TV «Katun'»

The television company Katun’, was established by the Fund for 21^st Century Altai and operated in the city of Barnaul for 15 years, from 1992 to 2007. The company closed in 2007—like the majority of other local channels—losing its place on the air to Moscow broadcasters. But in those fifteen years, Katun’ gained a steady audience and popularity, particularly with the local intellectual community, which for a long time found it difficult to accept that the company was closing its doors.

 Despite a small staff and extremely limited budget, Katun’ regularly aired a whole series of independent analysis programs—“Econews,” “Crossroads” (on social issues), “Our Common Home Altai,” “At Home with the Gnome of Rome” (childrens’), and “Lessons” (on contemporary educational issues). The editors of the programs raised the sharpest questions, concerning not only Barnaul and Altai, but Russia as a whole, and even addressing global issues. It was lucky that there was no shortage of guest analysts: in fact the colleagues of the Fund, most of whom have advanced graduate degrees and work at the universities in the city, regularly participated in the shows. Through some of its programming, Katun’ played a large role in the many-year battles against two destructive projects in Altai: Katun’ hydro electric station and the gas main through Ukok Plateau.

In addition to TV series, Katun’ also produced documentary films. The film “Trap,” about the aftermath of the space program in Altai, which received the special prize TEFI-97, was translated into English and widely distributed globally (for instance, it was shown at the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain, and invited for inclusion in the Days of Cinema and Television of Russia and Gernany in January, 1999).   The film received much publicity as a result of the region’s environmental problems related to the rocket fuel heptyl; the colleagues of the Fund retained correspondence with international contacts made through this film for many years afterwards. 

Later films included: “Word of Heaven – Ukok”—one of a six-film series entitled Russian Culture in the Greater Altai Region that were made with the support of a grant from the Russian World Fund in 2009—which received not just approving, but rave reviews from many viewers; “The Real Deal,” about the development of alternative energy in Altai (made with a grant from the organization National Health League), which was also instantly disseminated throughout Altai.

Although we no longer have the opportunity to broadcast on the air, we do not plan to stop our work, and so we will take advantage of the new opportunities presented by the internet. Visitors to our site can now view many of our videos, and also order DVDs in our online store. Most importantly, in the future we plan to resume broadcasting in at least a limited scope, releasing new features on pointed themes and distributing them with our own resources. We welcome your responses and interesting propositions for collaboration!  

Spiritual leaders of the Arauca and Kogi indigenous peoples traveled to Altai Republic from Colombia in South America August 5-17 (2011 year). Alongside representatives of Altai Republic's indigenous population, they participated in rituals to protect sacred Altaian lands. They also visited Ukok Plateau, an important and sacred place for many peoples in Eurasia. (With english TVsubtitles - "CC")