Alexander Lyubimov is a Russian journalist, television host, radio, film, and TV producer. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the VID Television Company.
Born in Moscow on June 23, 1962, to a family of an actress and a foreign intelligence officer, Lyubimov grew up in a theatrical environment. From a young age, he showed broad interests — from mathematics, political science, and sports to playing guitar and listening to hard rock music.
In 1979, he entered the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), majoring in International Economic Relations with a concentration on English, French, and Scandinavian languages. After graduating in 1984, he declined an official posting to the USSR Trade Mission in Denmark and instead began working at the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting on international programs for Radio Moscow.
In 1987, Lyubimov was invited to the Main Editorial Office of Youth Programs at Central Television, where he became one of the creators and hosts of the groundbreaking program Vzglyad (“The View”). In the program, Alexander focused on bold, critical reporting, including the first televised interview with Andrei Sakharov, coverage of the Tbilisi protests in April 1989, and reports from conflict zones.
In 1988, due to political pressure, specifically due to a published article by Nina Andreeva titled “I can’t give up on my principles”, Lyubimov, along with Vlad Listyev and Dmitry Zakharov, was suspended from hosting Vzglyad.
In 1990, he was elected People’s Deputy of the RSFSR, representing the Tambov region - his father’s home region, and co-founded the parliamentary fraction Smena — New Politics. In December of the same year Vzglyad was officially shut down and was only brought back after the failed coup attempt of August 1991.
In January 1991, Alexander Lyubimov and Alexander Politkovsky founded the company “Vzglyad iz Podpolya” (View from the Underground) and distributed Vzglyad on videotapes. In the same month, Vzglyad broke through to the airwaves with a three-hour program about the clashes in Vilnius and Riga on Leningrad's Channel 5, and also went live to the three Baltic republics from the television center in Riga.
At the same time, the VID (Vzglyad and Others) television company was established. It produced some of Russia’s most iconic television programs, such as Pole Chudes (“Field of Wonders”), MuzOboz (“Music Review”), and Matador.
During the August 1991 events, Alexander Lyubimov and his colleagues organized a radio station in the White House. After Mikhail Gorbachev’s return from Foros, Vzglyad went on air almost daily, covering what had happened in the country during the coup. It was Vzglyad that showed Gorbachev’s “last” video message to the world, recorded in his Foros residence, where he had been held captive.
In December 1991, Alexander Lyubimov sharply criticized the Belavezha Accords on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States on air, and as a member of the Supreme Soviet, he refused to vote for their ratification.
From early 1992, VID began producing Tema with Vladislav Listyev, Politburo with Alexander Politkovsky, and Red Square with Alexander Lyubimov instead of Vzglyad. At the same time, Lyubimov headed international broadcasting for VGTRK Ostankino.
In September 1993, the program Red Square was shut down for calling for a resolution of the conflict between the Kremlin and the Supreme Soviet. Lyubimov spoke about the same issue on the night of October 3–4, 1993, which provoked a sharp reaction in certain circles.
In spring 1994, Vzglyad was brought back once again, although in a new format. Now, Vzglyad spoke of power more with indifference, urging people to rely on their own strength rather than the state. The program featured the first appearance of Alexander Solzhenitsyn on Russian TV, Nikita Mikhalkov on the day he won the Oscar, as well as Chechen separatist leaders Dzhokhar Dudayev and Aslan Maskhadov. Unlike most evening/night shows on Russian TV, Vzglyad focused on morality, poverty, unemployment, and the “crisis of faith” gripping many people. It put the spotlight on extraordinary individuals among peasants, teachers, doctors, and workers. Special attention was given to the fight against drug addiction and the war in Chechnya, where Alexander Lyubimov repeatedly traveled himself.
In spring 1995, Channel One launched the project One on One continuing the tradition of political dialogue laid down by Vzglyad and Red Square. It quickly gained popularity, especially during the 1995 election campaign. The famous “orange juice duel” between Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Boris Nemtsov was broadcast by more than 100 TV companies worldwide.
Beyond journalism, Lyubimov played an active role in political and social life. He studied campaign management and political consulting at Harvard University in 1996, later advising and organizing election campaigns across Russia and the CIS. He also held senior leadership positions at Channel One and Russia-1, and from 2011 to 2014 headed the RBC television channel. In 2010-2012, he was a member of the leadership of the political parties “Right Cause”, “Civic Platform”, and the “Growth Party”.
From 2001, he served as President of MediaUnion, a non-profit organization supporting independent journalism, press freedom, and the social protection of journalists in Russia.
As a producer, Lyubimov created the hit reality project The Last Hero (the Russian version of Survivor), а myriad of TV series, and the feature film project Branded. In 2006, he completed advanced training in 3D animation in Los Angeles and launched a charitable initiative — a school of computer animation inside a correctional facility in Perm.
Lyubimov has been recognized with numerous state honors, including the Order of Honor for his coverage of military operations in Chechnya, the Order of Friendship for contributions to Russian television, and the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland.”