Simonyan rest. Margarita Simonyan - biography of the editor of the TV channel “Russia Today. "Hash of open doors"

The journalist Margarita Simonyan has long been known to viewers for her reports from hot spots. It all started in Chechnya. Beslan became the main turning point, which became the starting point for the creation of a new television format called Russia Today, in which she is the leader. But not so much is known about Margarita's personal life. She herself does not particularly talk about it.

A journalist was born and raised in the Kuban, in the city of Krasnodar. Margot's family was poor, but this did not prevent her parents from placing her in an "English" school. Due to her natural qualities, she became the best student and was sent to the United States for exchange. After studying in the States for several years, the girl decided to return home and devote herself to journalism. It was at the State University of Kuban that her professional and life path began.

Childhood

In 1980, the future star of "Russia Today" was born Simonyan Margarita, whose biography since childhood is associated with constant self-improvement.

Parents at one time received a higher education, but, like most Soviet people, it was not useful after perestroika. The father repaired refrigeration units, and the mother "shuttle" and traded in the bazaar. They tried to give the Simonyan children a good education: the sisters were taken to sports and music, courses in English... As a result, Margot managed to successfully pass the exams and enter the special school.

Krasnodar itself is a small town. In the late 80s, and even more so in the 90s, it was a typical province with dirty streets and ruined buildings. The Simonyans lived in the "Armenian" region in a small house for five families. Not only was the shared toilet on the street, but the neighbors were also drug addicts. Despite their Armenian origin, dad and mom never lived in Armenia.

Margarita grew up active child reaching out for knowledge. It was easy for her to study. This is evidenced by the fact that little Margot was the first to learn to read in kindergarten. As a result of her love of learning, she graduated from school with a gold medal.

Not wanting to live and work in America, the girl entered the Faculty of Journalism at Krasnodar University. At the age of 19, she published a collection of her poems, thanks to which she was hired by the local TV channel Krasnodar. One could only dream of such a job. But ambitions and energy were in full swing, and in order to "light up", Margarita went to Chechnya as a war correspondent. There her path to success began.

Labor activity

The bet made on the job as a military commander was justified. The coverage of the hostilities by a young Krasnodar journalist attracted the attention of the country's leading TV channels. Then there were business trips to other hot spots.

The trip to Beslan was the most memorable one. This city and the events that took place there in September 2004 changed the worldview of the war correspondent. Having deployed a stormy activity, Marietta achieved the fact that, a year after the tragedy, a new channel "Russia Today" was created. And who, no matter how she, was destined to head the TV channel.

Career growth began to gain momentum:

Thanks to his activities, the journalist regularly gets into the ratings of "influential people":

• 33rd place went to her as the most influential woman in Russia in 2012.
• The next year was marked by getting into the top five influential women in the media.
• 15th place among hundreds of influential women in Russia was awarded in 2014.
• Forbes gave 52nd place to Margarita Simonovna at the end of 2017 among the 100 most influential women in the world.

The consequence of work in the field of journalism was participation in the public life of the country. In 2008, Margot became a member of the Television Academy. An active life position made the journalist a member of the Public Chamber of Russia of the third composition. In addition, until 2017, Simanyan was a member of the Public Council of the City Administration of Internal Affairs of Moscow. Later she was elected to the General Council of the Ministry.

She never hid and was not ashamed of her views, which attracted the attention of President Vladimir Putin. At his request, she took part in the "People's Headquarters" during the presidential campaign in 2012. In the upcoming elections in 2018, she was again registered as a confidant of the presidential candidate V. Putin.

Marietta was never particularly attracted to married life., as in the memory came up pictures from childhood, where married couples were never happy. Therefore, the first life together with Andrey Blagodyrenko was not formalized in any way. Margarita, with her reluctance to officially register relations, has always upset her parents, who are accustomed to the traditional way of life. Margo lived in a civil marriage with Andrei for six years, until fate brought her to Tigran Keosayan.

Until the moment Margarita Simonyan appeared in his life, Tigran's personal life was associated with Alena Khmelnitskaya. The director lived with Alena for 20 years, until he was seen in the company of another woman.

Keosayan Tigran and Margarita Simonyan got closer on the basis joint projects... First, they were rallied by the restaurant business, and then the director released several films, where a famous TV journalist acted as a scriptwriter. As a result, feelings for Marietta prevailed and Tigran left his first wife.

Rumors of a couple in love have been circulating for a long time, until they were confirmed by the birth of their second child. Daughter Mariana was born when Keosayan was still officially married to Khmelnitskaya. He himself shared his joy on his page in social networks. He maintains friendly relations with his ex-wife Alena. Moreover, the film "Actress" was created with the direct participation of all three.

Today Tigran Keosayan and his new wife are raising two children: daughter Marianna and son Bagrat. But despite all the well-being and love of her husband, Simonyan's marriage is civil. She never changed her principle and did not legalize the relationship.

Most public people are always under the gun of cameras and evil tongues. So, for example, there were rumors: "Margarita Simonyan and Tigran Keosayan divorced." There are no facts on this yet. It is also unknown what relation Paulina Dmitrienko has to Tigran Keosayan. But the truth is actually this:

The last episode that caused surprise was a joint trip to Nice. There, the three were spotted on the beach in swimsuits. Famous people just having fun, not paying attention to anyone.

Attention, only TODAY!

Margarita Simonyan is one of the most famous Russian journalists and writers. She went from a news reporter to the head of one of the federal television channels. While working on television, the girl was engaged in parallel youth policy, and later received an offer to head the RT channel. The biography of Margarita Simonyan is a story of how a girl with Armenian roots came to conquer the capital and became one of the most influential women in Russia.

Childhood and adolescence

Margarita Simonyan was born in Krasnodar in 1980. The family lived in a small house, father Simon was engaged in the repair of equipment and worked part-time at the sawmill, and mother Zinaida worked as an entrepreneur, selling things on the market. Margarita comes from a purebred Armenian family, which during the collapse of the USSR decided to leave her homeland, where she was Civil War and settled in calm Krasnodar. Like many in those days, Margarita's parents could not find an application for their knowledge, so they lived extremely poorly, interrupted by temporary work.

Margarita, together with her younger sister Alisa, was brought up in the traditions of the Armenian and Russian people. According to the memoirs of future journalism, she was drawn to knowledge from the very childhood., knew how to write and read perfectly already at the age of five, so the parents sent the girl to a school with in-depth study of the English language. As the best student in the ninth grade, Margarita was sent to a school internship in the United States, which radically changed her life, influencing her subsequent career choice and plans for a further career.

As a child, Margarita was fond of:

• athletics;
• dancing;
• literature;
• english language.

An internship in New Hampshire took several years, Margarita was able not only to perfectly master foreign language, but also got to know better everyday life America. When the training ended, the girl was offered to stay in the States and continue her studies at an American university. However, the future famous Russian journalist decides to return to her homeland. According to her, she felt that she could benefit her country, so she should still live in Russia, and not in America.

With excellent knowledge gained in the USA, Margarita Simonyan easily enters the Kuban University at the Faculty of Journalism. Initially, the girl planned to enroll in her favorite literature, but she was convinced by her parents and acquaintances, who argued that, having become a journalist, she could subsequently continue her education in Moscow. Having successfully graduated from the Kuban University, Simonyan moves to the capital, where he studies at the Moscow School of Television Skills.

Work on Kuban television

In the early nineties, Margarita graduates from the Moscow School of Television Skills and decides to return to the Krasnodar Territory, where she gets a job in the news department of the VGTRK. Initially, the girl worked as an intern, but then she received the position of a war correspondent. At this time, the war was going on in Chechnya and Simonyan was sent to the troubled republic to cover events in hot spots. It was at this time that she received an award for professional courage from the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company of Rostov-on-Don.

The young journalist was quickly noticed in the capital's management of the TV channel and was transferred from Krasnodar to Moscow, immediately becoming a correspondent for the Vesti program. At that time, the VGTRK TV channel took a course to update the composition of journalists and news anchors, so the young girl, with virtually no work experience, began to constantly broadcast news programs in the prestigious evening.

Simonyan also constantly went on business trips in Chechnya and hot spots, in 2004 she led a live report from Beslan, telling about the terrorists taking hostages at school. The journalist herself later said that she could hardly survive such a drama and the death of children.

Go to Russia Today

In 2005, the Russian authorities decided to create a new international television channel, the main purpose of which is to cover news from Russia and its position in relation to other states. The leadership of the newly created television channel assured that Russia Today would truthfully and openly declare Russia's views on problems that are often simply hushed up in the international media.

The creation of the new TV channel was led by the press minister Mikhail Lesin and Alexei Gromov, who was then the president's press secretary. The choice of the editor-in-chief fell on Margarita Simonyan, who had talent, great potential and perfectly knew the English language.

The appointment of a girl who has, at most, 5 years of experience in journalism, raised reasonable questions in the press. Evil tongues even claimed that Simonyan was able to get such a high position solely thanks to her acquaintances with federal officials whom she knew well from her work in the youth department of United Russia.

Initially, at Russia Today, Simonyan oversaw the English-language broadcasting direction, and then became the editor of the Arabic and Spanish versions of RT. Three years later, the newly created Russian international channel was present in the broadcasting of most countries in the world, and in its popularity even surpassed Euronews and France 24. According to Margarita Simonyan, such popularity of Russia Today was explained by a fresh look at the events in world politics and patriotism, which became the main the dignity of every Russian.

In 2010, the successful journalist and director of the federal channel is included in the personnel reserve of Vladimir Putin, and after 2 years she becomes the chief editor of the news agency "Russia Today". Simonyan currently combines the positions of editor-in-chief of a news agency and runs the Russia Today TV channel. The journalist is promoting the radio station and news service of the Sputnik news agency.

Other achievements

While working at the same time as the chief editor of a federal television channel, Simonyan acted as a host and author of an analytical program called "What's going on." At the same time, the RTR TV channel broadcasts the "Iron Lady" program, where Margarita, together with Ksenia Sobchak and Tina Kandelaki, successfully leads a talk show popular with viewers. According to Simonyan, working directly in the studio with real people is a good school for every journalist, including the head of the TV channel.

Since childhood, Margarita has been fond of literature, for 18 years in the local literary magazine Simonyan published her first poem. In 2010, the novel "To Moscow" is published, which tells about truths that are understandable and simple for every person, tells about love, overcoming difficulties and dreams. This book became popular with readers, critics spoke positively about it, who noted the interesting and lively word Simonyan.

Various TV series were filmed based on the books and scripts written by Margarita. Svetlana Ivanova, Larisa Guzeeva, Sergei Nikonenko and Alena Khmelnitskaya played the main roles in the sitcoms. These works did not have any huge success among the audience, but it is also impossible to call them a failure.

Personal life of Margarita Simonyan

It is known that in the early 2000s, Simonyan was in a relationship with her colleague Andrei Blagodyrenko, but later the couple decided to break up, while maintaining a good working relationship. Margarita herself noted that all her free time is occupied by work and she simply has no time to engage in her personal life.

In 2012, the TV series "Actress" was released, in which Alena Khmelnitskaya played the main role. Simonyan, who was a screenwriter, often visited the set, where she made friends with the famous actress, becoming a frequent guest at her house. Soon, journalists became aware that Khmelnitskaya, after 21 years of successful marriage, was divorcing her husband Tigran Keosayan. According to rumors, the reason for the breakup of the couple was the romance of the famous film director with the journalist and head of the Russia Today TV channel Margarita Simonyan.

Margarita herself later told reporters that at the time of their acquaintance, Tigran already had bad relations in the family and he practically did not live with his wife. Initially, they were only friends, and after the director became free, a relationship began between them, and soon the couple decided to get married. In 2013, a magnificent wedding took place, to which, according to the Armenian tradition, all relatives and friends were invited. The couple soon had children:

• Son Bagrat.
• Daughter Maryana.

Children of Tigran Keosayan and his new wife have a schedule that is scheduled by the minute. Son Bagrat goes in for sports and studies languages, and daughter Maryana is fond of dancing. According to the mother, the daughter constantly attends various creative circles. Simonyan often talks about his unique children. At the age of 5, Maryana's daughter can speak five languages, is engaged in painting and, like her mother, loves literature.

It is known that in 2018, Margarita became a confidant of the president, actively urging people to vote for him during the elections and in every way supporting the policy of Vladimir Putin. Simonyan notes that the reliability of information and freedom of speech are guaranteed in Russia today, and in many respects this is the merit of Vladimir Putin.

In the media sphere latest project with the participation of Simonyan named complete disaster... On the air of the RT TV channel, a famous journalist interviewed the alleged Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, who were called the alleged poisoners in London of the fugitive spy Skripal. During the conversation, Simonyan tried to establish the truth, presenting the two young people not as agents of the GRU, but as unlucky gay businessmen who were at the wrong time and in the wrong place.

Margarita Simonyan is a well-known Russian journalist who is the editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel, the Sputnik news agency. This woman began her career from the very bottom, she was an ordinary correspondent for a provincial television studio. Now she occupies one of the leading places in domestic television journalism. Forbes magazine names Margarita one of the 100 most influential women in the world.

Childhood and youth

Margarita Simonyan was born in Krasnodar on April 6, 1980. Her parents raised two daughters, Margarita has a younger sister, Alice. This family did not have much income, Simon, the girls' father, was engaged in the repair of electrical equipment, in the city he was famous as the best master in the repair of refrigerators. Mom, Zinaida, sold flowers at the local market. Margarita's parents, Armenians by nationality, did not spare anything for their children. Girls always had pretty dresses, nice toys

A family with young children lived in very difficult living conditions. They were waiting for an apartment, but for now they had to live in an old house on Gogol Street. One could only dream of landscaping, the house did not have any conditions for a normal life, there was no running water, sewerage system, there was no gas. The water had to be carried in buckets up the rickety stairs.

But the biggest horror for the girls was the huge rats darting around in the corners. It was at this time that Margarita developed a strong desire to achieve success in life, so that she would never experience such problems again.

The girl was almost 10 years old when their family received a good apartment in the new residential area of \u200b\u200bKrasnodar.

Rita has been an incredibly capable child since early childhood. Already in kindergarten, she could read fluently. The teacher encouraged the girl, she gave her the opportunity to entertain other children, read fairy tales to them. Margarita studied at a special language school, the father insisted on this, dreaming of a good education for his daughter. Education was easy for her, the girl was an excellent student. She was often sent to the Olympics to defend the honor of the school.

In the 9th grade, a talented girl was very lucky. Under the exchange program, she was sent to study in the United States. Margarita fell into a wonderful family, which she still remembers with great gratitude. She really liked America, there was a period when she wanted to stay in this country forever. But all this turned out to be a temporary hobby for a foreign country, love for the homeland turned out to be much stronger.

Margarita graduated from school with a gold medal, entered to study at the Faculty of Journalism at KSU. This is not the only education Simonyan, she also studied in Moscow, at the "New School of Theater Arts".

Journalism

Margarita has always been a very active, active person. She really deserved her first job. This was the position of a correspondent for the Krasnodar television and radio channel, which the girl had long dreamed of. In addition to studying at the university, Margarita wrote poetry. In 1998, she publishes a collection of her poems, and the TV channel undertook to shoot a story about the young poetess. Television people could not ignore the fact that a real talent had appeared in their city, because they talked about Simonyan's poems at all corners.

When Margarita talked with the film crew, she voiced her old dream - she admitted that she would like to work as a journalist on the TV channel. The girl was offered an internship. So in 1999 she started working on the Krasnodar TV channel.

Margarita is a very brave woman. She was only 19 years old when she went to Chechnya to film a series of reports there. In this hot spot a short, fragile girl, whose height is only 160 cm, showed all the strength of her character. So that the parents would not worry about her, Margarita did not notify them where she was going. Only after returning from the place where the war was raging, the girl told her family about a business trip to Chechnya.

A series of reports that she filmed there glorified the young journalist and brought her well-deserved awards. She was awarded "For Professional Courage", presented the first prize All-Russian competition regional TV and radio companies and the Russian Order of Friendship.

Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief of the Krasnodar channel

The girl's career took off, a year after she got a job, she became the chief editor of the Krasnodar TV channel. In 2001, the girl was offered another position, she became a correspondent for the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Simonyan continues to travel to hot spots. During this period, Margarita visited Abkhazia, filming a story about a clash between militants and the state army. All these events took place in the Kodori Gorge.

Talented and fearless journalists are needed everywhere. In 2002, she was invited to the capital, offering the position of a correspondent for the Vesti program. There was a moment when Margarita was part of the presidential pool of journalists, accompanied by Vladimir Putin. The tragedy in Beslan demanded her participation at the scene, in September 2004 she covered the hostage-taking in high school... This event had a very strong influence on the outlook of the young journalist. She strongly discourages her young colleagues from starting a career as a war correspondent.

Margarita Simonyan Editor-in-Chief of Russia Today

The creation of the Russia Today TV channel (2005) has become an important project for Russian television. Broadcasting here was supposed to be in English to inform about Russia's position in relation to international events. Simonyan became the chief editor of the new project. And this appointment raised a lot of questions.

The founders of RIA Novosti approved Margarita for the position based on the following considerations. They needed an editor-in-chief who did not see the Soviet news. At the same time, he was obliged to have his own ideas of how they should look russian newsthat are shown to foreigners. Margarita was ideally suited for the high position of the editor-in-chief of the new project. After a while, her responsibilities began to include the supervision of the Arabic-language, Spanish-language version of the TV channel.

Since 2011, on the REN-TV channel, Simonyan has been leading the news project "What's going on?" This is a very interesting program, during which the journalist covers the most significant events of the week. She works with the news about which viewers were not sufficiently informed on federal channels. News is always interesting to learn firsthand, from eyewitnesses. "What's happening?" was built in this way, the presenter attracted direct participants in the events, spectators to the conversation.

In 2013, Margarita became the co-host of the Iron Ladies program, which was broadcast on NTV. In tandem with her, she posed questions to prominent politicians and businessmen live. These were topical questions that worried the audience, and of course, they were not always convenient for the guests of the program. As a result, the channel's management decided to close the TV show. It did not last even a year on the channel. In the same year, Margarita was appointed editor-in-chief of the international news agency "Russia Today".

Writing activity

Simonyan dreamed of becoming a writer in her early childhood. This woman tries to make all her dreams come true. Margarita was only 18 years old when the first collection of her poems came out. Thanks to this book, Margarita got her first job. The work schedule of this bright, active journalist and editor leaves very little free time. Despite this, Margarita wrote the book "To Moscow" (2010). It took her 10 years to create the novel, this is a story about the generation of the 90s, about people with a difficult fate, their unfulfilled dreams... A year after the release of the novel, Simonyan received an award for the best book journalist.

In the magazine "Russian Pioneer" for 2012 you can find an excerpt from Simonyan's new story entitled "Train". For the same magazine, Margarita writes culinary articles. In addition, Simonyan is constantly polemicizing with foreign media. It was she who exposed the fake pictures associated with the "injury" of the boy Omran. With the help of fake shots, the enemies tried to prove how aggressively Russia is behaving in Syrian territory. Omran Daknish's father told how it really was in an interview with RT.

Margarita was invited many times to the show with Vladimir Solovyov. At the beginning of last year, she participated in an interesting interview, reflecting on freedom of speech in Western countries and in the Russian Federation. In co-authorship with the journalist she participated in the creation of the film “Crimean Bridge. Made with love!". The film was released at the end of 2018. Star actors were filmed here - Sergei Nikonenko, Yuri Stoyanov, Artem Tkachenko, Alexei Demidov.

Not so long ago, Margarita interviewed suspects in the Skripals case - Ruslan Boshirov, Alexander Petrov. She commented on her vision of the results of this conversation on the radio "Echo of Moscow". The journalist got the impression that no one can take their word for it in this matter - neither the Western special services, nor even Russian citizens who have fallen under suspicion of poisoning.

Personal life

Margarita is not inclined to advertise her personal life. Sometimes she talks about her, but very briefly. So, in 2012, it was from the words of Simonyan that it became known that she had a common-law spouse, journalist Andrei Blagodyrenko. This union was quite long, it lasted 6 years, and Margarita at that time did not worry about an official marriage, a beautiful wedding. She very intelligently approaches such questions, believing that the main thing is warm feelings, not surroundings.

Her family at that time was engaged in the opening of the restaurant "Hot!" in Sochi. Around the same period, the famous journalist began to appear more and more often in the company with Tigran Keosayan. A bright, charismatic man at that time was not free, his official wife was Alena Khmelnitskaya. The romance of Margarita and Tigran began on his initiative. At first he was virtual, Tigran supported the girl by writing her a warm message on Facebook, who at that time was going through a difficult period in her professional career.

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Classmates

Russian journalist Simonyan Margarita Simonovna has been the editor-in-chief of the Russia Today (Russia Today) TV channel since 2013. When she took office, she was only 25 years old. This appointment became the most discussed topic at that time, many wondered why this 25-year-old Armenian girl was entrusted with such a responsible position. What distinguished Simonyan Margarita Simonovna? Compromising evidence on her person, in spite of everything, was not found. And the passions subsided. Further in the article, we will tell you about the life of this interesting woman who managed to make such a successful career.

The future journalist was born in early April 1980, in the southern city of Krasnodar. Margarita has a sister named Alice. After she took the position of the general director of the RT TV channel in 2013, many began to wonder who Simonyan's parents were. Margarita Simonovna and her sister have lived in rather modest conditions since childhood. Their father worked as a refrigerator repairman, and their mother worked as a flower girl and traded flowers at the market from morning till night. The money earned by the parents was enough only for food. Their house was very old and was located on one of the outskirts of Krasnodar streets, named after the legendary Russian writer Nikolai Gogol. The house was full of rats, the most basic living conditions: gas, sewerage and water supply. Today it is hard to believe that the Soviet Union could have had such terrible living conditions. The girls had to live in this nightmare for about 10 years, after which the family was given an apartment. It was life at the “bottom” that pushed Margarita to an irresistible desire to break out of poverty and take place in life.

Despite the fact that Margarita's parents did not pay much attention to the development of the intellectual and creative abilities of their children, the girls grew up smart and very diligent. Little Ritochka is one of the first in the group kindergarten began to read. The teacher asked her to read fairy tales to her classmates before going to bed. Later Simonyan Margarita Simonovna was taken to the 1st grade of the specialized school number 36 of the city of Krasnodar. Here they were engaged in in-depth study of foreign languages. It turned out that the girl has a great ability to English. She studied perfectly well and was sent to the Olympiads. When the girl turned 16 years old, and she studied in the 9th grade, an excellent opportunity opened up for her to improve her knowledge of English to the proper one. She was sent to study in the United States, in the state of New Hampshire, as part of the student exchange program. She lived in a very friendly and warm family, went to an American school, talked with her peers and comprehended the peculiarities of life in mysterious America. With this family she still has excellent, one might say “family” relationship. Margarita even thought about staying overseas, but soon realized that she was most comfortable living in her native country.

After leaving school, it is worth noting, with a medal of distinction, Simonyan Margarita Simonovna, whose biography is the topic of this article, entered the Faculty of Journalism of the Kuban State University, in parallel with this she studied at the V. Pozner School of Television Skills, and also wrote poetry. It turned out that a collection of poems by an 18-year-old Armenian woman aroused interest in the press, and a film crew came to her house to make a report about her. It was during this interview that she let slip that she wants to be a journalist. And then she received an offer to work on Krasnodar television.

In December 1999, she went to Chechnya to cover the hostilities. At the same time, Margarita decided to feel sorry for her parents and only informed them that she was going on another business trip. In parallel, Margarita began filming stories for federal channels. Her fearlessness and professionalism were highly appreciated by the government, and Margarita Simonovna Simonyan was awarded many federal awards. A year later, she became the leading editor of the information portal of the Krasnodar TRK, and in 2000 she was appointed editor-in-chief at the same TV channel. Later, the girl moved to the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Channel in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Then Margarita decides to continue her "military" career and goes to Abkhazia, writes reports about the clashes in the Kodori Gorge.

In 2002, Simonyan Margarita Simonovna finally receives an invitation from the directorate of the Vesti TV program to work as a correspondent, of course, having moved to the capital. Of course, she gladly accepted the offer, and soon she was already part of the presidential pool. In September 2004 at North Ossetia, in Beslan, a terrible tragedy happened. At that time Margarita was in Minvody. She received an order from the editorial board of the channel and went to the scene. All the time, while the hostages were in the hands of the militants, she stood at the school and went on the air every half hour. Sometimes her voice was cut off by sobs choking her. After that, she could not calm down for a long time.

In 2005, the Russia Today TV channel appeared in Moscow. He delivered information in English and was called upon to express the official Russian position on various political situations in the world. In the professional sphere, many were perplexed that it was Margarita Simonyan who had been appointed editor-in-chief of the channel. Despite this, RIA Novosti presented arguments regarding this appointment. According to them, the head of the service had to be so young not to remember what news was going on on Soviet television. She must have new thinking, a modern outlook on what is happening. In addition, she knew English perfectly and could objectively assess the flow of information. Subsequently, Margarita also directed the Arabic-language and Spanish-language versions of the TV channel.

In 2011, Margarita decided to create a personal news project “What's going on” on the REN TV channel and be its host. The program came out every week, where M.S.Simonyan discussed the most important events last daysthat the federal channels avoided talking about. Direct participants in these events were invited to the program. Two years later, a new political show came out on NTV, hosted by Margarita Simonyan and Tina Kandelaki, an Armenian and a Georgian. The program was called The Iron Ladies. But for some reason, the show was closed.

Since childhood, Margarita dreamed of being a writer. She wrote poetry, and at the age of 18 released a collection of poems written by her. Her next book was published in 2010 and was titled "To Moscow". This is a novel about the generation of the nineties, about the problems, difficult fates of people whose lives coincided with the split of the Soviet Union, about the unfulfilled dreams of young people who in an instant lost their present and future. A year after the release of the novel, Margarita received the award for the best book written by a journalist. Her next work was the story "Train". She published excerpts from it in the magazine "Russian Pioneer", for this magazine she also writes articles on culinary topics.

The journalist does not like to talk about herself. In 2012, in an interview, she said that for 6 years now she and journalist Andrei Blagodyrenko have been living in a civil marriage, regarding the consolidation of official relations and a wedding, she is absolutely not ready for this. In the same year, Margarita went to Sochi, where the construction of the Simonyanov family restaurant “Hot!” Was underway. It was there that she became close to her compatriot, the famous director. Tigran Keosayan and Margarita Simonyan spent more and more time together. And everyone already perceived them as a couple, despite the fact that Tigran continued to be married to actress Alena Khmelnitskaya. A year later, in the summer of 2013, Margarita had a daughter, who was named Maryana. The next year, she and Tigran had a son, who was named by the Armenian name Bagrat. Today Simonyan Margarita Simonovna and Keosayan Tigran are a family, although they have not legalized their relationship. They have two wonderful children growing up.

In 2000, Margarita was in the arena of hostilities in Chechnya and reported in a bulletproof vest. For her devotion to the profession, for courage and professionalism, she was given a state prize. In the same year, Margarita became the winner of the II All-Russian Competition for Regional TV and Radio Companies. Her television coverage of Chechen children was recognized as the best. All in the same 2000, she was also awarded a presidential scholarship.

In 2010, in Moscow, the Armenian president presented the famous journalist with the Movses Khorenatsi medal, the highest government award of the Republic of Armenia. She has several more state awards of the Russian Federation: “For Services to the Fatherland of the 4th degree” (2014), two “Order of Friendship” (2007 and 2008), etc. In 2012, the name of Margarita Simonyan was included in the list of 100 most influential women Russia, where she took 33rd place. She is a member of the public council at the main department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, and since 2013, on the appointment of D. Kiselev, she has assumed the post of editor-in-chief of MIA Rossiya

After what happened in Ukraine, Margarita Simonyan was included in the list of 49 journalists and media directors who were banned from entering the republic.

Margarita Simonovna Simonyan - a well-known Russian journalist, editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel, the international news agency Russia Today. Also Margarita Simonyan is the chief editor of the Sputnik news agency.

Early years and education

Father - Simon Simonyan - refrigerator repairman. Now he is retired and lives in Krasnodar. He is engaged in hunting and fishing.

Mother - Zinaida Simonyan - sold flowers on the market, this is stated in the biography of Margarita Simonyan on Wikipedia.

Margarita has a sister, Alice. Grandfather - Sarkis Simonyan - participant of the Great Patriotic War... Margarita Simonyan wrote in her LJ that the grandfather's family was repressed. “My wounded great-grandfather watched his wife with three children, the eldest of whom was my eleven-year-old grandmother Maya Aloeva, caulked into calf wagons and sent across the Urals.

In the same place, Margarita explained soft sign in his last name. “When my grandfather returned from the war to his native Simferopol, he found his house and the houses of his neighbors boarded up and received a generous offer to join the family. Joined. There I met the same repressed countrywoman - my grandmother Maya, who had already grown up. There my father was born to them. Immediately an enemy of the people. He was five when Khrushchev forgave them. But I didn’t forgive enough to allow my grandparents to return home to the Crimea, where they were born. Then the entire exiled diaspora moved to Krasnodar - closer and closer to their native land. Finally, they were given passports, where a soft sign was written in front of "yang" in their surnames. Such a label. I was born in Krasnodar with the surname Simonyan. I have this mark on me too. I remember, ”said Margarita Simonyan.

Margarita Simonyan studied at Krasnodar Special School No. 36. In the tenth grade, Margarita traveled on an exchange to the USA (New Hampshire) to improve her English.

Margarita Simonyan graduated from school with a gold medal. Higher education the girl received at the Faculty of Journalism in Kubansky state university... In addition, Simonyan graduated from the School of Television Skills Vladimir Pozner.

Career of Margarita Simonyan

Margarita Simonyan began her career in journalism at hometown, a correspondent for the Krasnodar TV and radio company. In the biography of Margarita, it is reported that her television career began with a collection of poems and a story about her on local TV. After that, from the heroine of the plot, Simonyan turned into an intern, and then began a full-fledged career as a reporter.

From February 1999 to 2000, Margarita worked for the Krasnodar television and radio company.

In 1999, Margarita Simonyan covered the fighting in Chechnya. In one interview, Margarita said that she did not inform her parents about her business trip to Chechnya: “When I first went to Chechnya at the age of nineteen, I hid it from my parents. For the only time in her life she deceived them, realizing that they could go mad with worry during these ten days. She said that there would be filming on a ship, at sea, so there would be no connection. And only my sister Alice then kept walking, feeling something, and asking her parents where Margarita was, what does it mean, in the sea, what kind of ship is this with no connection? This was the beginning of the second war, when Grozny was not even completely surrounded, only 90%. A complete nightmare: shooting, explosions, an utter mess, when you don't understand where ours are, where are strangers, where to go, what to do. When I returned and my father opened the door for me, he was in shock. I entered dirty, dirty, because there was nowhere water, I was brushing my teeth with dried fruit compote. My father says to me: “Where have you been ?!”, I answered: “In Chechnya”. He shouted: "Fool!", Slammed the door, left, he was gone for an hour. Then he came back, silently poured himself a glass, a glass for me and said: “You are my son instead.” Since then, I have never drank vodka. I will never forget it. "

In January 2000, for a series of war reports, Margarita Simonyan received the prize of the Kuban Union of Journalists "For Professional Courage".

In May 2000, Margarita Simonyan received an award at the II All-Russian Competition for Regional TV and Radio Companies for her report on Chechen children vacationing in Anapa.

In 2001, Simonyan was appointed his own correspondent at the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company in Rostov-on-Don. After Margarita became a special correspondent for Vesti. The young journalist covered the military clashes in the Kodori Gorge of Abkhazia.

In 2002, Margarita Simonyan joined the presidential pool of journalists.

In 2004, Simonyan covered terrorist act in Beslan.

In 2005, the English-language TV channel “Russia Today” was created, which was supposed to cover Russia's position in international events. 25-year-old Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief. Later, Simonyan began to supervise the Arabic-speaking and Spanish-speaking versions of this TV channel.

Margarita Simonyan participated in other projects as well. For example, in 2011 she was the host of the What's Happening? on the REN-TV channel, from October to November 2012, Margarita is the host of the weekly column “Point of View” on the Kommersant FM radio station. In 2013, Margarita Simonyan became the host of the political show "Iron Ladies" on the NTV channel.

Together with the presenter Tina Kandelaki live, Margarita asked not always convenient, but topical questions to well-known politicians and businessmen. However, in the same year, the management of the TV channel decided to close the show.

Since June 2011, Margarita Simonyan has been a member of the Board of Directors of Channel One.

December 31, 2013 cEO news agency "Russia Today" Dmitry Kiselev appointed Margarita Simonyan editor-in-chief of the international news agency "Russia Today". The journalist also remained at the head of RT. Since November 10, 2014, Margarita Simonyan has been the chief editor of the Sputnik news agency, affiliated with MIA Rossiya Segodnya.

Writing and social activity

Since childhood, Margarita Simonyan dreamed of becoming a writer. And, behold, in 2010 her first book "To Moscow!" Was published. In 2012, Simonyan published an excerpt from her new story "Train" on the pages of the Russian Pioneer magazine. Margarita also writes culinary articles for this magazine.

Tigran Keosayan based on scripts by Margarita Simonyan, he shot the series “Sea. The mountains. Expanded clay "and the film" Actress ".

Margarita Simonyan was a member of the Public Chamber Russian Federation third composition (2010-2012), Public Council at the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Moscow and the Public Council at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Since 2008 Simonyan has been a member of the Russian Television Academy. In 2010, Margarita Simonyan became Vice President of the National Association of TV and Radio Broadcasters.

From January to March 2012, Simonyan was a member of the "People's Headquarters" (in Moscow) of the presidential candidate Vladimir Putin... In January 2018, Margarita became a confidant of Vladimir Putin in the presidential elections on March 18, 2018.

Margarita Simonyan was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2014) - for objectivity in covering events in Crimea, the Order of Friendship (June 27, 2007) - for her great contribution to the development of domestic television and many years of fruitful work, the Movses Medal Khorenatsi and other awards.

Scandals and sanctions concerning Margarita Simonyan

In May 2016, Simonyan was included by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on the sanctions list, she is prohibited from entering Ukraine.

In 2017, the editor-in-chief of Russia Today (RT) Margarita Simonyan said that the channel could leave the United States.

“In the worst case scenario, we leave the United States, we no longer broadcast there,” stressed Simonyan. - In the worst case scenario, Russia responds the same in relation to the American media. Which I would not like, because I am a journalist. " She also noted that with such a development of events, the channel will use all other available methods of communicating with the audience, including the American one.

“What are they doing in relation to us - in fact, they are getting us out of the country, they are putting us now in conditions in which we cannot work. Here it is, the vaunted freedom of speech. Why are they doing this? Because, as it seems to them, we showed a different point of view, and this influenced their elections, "the editor-in-chief of RT summed up, RIA Novosti reported.

Later, news emerged that RT America had registered in the United States as a foreign agent in response to a demand from the American Department of Justice. Simonyan said that they chose the latter between the criminal case and registration.

“With which we congratulate the American freedom of speech and all who still believe in it,” the journalist said ironically.

Margarita Simonyan excites from time to time public opinion their posts on social networks. In April 2018, a well-known journalist wrote that she was forced to call a free ambulance, and then she is ashamed in front of "tired and emaciated doctors in bad shoes" for "oak parquet, for this second floor, for a three-year-old boy's separate bedroom, for English wallpapers and a vintage Italian chandelier."

“It's like I stole it all. These tired people in bad shoes who came to rescue my child. And I give them money, of course, and all of us are embarrassed by this, but, damn it, even so. I worry until the morning, even when the child fell asleep and the temperature subsided. I lived a little under communism, and I really didn't like it. But I don’t like it the way it is now, ”Margarita wrote, causing a lot of criticism.

In June 2019, an incident hit the news when Lyubov Sobol, a journalist and lawyer from FBK *, met Margarita Simonyan at the entrance to the Echo of Moscow radio station and with provocative questions drove her pregnant colleague to the point of losing her senses. Simonyan had to call an ambulance.

Simonyan came to the radio station, where Sobol was waiting at the entrance with the camera turned on. Sobol asked Simonyan to comment on the information about how Sobyanin allegedly "distributes apartments in Moscow to his subordinates."

“Echovites say that they were guarding me at the entrance for half an hour. She chased me along the corridors until the kind Echovites hid me in the Venedict's office. A beautiful girl, by the way. But harassing pregnant women in the hallways of a radio station is not the best method of campaigning. And it’s not good for karma, ”said Margarita Simonyan.

The incident caused a great stir. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova published a post on her Facebook page in which she named sable (with a small letter) an animal.

Chief Editor "Echo of Moscow" Alexei Venediktov apologized for Sobol's behavior.

Margarita Simonyan, hospitalized on June 6, told reporters that doctors suspected she might have a miscarriage.

“The threat of termination of pregnancy. God willing, it will cost. I try not to open my phone so as not to bump into these, ”Margarita was quoted as saying.

Personal life of Margarita Simonyan

In her personal life, Margarita Simonyan had an unregistered marriage, in 2005 her civil husband became a TV producer and journalist Andrey Blagodyrenko.

Since 2012, Margarita Simonyan has been in close relationship with director Tigran Keosayan, who left the family and officially divorced his previous wife in 2014.

“Once I read on Facebook: 'Hello, Margarita! This is Tigran Keosayan. I have long been sympathetic to you as a journalist and tribesman. Now I was driving in the car and listened to being bullied on the radio, could not resist, decided to support and write that I still remember your reports from Beslan. " This is how I found out that, firstly, I was being bullied somewhere, and secondly, Tigran Keosayan himself was interested in my fate, ”Simonyan recalled this acquaintance.

The director filmed Margarita in a cameo role in his film Three Comrades, and Simonyan is also the author of the script for two of his films. In August 2013, Margarita and Tigran had a daughter, Maryana, in September 2014, a son, Bagrat. The family owns a restaurant in the Krasnaya Polyana area in Sochi.

Margarita wrote that she was on good terms with Keosayan's previous wife, an actress Alena Khmelnitskaya... They posted a joint photo with the caption "High Relations." “She is charming, very kind, intelligent, open - not to mention that she is a phenomenal beauty. We have nothing to share: Alena is happy, I am happy, Tigran is happy. And thank God, ”says Margarita Simonyan.

Margarita wrote that her children, Maryana and Bagrat speak five languages: Russian, Armenian, English, French and Chinese.

* The non-profit organization "Anti-Corruption Fund" was entered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation into the register of organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent.