From February 19 onward, state television channels and radio stations will offer free airtime to Russian presidential candidates. This shift was reported by Interfax and marks a notable change in how campaigns access broadcast space across the national media landscape.
Earlier, on February 13, the Central Election Commission conducted a drawing to allocate time on major radio stations such as Russia-1, Russia-24, Channel One, TV Center, Russian State Television (OTR), Russian Radio, Mayak, and Vesti FM. The drawing distributed a total of 60 hours of television broadcast and 36 hours of radio airtime among the candidates, a move seen as intended to balance coverage across platforms in the lead-up to the vote.
Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, Oleg Matveychev, commented that no events would alter Russians’ determination to participate in the presidential election. His remarks reflect how officials frame public engagement and the role of media in shaping electoral participation during the campaign period.
Polling figures released around that time indicated a strong inclination among Russians toward voting for Vladimir Putin, with surveys showing a high proportion expressing readiness to support him in the upcoming election cycle. The data suggested that public sentiment was broadly aligned with the candidates and the broader electoral process being discussed in the media and political discourse.
Observers noted that the presidential election schedule for Russia was set for mid-March, with voting windows anticipated to span several days. This multi-day format is characteristic of Russia’s election process, designed to accommodate a broad electorate and ensure accessibility across regions. Analysts and commentators often explore how such scheduling interacts with media coverage, voter turnout, and campaign strategies during the election period.
In the broader context, prior reports indicated a general willingness among survey participants to engage with the electoral process, highlighting a climate where participation was seen as important to the democratic process. Media coverage during this interval was scrutinized for balance and reach, as state and independent outlets together shaped the information environment surrounding the campaigns and the issues at stake for voters.
Overall, the period leading up to the election reflected a notable interaction between official media allocations, political messaging, and public readiness. The combination of allocated airtime on key channels and radio stations, public statements from lawmakers, and survey data contributed to a narrative about electoral participation and the role of mass media in informing and influencing voters across the country. Attribution: Interfax; official election authorities; public opinion surveys from the period.