Journalist Olesya Ryabtseva became extraordinarily popular and recognizable after her not quite standard broadcasts on the legendary Ekho Moskvy radio. But this glory is highly ambiguous.
Surge
She was credited with an affair with the master of opposition journalism Alexei Venediktov, who, by the way, is more than 20 years older than the young pen shark. Olesya Ryabtseva herself denied such rumors in every possible way and claimed that Venediktov was for her only a leader, a colleague, an unshakable authority in the profession and an example to follow. At the same time, the girl stated that he had nothing to do with her personal life. But many around stubbornly did not believe in such excuses, since it was really difficult to find another explanation for the rapid career growth of the aspiring journalist.
Just a mistress or a carefully crafted instrument of reformation?
In the writing environmentthere were people who, given the huge age difference between Olesya and Venediktov, did not believe in the rumors about their romance. They explain the demonstrative patronage of the editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy to a cocky and arrogant journalist very simply - Olesya Ryabtseva for a long time was just a well-thought-out project of Venediktov, created in order to gradually, but at the same time very radically, update the radio station's broadcast.
Analysts said that the man who has been the editor-in-chief for more than 20 years, like no one else, understood the need for changes that could ensure radio's survival in the current political situation. In his interviews, Venediktov often stated that many people would like to see the broadcast of his radio station either completely oppositional or totally loyal to the authorities. But the editor-in-chief never intended to take any definite position, and it was precisely in this that for many years was a kind of horse on the air of the Ekho Moskvy radio station. Olesya Ryabtseva, with her provocations, was supposed to stir up old journalists and refute the opinion that many of them just sat in their so-called comfort zone.
Ryabtseva Olesya: biography
According to official data, the future journalist was born in Volgograd, in 1991. Olesya Ryabtseva's parents had their own small business, and when their daughter was 5 years old, they decided to move to Moscow.
In her blog on the website "Echo of Moscow" Olesya wrote that she graduated from high school enoughnot bad, with only two fours. For a very long time, she could not decide on the choice of her future profession, since at first she defined herself as a “techie” and only before graduation she felt like a humanitarian. The girl entered the Russian State University for the Humanities, the Faculty of Journalism.
Favorable connections with the opposition, infiltrating Ekho Moskvy
During her studies, she worked at the university press center, where she had the opportunity to meet such oppositionists and journalists as Yashin, Aleshkovsky, Lyaskin and Shepelin.
After completing her second year, Olesya Ryabtseva managed to get a referral for an internship, which was conducted by a well-known radio station. As she herself admits, it was not easy for her to get this direction: she had to literally “gnaw it out with her teeth.”
Many who remember her during that period say that she gave the impression of a modest student with glasses, who silently and very carefully watched everything that was happening around.
Ryabtseva Olesya, whose biography changes dramatically after joining Echo, soon changed beyond recognition herself - the modest woman became an impudent and scandalous careerist who does not tolerate any objections.
Work at the headquarters and appointment as assistant editor-in-chief
After the girl got to the radio station, she did everything possible to make her boss notice her. She came to Venediktov's office and said that she wanted to do interesting work. The editor-in-chief replied that there was an opportunity to work in the public headquarters, whichmonitors the elections of the Moscow mayor.
Olesya Ryabtseva realized that this was her chance. She became an assistant to Venediktov and completely took over all the organizational work that the headquarters demanded. She managed to effectively organize communication with the media and successfully planned the schedule of Venediktov himself. Olesya did everything herself, without unnecessary reminders, and Alexei Alekseevich did not have to worry about anything. Of course, he appreciated the efforts of the young student.
At first she was offered the position of a guest producer, then she became a full-time producer of individual programs and special projects. Soon, Venediktov's chief assistant, Ekaterina Kobzeva, was supposed to fly to America for an internship, and Olesya was offered to try her hand instead of Katya. Thus, Ryabtseva became the first assistant to the editor-in-chief. At the same time, she oversaw several of her projects and broadcast on the radio.
Conflicts, scandals, quarrels and provocations…
This girl was often accused of being unprofessional, or rather, it was believed that her level of preparation was clearly not enough for the career she aspired to make. She was reproached for her poor command of the Russian literary language, and Ryabtseva's statements were considered illiterate, amateurish.
The fact that sometimes, she could afford to express herself "a little" obscenely on the air, infuriated critics. One got the impression that the combination of "Echo of Moscow" - OlesyaRyabtsev" is simply impossible and inappropriate: the presentation of the texts was very pretentious and often bordered on direct insults.
During the work of Olesya, many of his luminaries said goodbye to Ekho Moskvy. Vladimir Solovyov and Viktor Shenderovich refused to take part in the broadcasts precisely because of the inappropriate behavior of Ryabtseva and her statements. For some time, Olesya, together with Mitya Aleshkovsky, hosted the Need Help program dedicated to charity. After working together for a bit, the co-hosts had some complaints about each other. The conflict reached Venediktov, and the winner in the dispute was, of course, Ryabtseva, who began to lead the program alone.
Disappointed in the activities of the opposition, Olesya allowed herself very harsh and offensive comments towards Navalny. The rest of the opposition also often got unflattering reviews from a young journalist who boldly called them all just an amorphous mass. Venediktov constantly listened to the complaints of those affected by the sharp girlish tongue and their requests to “calm her down” a bit.
Spy allegations
After a meeting with the American ambassador, which was attended by an ambitious journalist, another scandal erupted. Ryabtseva Olesya, being Venediktov's assistant, not only planned his schedule and schedules of meetings, but also accompanied the boss to many of them. She had access to all kinds of government meetings, attended breakfasts at TASS (between ministers and editors-in-chief of various publications) and could even sometimes attendgovernment meetings.
Once, after a meeting with the US Ambassador, Ryabtseva posted a text on the Ekho Moskvy website that many called illiterate. The essence of the post was that Olesya, describing the meeting with John Tefft, wrote how she told him about the general mood in Moscow, the situation of the opposition and how he answered her with a joke that, trying to improve the state of the country, politicians only aggravate it. Such a post caused a real flurry of negative reviews, since the word “told” caused many to misunderstand the purpose for which Ryabtseva was present at a meeting of this level. Commentators showered Olesya with sharp remarks that, as a journalist, she should “ask” the ambassadors, and not “tell” them. The accusations reached the point that Ryabtseva was called a spy who openly and without fear gives out all state secrets to the American ambassador.
Shooting in a scandalous program
After a rapid career on Ekho Moskvy, many scandals and showdowns, a statement was made that the journalist was leaving the radio station. Olesya Ryabtseva herself confirmed this information on NTV.
She made a splash when she starred in the program of this channel, released under the name "Queen of Scandal". The girl shared her opinion about the opposition, which she had the opportunity to learn from the inside. Many politicians got a lot from her language, for example, Kasyanov was called a coward who was afraid to come to her live. Navalny received the status of "downed pilot" and "politicalimpotent", who is not capable of anything without his retinue. She calls Khodorkovsky "a terrible man" and "a great manipulator." The young journalist also remembered Ksenia Sobchak, whom, by the way, she herself refused to meet in person and give an interview, although Sobchak repeatedly tried to organize such a meeting.
Olesya Ryabtseva on NTV also spoke about her former colleagues with whom she had to work on Echo of Moscow, very impartially, rewarding them with obscene epithets. This time Venediktov was forced to apologize to the radio station staff for such unpleasant remarks to his young protégé, but at the same time they say that the editor-in-chief himself contributed in every possible way to filming Olesya in this project.
Leaving the radio station
After the broadcast went on the air, many began to wonder: “Where did Olesya Ryabtseva leave Ekho Moskvy”?
The journalist said she plans to change her place of residence and leave Moscow. Ryabtseva's new stopping point will be St. Petersburg, where she plans to launch her new, completely independent media project.
