Medium-Orient

The mission of Medium-Orient is to promote democratic values and institutions by disseminating factual information and ideas. From Central Europe to the Pacific, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, from Russia to Central Asia to the Persian Gulf, countries are struggling to overcome autocratic institutions, violations of human rights, centralized economies, ethnic and religious hostilities, regional conflicts, and controlled media.

Stability -- based on democracy and free-market economies -- throughout this region is essential to global peace. Based on the conviction that the first requirement of democracy is a well informed citizenry, and building on nearly a half-century of surrogate broadcasting to this region:

Medium-Orient is one of the most successful Russian-language media companies in Europe.

Medium-Orient is comprised of several independently-functioning media projects.

Medium-Orient works with web design companies, and owns rights to advertisement in the most popular Russian-language media in Europe and Russia.

As of 2002 the company owns the information agency Caucasus Times (www.caucasustimes.com).

Since 2003 Medium-Orient has been working on various projects with the Soros fund in Budapest (www.osi.org), the National Endowment for Democracy (www.ned.org), the Czech Senate, and a number of international human rights organizations ("Memorial" - Moscow, "People in Need" - Czech Republic), as well as the international radio stations Radio Free Europe and the BBC.

In 2004 Medium-Orient founded the Center for Public Opinion Studies under the name "Independent Opinion." The Center conducts monthly sociological studies in Russia, covering the most topical political, social and economic questions. It also studies audience ratings of media broadcasting to Russia.

Since 2007 Medium-Orient has been issuing the annual publication "The North Caucasus: A look from within." The publication contains information regarding media preferences in the North Caucasus, as well as political and sociological attitudes of the region's inhabitants.

In 2008 Medium-Orient founded a journalism school, which currently offers courses to upgrade the professional level of journalists working in Russian.

Since 2007, the company has been conducting scientific conferences for donors, NGOs, scientists and journalists concerning human rights and freedoms in countries of the former Eastern Block.

As of 2008, Medium-Orient owns the weekly newspaper АрбатNews (ArbatNews - www.arbat.name). Additionally, in 2008 Medium-Orient became the only company in the Czech Republic that owns advertising rights on the most popular Russian television channel, ORT.

The agency's headquarters are situated in Prague, Czech Republic. Media registration number: ZIO/8916/03/ given on 12 November 2002. Medium-Orient Information Agency is a registered trademark, registration number 27100791.