OREANDA-NEWS.  October 05, 2012. CTC Media, Inc. (“CTC Media” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CTCM), Russia’s leading independent media company, has announced a number of personnel changes, due to come into effect on October 15, 2012, as part of the changes in the Company’s organizational structure, reported the press-centre of CTC Media.

The following changes have been made as part of the CTC Media management reorganization:

Head of Domashny Channel Natalia Bilan has been appointed Head of Story First Production.

Domashny Channel Programming Director Natalia Korotkova has been appointed Head of Domashny Channel.

Head of Story First Production Vasily Balashov has been appointed Deputy Head of CTC Channel, CTC Channel Chief Operating Officer.

In her new position, Natalia Bilan will be responsible for further development and strengthening of the production side of CTC Media, creating new content of various genres and formats for CTC, Domashny and Peretz, from conception to fruition, as well as attracting new creative talent.

As Head of Domashny Channel, Natalia Korotkova’s responsibilities will include increasing the channel’s audience share, primarily through growing the core audience “females 25-45”, as well as boosting the channel’s financial results.

Vasily Balashov will be responsible for organizing and overseeing all the current operational activities of the CTC Channel.

Boris Podolsky, CEO of CTC Media: “I believe that this decision will allow to make the most of the top managers’ potential. It gives each of them the opportunity to further their career and apply their knowledge, experience and professionalism more broadly. We are therefore strengthening the management teams of the CTC Media’s key priority segments and businesses.

“Natalia Bilan has been head of Domashny for many years now and has been instrumental in most of the channel’s successes. Natalia is also a producer of many highly rated shows. I am sure that the channel leadership experience together with a great content development and production track record will enable us to bring Story First to the new level.

“Natalia Korotkova has been with CTC Media for over seven years. She worked at ground zero of Domashny Channel and knows the nuances and specifics of the industry inside out. Natalia is not only experienced and knowledgeable enough to take over the management of the channel, but also to bring her own perspective to its future development.

“Vasily Balashov came to CTC Media 18 months ago and has already managed to reform our in-house content production function. He created a full-scale production center aimed at satisfying the Company’s need for quality content. During his work at CTC Media, Vasily Balashov demonstrated highly professional management skills and in-depth industry knowledge, which now allows him to head operations of our flagship channel CTC.”

Natalia Bilan, Head of Story First Production

Natalia Bilan served as Head of Domashny Channel since January 2009. She joined CTC Media in January 2005 as Domashny Channel Executive Producer. Ms. Bilan is a creative producer of the majority of television movies, series, documentaries and programs aired on Domashny Channel. Prior to joining CTC Media, Ms. Bilan worked as Chief Editor of such TV programs as “L-club” (ORT, RTR), “Doctor Ugol” (NTV), “VIP” (RTR), “Passion Empire” (NTV), “The Gold Rush” (ORT), “L-Hotel” (ORT, RTR), “Garage” (RTR), “Weekly Panorama” (RTR), “Friday Night” (ROSSIYA TV Channel), “OSP Presents: The Lives of Amazing People” (ROSSIYA TV Channel), “Good Night with Igor Ugolnikov” (CTC), “Armchair” (CTC), “Fort Boyard – 2003” (ROSSIYA TV Channel), “Fort Boyard – 2004” (ROSSIYA TV Channel). Natalia Bilan is also a creative producer of various CTC Media programs – “OSP-Studio”, “33 Square Meters”, “Morning Details”, “This is Love”, “SOS! Repair”, “Take It off Immediately!”, and “Details”. She is an author of TV versions of various ceremonies, including opening and closing ceremony of Kinotavr Festival 2005. Natalia Bilan graduated from journalist department of Lomonosov Moscow State University and finished Higher Directors' Courses specializing in feature film playwriting.

Natalia Korotkova, Head of Domashny Channel

Natalia Korotkova joined the Domashny channel as Programming Director in October 2009. Ms. Korotkova first joined CTC Media in February 2005 as In-House Content Producer. From January 2009 to October 2009, she held the position of Executive Producer. She has been involved in television since 2000. Before joining CTC Media, Ms. Korotkova worked for a television company where she participated in creating TV series, first as an administrator, then as an editor and crew chief. Her projects include “On Friday Night”, “OSP Presents: The Lives of Remarkable People”, “Good Night with Igor Ugolnikov”, “OSP-Studio”, and a whole range of documentaries. She was the executive producer of the TEFI-2003 televised award ceremony. Natalia Korotkova graduated from the Moscow State University of Printing.

Vasily Balashov, Deputy Head of CTC Channel, CTC Channel Chief Operating Officer

Vasily Balashov joined ÑTC Media in June 2011. Before joining CTC Media, Vasily Balashov worked as Production Director of The Walt Disney Company CIS LLC. Prior to that, Mr. Balashov held various positions in media industry, including producer of JSC Park Production and JSC Cinema Park, producer of the film company Slovo, production manager of TV channel Russia, producer at Rekun-Film. Among the projects Mr. Balashow worked on are movies – "The Book of Masters (Kniga masterov)", "The Aryan Couple" and "Country of the Deaf (Strana glukhikh)", television series — "The Saboteur (Diversant)", "Bachelors (Kholostyaki)" and "Kamenskaya", as well as more than 50 commercials and music videos. He graduated from the Russian State Institute of Cinematography in 1999 with a degree in audio/visual production.