italian clothing company and on a project for a night show on the water in the Chaika pool. Working as a promoter at one of the exhibitions, Sindeyeva met with producer Pavel Vashchekin and later became his personal assistant.[9] At that time, she established contacts with future figures in the media market: Sergei Kozhevnikov [Wikidata], the founder of the Russian Media Group [ru], radio producer Mikhail Kozyrev [Wikidata], Andrei Wolf [Wikidata] and Otar Kushanashvili.[10] In 1993, she moved to the 2x2 TV channel, where she worked her way up from secretary to producer of the Thousand and One Nights TV show.[8]

While working on 2x2, Sindeyeva met her future husband Dmitry Savitsky [ru]. The couple started creating the FM radio station Silver Rain.[8] While working on the radio, Sindeyeva met a Russian businessman and restaurateur Jamil Asfari,[11] who became her second husband. In 2002, the couple had a son, Luca.[10]

In 2005, at a match of the Chelsea[9] football club, Sindeyeva met the banker Alexander Vinokurov [ru], who was then the head of the investment bank KIT Finance [ru]. In 2006, she graduated from the Stockholm School of Economics Russia, course of business development Entrepreneur Essential 4.[10] In 2006 Sindeyeva and Vinokurov married and in 2009, their daughter Alexandra, was born.[10] Together with Vinokurov, who became the main investor, Sindeyeva created the TV Rain media holding.

Silver Rain, 1995–2009 edit

Together with her first husband, Dmitry Savitsky, Sindeyeva created the Silver Rain FM radio station. The first broadcast took place in 1995. Savitsky became the general director, and Sindeyeva became the general producer of the station and organizer of the anti-award for dubious achievements Silver Galosh [ru].[8] Many journalists were brought to work at the radio station. In addition, Silver Rain gained an audience via the Internet and the concept of "music non-stop" was introduced by Sindeyeva.[10]

From 2002 to 2009, Natalya served as commercial director of Silver Rain, while retaining the position of general producer. After leaving the radio station, she remained its co-owner.[12]

TV Rain media holding, 2007–present edit

Since 2007, Natalya Sindeyeva has been developing the TV Rain media holding, which includes the channel of the same name, as well as the Republic.ru publication and the Big City [ru] magazine. Aleksandr Vinokurov is an investor in all three projects, but legally Sindeyeva alone owns Republic and Big City; in the TV Rain channel she has 95% (another 5% for Vera Krichevskaya). The exact investment in the holding has not been disclosed, but by mid-2013, according to some estimates, the total investment in the channel alone could have reached $40 million.[13]

In 2012, the total revenue of the holding amounted to 433 million rubles, according to Russian Accounting Standards. The TV channel accounted for almost 66% — 285 million rubles, the Slon.ru portal (created in 2009) — 20%, the rest – the magazine and website Bolshoi Gorod (acquired in 2010). No resource brings operating profit.[13] In June 2014, plans were announced to combine all projects into one holding company and bring it to an IPO on the Moscow Exchange.[14]

TV Rain became the most influential independent channel in Russia, always under pressure of the state authorities.[2] It was declared a 'foreign agent' in 2021.[15] Upon nation-wide crackdown of independent media in the country in time of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the channel was blocked by Roskomnadzor.[16] Sindeyeva announced on air on March 3, the current broadcast would be the last for the time being. The following day, a law against "fake news" (intended to criminalize comments from independent media sources) was passed in the Russian parliament.[17]

Documentary edit

A documentary, F@ck This Job, presented as Tango with Putin[18] by Storyville, a BBC documentary series, about the history of TV Rain over 12 years and Sindeyeva's involvement in the station, was directed by Vera Krichevskaya [ru],[19] and released in 2021.[17]

Personal life edit

On February 2, 2020, Sindeyeva announced on air of her own program that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.[20][21] Sindeeva is a passionate tango dancer.[22][23][24] She and Vinokurov are separated.[17] She has been married three times and has two children, a son, Luka, and a daughter, Alexandra.[25]

Awards edit

In 2004, Sindeyeva became a laureate of the Media Manager of Russia award in the Radio category — "for innovative and non-standard approaches to the station's off-air promo campaigns".[3]

In 2016, Sindeyeva became a laureate of the Moscow Helsinki Group Prize for the Protection of Human Rights.[26]

In 2021, she won the Kamerton [ru] award.[27]

References edit

  1. ^ "Independent Russian TV channel subjected to extremism investigation". The Guardian. Moscow. December 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Russia's Independent Dozhd TV Channel Audited Amid Protest Coverage". The Moscow Times. August 1, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Национальная премия в области медиабизнеса 2004" [2004 National Media Business Award]. media-manager.ru (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Национальная премия в области медиабизнеса 2011" [2011 National Media Business Award]. media-manager.ru (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Национальная премия в области медиабизнеса 2014" [2014 National Media Business Award]. media-manager.ru (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Почётные академики: Наталья Синдеева" [Honorary Academicians: Natalia Sindeeva]. radioacademy.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on December 23, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Наталья Синдеева". 24SMI (in Russian). Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d Chesnokova, Ekaterina (May 30, 2010). "Рейтинг 100 самых влиятельных женщин" [Top 100 Most Influential Women]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). Archived from the original on September 20, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Babitsky, Alexander (March 18, 2010). "Наталья Синдеева: бизнесвумен от радио" [Natalia Sindeeva: businesswoman from radio]. luxemag.ru (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Наталья Синдеева: фото, биография, фильмография, новости – Вокруг ТВ" [Natalia Sindeeva: photo, biography, filmography, news]. vokrug.tv (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "Наталья Синдеева – Про меня – Сноб" [Natalia Sindeeva – About me – Snob]. snob.ru (in Russian). March 11, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  12. ^ Kitaeva, Katerina (September 9, 2013). "Нам гораздо важнее, кто нас слушает" [It is much more important for us who listens to us]. RBK Group (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Zhokhova, Anastasia; Tofanyuk, Elena (June 24, 2013). "На какие деньги создан телеканал «Дождь» и почему он так и не стал бизнесом | Бизнес" [How Much Money Was the TV Rain Channel With and Why It Did Not Become a Business | Business]. Forbes (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "Телеканал «Дождь» выйдет на IPO на Московской бирже | АБН" [TV Rain Channel Goes to IPO on the Moscow Exchange | ABN]. absnews.ru (in Russian). June 5, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Russia declares media outlet TV Rain a 'foreign agent'". Reuters. August 20, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "Russia's top radio station shut amid crackdown on dissent". The Independent. March 3, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c Rozovsky, Liza (May 1, 2022). "She Was the Head of a Russian TV Station. Now She's an Enemy of the State". Haaretz. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "Tango with Putin". Storyville. BBC. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  19. ^ Vourlias, Christopher (March 7, 2022). "'F@ck This Job' Director Vera Krichevskaya: 'There Is No Space' for Free Speech Under Putin". Variety.com. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  20. ^ "Рак. Нужно ли с ним бороться, как научиться говорить с врачом и почему не нужно жалеть людей с онкологическими заболеваниями?" [Cancer. Is it necessary to deal with it, how to learn to talk to a doctor and why shouldn't you feel sorry for people with cancer?] (in Russian). TV Rain. February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  21. ^ "«Я его приняла внутри себя». Гендиректор «Дождя» Наталья Синдеева призналась, что у неё рак" ["I accepted it inside myself." The general director of TV Rain Natalya Sindeyeva admitted that she had cancer]. fontanka.ru (in Russian). February 2, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  22. ^ Solovyova, Ksenia (April 27, 2021). "Как танго помогло Наталье Синдеевой победить рак" [How Tango Helped Natalya Sindeyeva Fight Cancer] (in Russian). Tatler. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  23. ^ "Наталья Синдеева: «Танец помог мне вовремя распознать рак»" (in Russian). Mir Novostey. September 16, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  24. ^ "Танцующая в темноте. О Наталье Синдеевой и фильме F@ck this job" [Dancing in the Dark: Natalya Sindeeva and 'F@ck this job' Movie] (in Russian). Snob. April 16, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  25. ^ Solovyova, Ksenia (March 2, 2022). "«Мы одно из немногих СМИ, которые рассказывают о том, что есть на самом деле» — интервью генерального директора канала «Дождь» Натальи Синдеевой" ['We are one of very few media that tell the truth' — interview with Natalya Sindeyeva] (in Russian). Tatler. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  26. ^ "Лауреаты Премии МХГ в области защиты прав человека за 2016 год | Московская Хельсинкская группа" [Laureates of the MHG Human Rights Prize for 2016 | Moscow Helsinki Group]. mhg.ru (in Russian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  27. ^ "Наталья Синдеева и Дмитрий Марков получили премию «Камертон» имени Анны Политковской". Новая газета (in Russian). December 29, 1980. Retrieved October 16, 2022.