Aleksandr Zharov: the media industry is a bonding element for achieving cumulative sovereignty

The 10th Innovative Practice: Science Plus Business Congress was held in Moscow, organized by Lomonosov Moscow State University and Innopraktika. Gazprom-Media Holding was the official media partner for the congress. The key topic of the event and the subject of the plenary session was “Cumulative Sovereignty 2.0: Effective Ways of Interaction between Science, Business, Culture and Government”. Aleksandr Zharov, CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding, took part in the plenary session. The plenary session speakers also included Andrey Fursenko, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, Oleg Aksyutin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and Head of Department at Gazprom PAO, Sergey Kobzev, First Deputy General Director of RZD, Aleksandr Shokhin, President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Yury Borisov, Director General of Roscosmos, Yury Zubov, Head of the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent), Petr Fradkov, CEO of Promsvyazbank, Andrey Guryev, Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers (RAPU), and others. The discussion was moderated by Natalya Popova, First Deputy CEO of Innopraktika.

Participants of the plenary session discussed strategic steps and synergy of efforts to ensure Russia’s aggregate sovereignty, as well as consolidation of technological, scientific, cultural and human resources potential as the basis for innovative development of the country’s economy.

Aleksandr Zharov, CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding, said that in the concept of joint sovereignty, the mass media and media industry are the bonding element, as they are responsible for promoting the agenda, communication, and shaping public opinion. He noted that specialists of the future should be able not only to achieve results, but also to talk about them, as well as be “polycompetent”. And Gazprom-Media Holding is implementing projects that help young people promote their talent.

Aleksandr Zharov is convinced that today’s information agenda is won by those who work with technology. Gazprom-Media Holding is actively developing digital platforms, including RUTUBE national video hosting. Aleksandr Zharov said that the daily audience of RUTUBE has today reached 5 million. Two years ago, this figure was only about 60,000. The Yappy platform for vertical videos was also created, which is already of interest in foreign markets. Now is the time for cooperation and collaboration, he noted.

Aleksandr Zharov emphasized that the holding has been cooperating with Innopraktika for several years and is producing a unique joint project—Challenge on TNT. The project unites the scientific and creative community and helps young scientists to become new leaders of public opinion, as well as to popularize the achievements of Russian science, industry and agro-industrial complex in the media, primarily in national social networks. In addition, the show became the basis for the creation of the Challenge youth movement, a project for the development of talented young people in Russia. Over 1,300 participants from all over Russia have already joined the community. And next year, together with the Insight People production center, the formation of regional centers for the movement is planned.

Aleksandr Zharov also emphasized the importance of preserving historical memory. To increase students’ and schoolchildren’s interest in the history of their country, Gazprom-Media Holding launched a cycle of historical films called Rus with the support of PAO Gazprom, providing the opportunity to watch the films in a movie theater on the Pushkin Card. In 2022, a feature-documentary about Peter the Great was released, which set an absolute record at the box office. And this fall, the of the film Imperatritsy premiered about Catherine I, Anna Ioannovna and Elizabeth I, Peter’s daughter. The film was also very warmly received by the audience.

Aleksandr Zharov emphasized that the industry had been mainly focused on the West for many years, but now there is an opportunity to look in other directions as well. Gazprom-Media Holding cooperates with Turkey and China, and other parts of the world are also of interest, including India and South America. The holding recently signed a partnership agreement with representatives of the Arab media industry, which includes the exchange of experience and expertise, as well as the use of UAE infrastructure in the creation of joint projects. We are united by more than it may seem at first glance. We have common traditional values, common goals and mutual understanding, said Aleksandr Zharov. Gazprom-Media Holding will spend the next year cooperating with friendly countries.

TNT, RUTUBE, Yappy and the Insight People production center are part of Gazprom-Media Holding.