OREANDA-NEWS. On 01 July 2008 CTC Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTCM), Russia's leading independent media company, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Anton Kudryashov as the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective August 4, 2008. Mr. Kudryashov’s appointment was a joint decision of the Board of Directors and Alexander Rodnyansky, the Company’s current CEO and President. Mr. Rodnyansky will remain as the Company’s President and will also join its Board of Directors, where he will continue to actively participate in the Company’s programming strategy, investor relations, and content procurement and development.

Mr. Rodnyansky joined CTC Media in 2002 and was appointed CEO in February 2004.  Since that time, CTC Media has grown from owning and operating a single flagship channel – CTC – into a diversified public media holding company with three free-to-air networks in Russia, in-house production capabilities and broadcast operations elsewhere in the Commonwealth of Independent States. With his strong programming and creative skills, Mr. Rodnyansky was instrumental in implementing the Company’s strategy and successfully accomplished the goals set out for him during his tenure as CEO, including leading CTC Media through its initial public offering in 2006.

Now, with the growth and diversification of its business, including several recent acquisitions, the Company will face new operational and organizational challenges. As CTC Media emerges as a vertically integrated media holding company, the Company’s Board feels confident that Mr. Kudryashov, with his excellent operational track record, is the right individual to lead CTC Media through these challenges.

Commenting on his appointment, Anton Kudryashov said, “I am honored and excited to join CTC Media and look forward to working with its outstanding management team, the Board and its strategic shareholders – Modern Times Group and Alfa Group. My previous experience as a senior executive in a variety of businesses, together with my background as a media entrepreneur, provide a solid foundation for managing CTC Media through the growth and diversification of its business.  CTC Media has a track record of outstanding operational performance and I am confident it is well positioned to continue to achieve strong financial growth and take advantage of the robust television advertising markets in both Russia and the CIS.”

Alexander Rodnyansky commented, “I am pleased with CTC Media’s impressive development in the last several years and I am proud to have participated in guiding the Company through this period of successful growth. We have assembled a strong team of professionals at CTC Media and I look forward to continuing to take part in the further strategic development of the Company as its President and a member of the Board.”