The History of Television's Creation. How Iconic Programs Were Born

An updated edition of Maria Magront’s book about television projects that influenced the development of Russian TV.

This is a behind-the-scenes look at Soviet and post-Soviet television: how ideas were set in motion for production, grew surrounded by rules, and turned into legendary formats capable of drawing millions to the screens.

You’ll learn how programs are created using broadcasts familiar to several generations:
• “The Club of Cinema Travelers” — off-site meetings, stories from eyewitnesses, a live audience, and voting for topics. How do you keep the intrigue and engage viewers?
• “From the Bottom of My Heart” — an intimate tone, editing, and texts built around the hero’s fate. How do interviews and a script create trust?
• “Come On, Girls!” — a balance of entertainment, talk show elements, and the public agenda. How do you make a competition tense but still warm in atmosphere?
• “What? Where? When?” — the audience watches the flow of reasoning and becomes a participant in the game. How do you sustain suspense and hold the audience’s attention?
• “Lucky Chance” — bold decisions and unexpected moves on air. How does a producer build the program’s brand through innovation?

Maria Magront-Ahvlediani is a Candidate of Philology, an Associate Professor at the Higher School of Television (Faculty of HST) of Lomonosov Moscow State University, a screenwriter, director, and producer of TV programs and films, and the author of books about television. Member of the Union of Journalists of Russia and the International Union of Journalists.

The author and organizer of cultural and social initiatives, a media analyst, and a television research specialist. In this book, she combines historical material with professional practice, drawing on archival sources and interviews with key participants.