"According to the monitoring results, over three weeks [January 29 – February 18] we found coverage of Grudinin on three channels: Channel One, Russia-1, and NTV. He is in the lead with 2 hours and 11 minutes [of TV coverage]. Russian President Vladimir Putin has 2 hours and 8 minutes, while Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky has 1 hour and 21 minutes," Russia’s Central Election Commission Secretary Maya Grishina said at the CEC session.
She noted that the coverage of candidates’ activities varied depending on the week.
"In general, the coverage balances itself out," Grishina added.
The Russian presidential election is scheduled for March 18. The campaign started in December.
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Earlier in February, the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) approved a presidential election ballot comprising eight candidates. The list will start with Sergey Baburin from the All-People's Union party, followed by Grudinin, Zhirinovsky, Putin, Civil Initiative party candidate Ksenia Sobchak, the Communists of Russia party chairman Maxim Suraykin, business ombudsman Boris Titov, and co-founder of the Yabloko Party Grigory Yavlinsky.
