Leonid Parfenov
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Leonid Gennadyevich Parfyonov (, born January 26, 1960) is a Russian
journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
,
news presenter A news presenter – also known as a newsreader, newscaster (short for "news broadcaster"), anchorman or anchorwoman, news anchor or simply an anchor – is a person who presents news during a news program on TV, radio or the Internet. ...
,
TV producer A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of a television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks, but upon acceptance they focus ...
and author of many
documentary A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
TV shows A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platfo ...
. Parfyonov is known for his studio work and productions for the
NTV NTV may refer to: Television * NTV (Bangladesh), a Bengali-language satellite television channel in Bangladesh * NTV (India), Telugu regional channel * NTV (Kenya) * NTV (Mongolia), a television channel based in Mongolia * NTV (Newport Televisio ...
(of which he was Producer General between 1997 and 1999). From December 3, 2004, until December 20, 2007, he was an
editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...
of '' Russky Newsweek'', Russian edition of ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
''. From 2012 until 2018, Parfyonov was a member of
Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights The Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights () is a consultative body to the President of the Russian Federation, tasked with assisting him in guaranteeing and protecting human rights and freedoms in Russia. Si ...
. As the author and narrator of the daily culture news TV show on NTV, Parfyonov produced the line of
popular history Popular history, also called pop history, is a broad genre of historiography that takes a popular approach, aims at a wide readership, and usually emphasizes narrative, personality and vivid detail over scholarly analysis. The term is used in con ...
TV documentaries which he narrated and hosted on-site of almost each event portrayed. The series achieved great success and were repeatedly broadcast for years after premiere.


Early life

Leonid Parfyonov was born on January 26, 1960, in Cherepovets, Vologda region. His mother, Alvina Andreevna Parfyonova (maiden name Shmatinina, born 1931), came from the village of Ulomy; his father's ancestors, metallurgical engineer Gennady Viktorovich Parfyonov (1931–2004), were from Yorga. His father was chief engineer of the Cherepovets Iron and Steel Complex. Leonid's brother Vladimir Parfyonov (born 1966) is a businessman, owner of a company selling medical equipment. Parfyonov studied at school in Cherepovets. In 1973 he received a diploma as a young correspondent of
Pionerskaya Pravda ''Pionerskaya Pravda'' (Пионе́рская пра́вда) is an all-Russian newspaper. Initially it was an all-Union newspaper of the Soviet Union. Its name may be translated as "Truth for Young Pioneers". History The newspaper was foun ...
. The first big material, for the State Prize, was devoted to Sergey Solovyov's film
One Hundred Days After Childhood ''One Hundred Days After Childhood'' () is a 1975 Soviet teen film, teen romance film directed by Sergei Solovyov (film director), Sergei Solovyov. It was entered in the 25th Berlin International Film Festival where Solovyov won the Silver Bear ...
(1975). In 1977 he entered the Faculty of Journalism at Zhdanov Leningrad University. In the dormitory he lived together with students from
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
, thanks to which he learned the
Bulgarian language Bulgarian (; , ) is an Eastern South Slavic, Eastern South Slavic language spoken in Southeast Europe, primarily in Bulgaria. It is the language of the Bulgarians. Along with the closely related Macedonian language (collectively forming the ...
, which, according to his own words, is still the only foreign language he can speak fluently. He graduated in 1982. In the
Soviet press The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
he was published in such publications as Krasnaya Zvezda,
Pravda ''Pravda'' ( rus, Правда, p=ˈpravdə, a=Ru-правда.ogg, 'Truth') is a Russian broadsheet newspaper, and was the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, when it was one of the most in ...
,
Moskovskiye Novosti ''Moskovskiye Novosti'' (, ''Moscow News'') was a Russian-language daily newspaper in Russia relaunched in 2011. The paper - by then a 'youth-oriented' free sheet handed out at more than 850 places around Moscow - on 23 January 2014 announced th ...
and
Ogoniok ''Ogoniok'' ( rus, Огонёк, Ogonyok, t=Spark, p=ɐɡɐˈnʲɵk, a=Ru-огонёк.ogg; pre-reform orthography: Огонекъ) was one of the oldest weekly illustrated magazines in Russia. History and profile ''Ogoniok'' was first issue ...
. In 1983 he was a correspondent in the newspaper
Vologda Vologda (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the river Vologda (river), Vologda within the watershed of the Northern Dvina. Population: The city serves as ...
Komsomolets. For the newspaper he wrote articles on youth culture, fashion, art, in particular he wrote a number of articles about the
Leningrad Rock Club The Leningrad Rock Club () was a historic music venue of the 1980s in Leningrad, situated on Rubinstein street (Saint Petersburg), Rubinstein Street in the city centre. Opened in 1981 and overseen by Komsomol and KGB, it became the first legal roc ...
. Some time later, two resolutions follow on behalf of the Vologda Regional Committee of the
CPSU The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...
: "On deficiencies in the newspaper 'Vologda Komsomolets'" and "On serious deficiencies in the newspaper 'Vologda Komsomolets'". After them, Parfyonov would be forced to quit the newspaper and go to work for Vologda Regional TV in Cherepovets, where he worked until he left for Moscow in 1986. On regional TV, he interviewed
Aleksandr Bovin Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Bovin (, 9 August 1930 – 29 April 2004) was a Soviet and Russian journalist, political scientist and diplomat, notable for being the first Soviet, and then Russian ambassador to Israel after the re-establishment of Sovi ...
, disgraced music journalist
Artemy Troitsky Artemy Kivovich Troitsky (; , born 16 June 1955 in Yaroslavl) is a Russian journalist, music critic, concert promoter, radio host, and academic who has lectured on music journalism at Moscow State University. In 1988, he was described in ''The Ne ...
, and
Gunnar Graps Gunnar Graps-Grāfs (27 November 1951 – 17 May 2004) was a popular Estonian musician and one of the pioneers of hard rock in Estonia and the former Soviet Union. He has sold hundreds of thousands of records all over the world and in 2004 Graps ...
, leader of the
Magnetic Band Magnetic Band was an Estonian metal-rock and jazz-rock band. History Magnetic Band was formed in 1976 by Gunnar Graps. They played jazz-rock, which had influences of reggae and funk-soul. Later, after Graps graduated from Tallinn music school ...
. He was friends with the future famous rock musician
Alexander Bashlachev Alexander Nikolaevich Bashlachev ( rus, Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Башлачёв, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ bəʂlɐˈtɕɵf, a=Alyeksandr Nickolayevich Bashlachyov.ru.vorb.oga; 27 May 1960 – 17 February 198 ...
. It was at Parfyonov's apartment in September 1984 that Bashlachev had his fateful meeting with Artemy Troitsky, after which the latter organized for Bashlachev the first
house concert A house concert or home concert is a musical concert or performance art that is presented in someone's home or apartment, or a nearby small private space such as a barn, apartment rec room, lawn, or backyard."VIDEO: House concert in Royal Oak," ...
s in Moscow and
Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
.


Career


Television

In 1986 Parfyonov was a special correspondent of the youth editorial office of the Central Television, at the same time he worked as a correspondent of the program "The World and Youth". In 1988, he went to work for
ATV ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television broadcaster * Andorra Televisió * Anguilla Television * Ayna TV, Afghanistan * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourn ...
. In 1989, in co-authorship with
Andrey Rasbash Andrey Leonidovich Rasbash (; December 15, 1952, in Ust-Kara, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Arkhangelsk Oblast – July 23, 2006, in Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian figure TV, cameraman and film director, television presenter, and producer. He was o ...
, he made a three-part documentary film "Children of the XX Congress" () about the generation of the sixties (
Yevgeny Yevtushenko Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevtushenko (; 18 July 1933 – 1 April 2017) was a Soviet and Russian poet, novelist, essayist, dramatist, screenwriter, publisher, actor, editor, university professor, and director of several films. Biography Early lif ...
, Len Karpinsky,
Yegor Yakovlev Yegor Vladimirovich Yakovlev (Russian: Егор Владимирович Яковлев; 14 March 1930 – 18 September 2005) was one of the founders of Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin's policy of ''glasnost'', and one of the most resp ...
,
Andrei Voznesensky Andrei Andreyevich Voznesensky (, 12 May 1933 – 1 June 2010) was a Soviet and Russian poet and writer who had been referred to by Robert Lowell as "one of the greatest living poets in any language." He was one of the "Children of the '60s ...
, etc.) From November 1990 to March 1991 - author and host of the information and analytical program ''Namedni'', which he made together with the TV company ATV. In early 1991, Parfyonov was suspended from the airwaves for making "incorrect" remarks about Eduard Shevardnadze's resignation as
foreign minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
. In 1992, he made a series of programs "Delo", telling about the events that took place in the world in 1991. In 1992, Parfyonov,
Konstantin Ernst Konstantin Lvovich Ernst (; born 6 February 1961) is a Russian media manager, producer and TV host. He is currently the CEO of Channel One Russia. Biography Early years and education His father Lev Konstantinovich Ernst, of History of Germa ...
, Igor Ugolnikov and ex-producer of the TV company
VIDgital VID (), (stylized as ВИD, lit. "View"; acronym of ''Vzglyad (Russian TV program), Vzglyad i Drugiye'', "Outlook and Others",) formerly VIDgital () from 2017 to 2020, is a Russian and former Soviet TV production company. VID produces shows for ...
Svetlana Popova formed the company "Master TV" to produce their own programs, which existed for three years. From March 1992 to May 1993, on Ostankino Channel 1, Parfyonov was the author and presenter of the documentary "Portrait on the background". At first, he talked about political figures ( Gaidar, Rutskoy, Shevardnadze, Nazarbayev), and then devoted the broadcasts to people who personify any era ( Zykina, Kirillov, Magomaev, Pugacheva,
Grebenshchikov Grebenshchikov () is a Russian surname. People with this surname include: * A. V. Grebenshchikov (1880–1941), Soviet scholar of Tungusic languages * George Grebenstchikoff (1883–1964), Russian writer * Boris Grebenshchikov (born 1953), Russian r ...
). In December 1992, as part of this program, Parfyonov interviewed Evgeny Leonov, which, as it later turned out, was the last for the popular actor, but was not fully shown on television until 2002. In October 1993, he moved to work at the newly established television company NTV, where he decided to relaunch the program ''Namedni'', but this time in the format of a "weekly informational program on non-political news." Parfyonov was the first in Russia to wear pink shirts instead of white ones during filming and to appear on air unshaven. This was part of the format he called "infotainment" — news through entertainment. In 1994, he was the author and host of the project ''NTV — Novogodnee TeleVidenie'' (NTV — New Year's Television), for which he received his first TEFI award in the category "Entertainment Program". On March 15, 1995, Leonid Parfyonov hosted an episode of Vladislav Listyev's talk show ''Chas Pik'' (Rush Hour) on Channel 1 Ostankino.


Selected filmography as narrator and producer

* ''Namedni 1961–1991: Nasha era'' (1997) (, literally "Recently: Our Era") and 2003 sequel ''Namedni 1961–2003: Novaya era'' (, literally ("Recently: New Era") are TV series recapping the
History of the Soviet Union The history of the Soviet Union (USSR) (1922–91) began with the ideals of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution and ended in dissolution amidst economic collapse and political disintegration. Established in 1922 following the Russian Civil War, ...
and modern Russia since 1961 in 42 year-part manner. * ''Rossiyskaya imperiya'' (, literally "
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
") (2000–2003) is a similar, but larger-span project dedicated to the History of Russian Empire starting with the
Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
rule. The series also used animation and additional narration by famous stage actress Alla Demidova. * ''Noveyshaya istoriya. Semnadtsat mgnoveniy 25 let spustia'' () (1998) and ''Noveyshaya istoriya. Mesto vstrechi, 20 let spustia'' () are commemorative documentaries on the two iconic Soviet TV series: ** ''
Seventeen Moments of Spring ''Seventeen Moments of Spring'' () is a 1973 Soviet Union, Soviet twelve-part television series, directed by Tatyana Lioznova and based on the novel of the same title by Yulian Semyonov. The series portrays the exploits of Maxim Isaev, a Soviet ...
'' ** ''
The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed ''The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed'' () is a 1979 Soviet five-part television film directed by Stanislav Govorukhin and starring singer-songwriter Vladimir Vysotsky in one of his final screen appearances alongside actor Vladimir Konkin. The ...
'', putting the history of the series' creation in the wider social context of both the plot and the production eras. Parfyonov interviewed members and acquaintances of the casts and crews as well as actual police and
KGB The Committee for State Security (, ), abbreviated as KGB (, ; ) was the main security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991. It was the direct successor of preceding Soviet secret police agencies including the Cheka, Joint State Polit ...
operatives. *
Russia in Bloom
'' (2013) () – a documentary about
Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky ( rus, Сергей Михайлович Прокудин-Горский, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ prɐˈkudʲɪn ˈɡorskʲɪj, a=ru-Prokudin-Gorskii.ogg;  – September 27, 1944) was ...
, a pioneer in color photography of early 20th-century Russia. Available for public viewing with English subtitles on Vimeo.


2010 political censorship escapade

In November 2010 Parfyonov became the first recipient of the Listyev Prize, in honour of
Vladislav Listyev Vladislav (Vlad) Nikolayevich Listyev (; May 10, 1956 – March 1, 1995) was a Soviet, later Russian journalist and head of the ORT TV Channel (now government-owned Channel One). Career Listyev was arguably the most popular journalist and TV ...
, a Russian TV journalist who was murdered in 1995. On the live-broadcast ceremony for the prize, Parfyonov made an unexpected and emotional speech damning Russian TV community for dependence on the authorities, saying “journalists are not journalists at all but bureaucrats, following the logic of service and submission”. This became a contradiction to the past, when Parfyonov had refrained from making political statements, saying "I am a professional journalist, not a professional revolutionary. My job is to report, not to climb the barricades".


Presence on YouTube

In February 2018, Parfyonov created a YouTube channel named Parfenon, where he publishes his
documentaries A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". The American author and media analyst Bill ...
and runs a weekly blog on "what has happened o Parfyonovduring the week, what esaw, and what ethought about" as written in his channel's description. He later revived his TV show ''Namedni'' and started discussing the latest news. As of April 2020, his channel has 760 thousand subscribers and almost 50 million views.


Awards

*
TEFI TEFI () is an annual award given in the Russian television industry, presented by the Russian Academy of Television. It has been awarded since 1994. TEFI is presented in various sectors (up to 50 nominations in 2008), such as television shows ...
award and also a special prize in 2004 – for the "Namedni 1961–2003" * 4 more TEFI awards


References


External links

* *
Leonid Parfyonov's blog
at
LiveJournal LiveJournal (), stylised as LiVEJOURNAL, is a Russian-owned social networking service where users can keep a blog, journal, or diary. American programmer Brad Fitzpatrick started LiveJournal on April 15, 1999, as a way of keeping his high school ...
*
Leonid Parfyonov biography
at Peoples.ru {{DEFAULTSORT:Parfyonov, Leonid 1960 births 20th-century Russian journalists 21st-century Russian journalists Living people People from Cherepovets TV Rain Saint Petersburg State University alumni Russian documentary filmmakers Russian television producers Russian male journalists Russian male voice actors Russian television personalities Russian YouTubers Soviet journalists Russian male screenwriters 21st-century Russian screenwriters Soviet television presenters Russian emigrants to France 2011–2013 Russian protests