Ahead of shutdown, journalists from VTimes promise to create new media outlet
Journalists from the independent news outlet VTimes, which is ceasing its operations on June 12 after being labeled a “foreign agent” last month, plan to create a new media outlet. This was stated in the publication’s farewell newsletter, which was written by journalist Kirill Karatyan.
“Don’t unsubscribe from this mailing list — and we will send you our articles and expert opinions, but this will be from a new resource. We don’t yet know what the new resource will be called. But it will definitely start with a V.”
In a comment to Meduza, VTimes editor Boris Safronov said that there are no specific details about the new project as of yet, but it will definitely be “more intimate and without any foreign money.” “We will try to keep our agenda: economics, finance, business, ecology, education, analysis, and commentary on important events and trends,” he said. Thus far, VTimes publisher Alexander Gubsky isn’t planning to be involved in the new media outlet.
VTimes was established in July 2020 by journalists who resigned from Vedomosti in protest against the actions of the business newspaper’s new leadership.
On May 14, 2021, the Russian Justice Ministry added VTimes to its list of “foreign-agent media outlets.” Three weeks later, the publication announced that it would be shutting down as of June 12, because the “foreign agent” label had destroyed its business model and damaged its reputation among newsmakers.
