Channel 5 Liquidated, 2500 Staff Fired

A decree by Acting PM Sergei Kiriyenko will transfers Peterburg 5 Kanal, or Channel 5, from federal ownership to the city administration.

<BR>A decree by Acting PM Sergei Kiriyenko will transfers Peterburg 5 Kanal, or Channel 5, from federal ownership to the city administration.<BR>Estimates of the company's assets range from 160m to 500m new roubles, which will make up 51% of the new company, divided between St Petersburg (38%) and Leningrad oblast (13%). Investment is expected to amount to $30m, but to retain control of the company the government will sell 44% of shares in small packets. <BR>Liquidation will involve making the entire staff of 2500 redundant, and the city employment service will have to find 30m new roubles per month to make unemployment benefit payments.