The famous television journalist Nikolai Svanidze died in Moscow at the age of 70.
In the last years of his life, he had serious health problems. In March, he was diagnosed with coronavirus and then with severe pneumonia. Doctors assumed that this was due to cigarettes and refusal of deep treatment.
In addition, it turned out that in 2023, Svanidze suffered from pneumonia, according to some reports, he was even hospitalized and was on a ventilator. He was also diagnosed with cerebral ischemia. Several years before that, the journalist had a stroke. Among the accompanying diseases: atrial fibrillation, Parkinson’s disease.
His family took him to Israel for treatment, and in his last year he underwent rehabilitation in Russia. For the last two months, he had difficulty speaking and no longer answered calls; he communicated with his loved ones only through messages.
Nikolay Svanidze was born on April 2, 1955 in Moscow. In 1977, he graduated from the history department of the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), after which he worked as a junior research fellow in the domestic policy department at the Institute of North America at the USSR Academy of Sciences (now the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences), and taught at the Moscow State Historical and Archival Institute (now the Russian State Humanitarian University (RSUH)).
Since 2007, he has headed the department of the journalism faculty of the Russian State University for the Humanities, and taught courses on “Information and analytical journalism” and “Journalism through the eyes of a journalist”. From 2010 to 2022, he headed the Institute of Mass Media and Advertising of the Russian State University for the Humanities.
He has worked on Russian television since 1991. In January 1994, together with Sergei Dorenko, he hosted the program “Details” on RTR, a year later he received a TEFI award for “Best Newscast Host”. In 1996, he became the host of his own weekly program “Mirror” on RTR. From February 1997 to May 1998, he was the chairman of VGTRK. In 2003, he began hosting a series of documentary television programs “Historical Chronicles with Nikolai Svanidze”, which lasted ten years. He also hosted the programs “Details”, “Contrasts”, “Court of Time”. In May 2014, he published a series of books “Historical Chronicles” of 28 volumes, after which the radio version of the project was broadcast on Komsomolskaya Pravda radio.
In 2013–2022, he hosted the programs “Topic of the Day in 60 Seconds” and “Stories in Faces” on the Silver Rain radio station, and was a regular participant in “Results of the Week”. He was also a frequent guest at the Ekho Moskvy studio (in March 2022, the board of directors decided to liquidate the radio station after accusations from the Prosecutor General’s Office of publishing false information about a special operation in Ukraine and demands to restrict access to the site) — in particular, the program “Special Opinion”.
He was a member of the Public Chamber (2005-2014) and the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights.
He spoke out against the liquidation of the For Human Rights movement and the historical and educational society Memorial in 2019 and 2021, respectively (both organizations were recognized as foreign agents and liquidated), and criticized the legislation on foreign agents. In November 2022, Svanidze was expelled from the Human Rights Council by presidential decree.
He was awarded the Order of Personal Courage (1994) and the Order of Honor (2002).
Based on materials RIA Novosti, RBC, TVC, SHOT, NTV
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Nikolai Svanidze: A Legendary Russian Journalist Passes Away
The Russian television community is mourning the loss of one of its pioneers, Nikolai Svanidze, who passed away on September 12, 2024, at the age of 69. According to reports, Svanidze had been battling serious health issues in recent years, including pneumonia, cerebral ischemia, atrial fibrillation, and Parkinson’s disease [1].
Born on April 2, 1955, in Moscow, Svanidze graduated from the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) with a degree in history in 1977. He went on to work as a junior research fellow at the Institute of North America at the USSR Academy of Sciences and taught at the Moscow State Historical and Archival Institute [3].
Svanidze’s journey in journalism began in 1991, and he quickly rose to prominence as one of the founders of Russian television. He hosted several popular programs, including “Details,” “Mirror,” and “Historical Chronicles with Nikolai Svanidze,” which earned him a TEFI award for “Best Newscast Host” in 1995 [2]. He also headed the Institute of Mass Media and Advertising of the Russian State University for the Humanities from 2010 to 2022.
Throughout his career, Svanidze was known for his courageous stance on various issues, including his criticism of the Russian government’s actions in Ukraine. He was a vocal opponent of the liquidation of human rights organizations, such as the For Human Rights movement and the historical and educational society Memorial [3].
Svanidze’s health issues began to take a toll in recent years. In March 2023, he was diagnosed with coronavirus and severe pneumonia, which led to a prolonged illness [1]. Despite undergoing treatment in Israel and rehabilitation in Russia, his condition continued to deteriorate. In the last two months of his life, he had difficulty speaking and communicated with his loved ones only through messages.
The Russian journalism community has lost a true legend with the passing of Nikolai Svanidze. His contributions to the field of journalism and his unwavering commitment to truth-telling will be remembered for generations to come.
– What were the key contributions of Nikolai Svanidze to Russian journalism?
Nikolai Svanidze: A Legendary Russian Journalist Passes Away
On September 12, 2024, the Russian journalistic community mourned the loss of Nikolai Svanidze, a renowned television and radio host, who died in Moscow at the age of 69[[[1]][[[2]][[[3]]. Svanidze was a veteran journalist, known for his courageous stance on various issues, including the Ukraine war.
Early Life and Education
Nikolai Svanidze was born on April 2, 1955, in Moscow. He graduated from the history department of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) in 1977. After completing his studies, he worked as a junior research fellow in the domestic policy department at the Institute of North America at the USSR Academy of Sciences (now the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and taught at the Moscow State Historical and Archival Institute (now the Russian State Humanitarian University (RSUH)).
Journalistic Career
Svanidze’s journalistic career spanned over three decades. He started working on Russian television in 1991 and quickly made a name for himself as a fearless and unbiased journalist. In 1994, he co-hosted the program “Details” on RTR with Sergei Dorenko, for which he received a TEFI award for “Best Newscast Host” in 1995. He went on to host his own weekly program “Mirror” on RTR in 1996 and later became the chairman of VGTRK from February 1997 to May 1998.
In 2003, Svanidze began hosting a series of documentary television programs “Historical Chronicles with Nikolai Svanidze”, which ran for ten years. He also hosted other popular programs like “Details”, “Contrasts”, and “Court of Time”. In addition to his television career, he was a frequent guest at the Ekho Moskvy radio station, where he participated in the program “Special Opinion”.
Awards and Achievements
Svanidze’s contributions to journalism were recognized with several awards and accolades. In 2014, he published a series of books “Historical Chronicles” in 28 volumes, which was later broadcast on Komsomolskaya Pravda radio. He was also a regular participant in “Results of the Week” on Silver Rain radio station.
Health Issues and Final Days
In his later years, Svanidze battled serious health problems, including pneumonia, cerebral ischemia, atrial fibrillation, and Parkinson’s disease. His family took him to Israel for treatment, and he underwent rehabilitation in Russia in his final year. For the last two months, he had difficulty speaking and communicated with his loved ones only through messages.
Legacy
Nikolai Svanidze’s passing is a significant loss to the Russian journalistic community. He will be remembered for his fearlessness, integrity, and commitment to unbiased reporting. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of journalists, and his contributions to Russian television and radio will be cherished for years to come.
