When I first heard the rumor, I rejected it as absurd and nonsensical. But the "sensational news" about the possible sale of RTN-WMNB, an American Russian language TV company, to the Russian government's TV channel ORT (Russia's first TV channel) was on everybody's lips. When journalists, businessmen and community leaders started to talk about the possible deal, it became clear to me: I could not pretend any more that nothing was happening. If the president of RTN, American-born rabbi Mark Golub, had really sold his company to the Kremlin propaganda machine, the readers of the Russian Forward (among them, many customers of RTN) had the right to learn about it.

I know that Russia and other post-Soviet countries are trying to invade (and in some cases have successfully invaded) the Russian-American media market. Still, the news about this particular deal seemed unrealistic. Or, rather, I did not want to believe that instead of getting free information from journalists, who are loyal to America and sympathize with Israel, we would be fed anti-American propaganda strictly censored by the Russian government. The best way to prove or, on the contrary, disprove the swiftly spreading rumors was, of course, to interview the "main hero," Mark Golub himself.

RTN's president answered my questions emotionally and directly.

Russian Forward: Mr. Golub, the rumor is that you have sold your company to ORT. Is it true?

Mark Golub: Well, the Russian-speaking community has to learn how to resist rumors, gossip and disinformation. By the way, the Torah equates rumors that damage a person's reputation to murder with all the consequences. I have not sold RTN/WMNB. I have not negotiated with anyone and ORT has never reached me with any offer. On the contrary, I am currently occupied with my company's development and expansion.

Thanks to RTN/WMNB's wonderful team, we have built a large and influential TV company in a very short period of time. I am proud of my talented, creative and industrious staff. Because of their dedication and, of course, thanks to our sponsors, we got good results. I assume that there are people who would be glad to purchase such a successful, well-organized business. Did I have interesting offers? Yes, I did. Am I looking for a buyer? No, I am not. Is there any truth in the rumors about the deal with ORT? No, there is not.

RF: So, you are happy with the current situation at RTN and you are not going to part with your creation?

MG: I want to remind you that I was the owner of RTN and then I sold it, but in 2000 I bought it back, when the company (it was called Skyview then) was practically in ruins. Today, I work with great pleasure with the RTN team and I enjoy the product that we offer to the Russian-speaking immigrants. This product, I am sure, will become even better in the future. As for those who spread the rumors about our deal with Russian government's company, I have to disappoint them. RTN/WMNB remains an American TV company that supports Israel, respects Jewish traditions and culture, and tries to help Russian-speaking immigrants.

I do not want to make a prognosis – business is business. But I respect and value my team and my customers and, no matter what, I am ready to defend their interests. The rumors about selling RTN/WMNB are false. Let us not try to find out who was spreading this gossip and why. Let us, instead, make our Russian TV in America even better and more engaging.