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´óÏó´«Ã½ journalism and innovative multimedia content are the focus of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian University Tour across four Russian cities.

Between Monday 1 and Friday 12 March, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian is holding a series of events at universities and major libraries in St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Moscow and Voronezh.

During these events, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian will showcase the best of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian journalism, including new ways of reaching audiences by using the latest technologies, and engage young audiences in live debates.

´óÏó´«Ã½ journalism is the leading theme of the university tour.

Senior ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian journalists – including Head of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian, Sarah Gibson, and Managing Editor, Dmitry Shishkin – will conduct masterclasses for students at St Petersburg State University, Ural State University, Moscow State University and Voronezh State University.

Sarah Gibson comments: "We want to engage with future Russian journalists on the changing shape of the global media and global audiences, and the challenges and opportunities these changes pose for broadcasters such as the ´óÏó´«Ã½.

"We also want to share the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s editorial values and standards, and discuss the special journalism language resource we have created – and are constantly updating – for those writing in Russian."

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is meeting audiences in St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Moscow and Voronezh face-to-face, to talk about innovations introduced in its output over the past few years.

These include multiplatform broadcasting and availability of multimedia content via mobile phones, embedded video and audio on bbcrussian.com, podcasts and presence on online social networks and blogging sites.

While original news and information programmes such as Pyatiy Etazh have given a new dimension to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian radio, its established popular programmes, such as BBSeva, and content such as Learning English, are successfully using new broadcast technologies to better engage with audiences.

Sarah Gibson adds: "We see ourselves at the forefront of Russian-language international news broadcasting – particularly in terms of the issues we explore and our focus on, bringing a Russian perspective to international news events, and a global perspective to Russian news. We believe this is unique in the Russian media landscape.

"We also stand out in terms of the innovation and technology we use, and the added value we aim to bring to our audience through developments such as interactivity, Learning English, and resources for journalists."

Dmitry Shishkin adds: "´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian has changed significantly over the last few years, not in its editorial approach, but in the way it's reaching Russian audiences. It's no longer 'heritage' radio but a serious multiplatform broadcaster.

"As we showcase the best of our new content to young audiences in Russia's top academic centres, we also want to make them part of this output."

The flagship interactive programme, Vam slovo (Have Your Say), presented by Yevgenia Mineyeva and Anna Dementyeva, will engage the audiences in four centres in live debates:

• in St Petersburg: The role of younger generation in politics
• in Yekaterinburg: How can you modernise Russia?
• in Moscow: Virtual and real life: internet pros and cons
• in Voronezh: Online journalism: global and local media

´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian is also showcasing its online Learning English content at each location.

The events participants in universities and libraries can sample the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian Learning English interactive video and audio courses and a wealth of cultural and historical information about English-speaking nations.

Notes to Editors

´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian is a multimedia broadcaster offering radio and online content to Russian-speaking audiences, with up-to-the-minute news, features and analysis.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ Russian radio programmes are streamed online via bbcrussian.com and are broadcast on shortwave, on medium wave in Moscow (1260 MW), St Petersburg (1260 MW) and Yekaterinburg (666 MW), and are available direct to home through Hotbird 2 satellite.

The 24/7 website bbcrussian.com offers news and information in text, audio and video.

´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service Publicity