BBC Russian to bid radio farewell

BBC Russian will deliver its final radio programme this weekend, bringing to an end the corporation's 65 years of broadcasting in the Russian language.

On March 26 at 6.30pm UK time, the live Pyatiy Etazh weekend programme will air for the last time from Bush House in London.

The BBC's Russian-language radio service is being axed under BBC World Service's major cost-cutting drive, as the organisation seeks to save around £46 million a year to its budget by 2014.

Despite the cuts, World Service will continue to produce selected Russian-language radio content to be made available on the BBC Russian website.

In the run-up to the final radio broadcast, BBC Russian is airing a week of multimedia programmes looking back at the BBC's history of serving Russian radio audiences.

After it began broadcasting to the old Soviet Union on March 24, 1946, BBC Russian has covered various major stories, including the Cold War, perestroika, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

Notable highlights from the 65 years on-air include Margaret Thatcher and Sir Paul McCartney giving interactive interviews with audiences in the Soviet Union, as well as Joseph Brodsky's first radio interview after winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987.

Sarah Gibson, head of BBC Russian, said that this is a "sad time" for everyone at the Russian broadcasting unit.

"We are also proud of the unique heritage our broadcasts have left behind - in the hearts and minds of millions of radio listeners," said Gibson.

"As we move on, we will continue to serve our audiences through online and mobile services. Our website bbcrussian.com will continue to bring global stories to the Russian audience, and put Russian stories in a global context."

World Service is shutting down three of its core Russian-language radio programmes - Ranniy Chas, Utro na Bi-bi-si and Vecher na Bi-bi-si. It is also stopping all short and medium-wave broadcasts to Russia in English.

However, BBC Russian will continue to produce BBSeva, Vam Slovo and Pyatiy Etazh for streaming on its website, as well as via FM radio partners outside of Russia.