Natalya Eismont. An archive photo
MINSK, 2 January (BelTA) – Press Secretary of the Belarusian president Natalya Eismont recalled how she started her journey at Belarusian Television (BT) in the documentary 70 years with you! Anniversary of Belarusian Television, BelTA has learned.
1 January 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of Belarusian Television. The era began on 1 January 1956, when Tamara Bastun first appeared on screen, broadcasting from a modest studio in a television center still under construction.
During these years, a whole constellation of skilled journalists has emerged at Belarusian Television, who are part of the BT family no matter what positions they may now have.
Even now, Press Secretary of the president Natalya Eismont adheres to the tough standards of television work. Think of a snowy evening shoot outdoors, with the journalist bareheaded and gloveless. That is professionalism: working through any conditions until the shot is perfect, while honoring the team behind the scenes.
Viewers of the Belarusian Television and Radio Company still remember Natalya Eismont as Natalya Kirsanova. That was her television pseudonym, adopted when she was a student at the Academy of Arts. In her fourth year, she began working alongside her studies. The girl hadn’t even dreamed of television, but that’s how her path unfolded.
“I remember the teleprompter, the sheets, the desk itself, and the atmosphere in the room. They gave me a text to read, and I read it. Afterwards, they told me very calmly and, to be honest, almost dismissively: ‘Okay, you will have to wait. There are plenty of people who want to work in TV. We will call you,’” Natalya Eismont recalls that moment.
But she received feedback that same day, before she could even reach home. “I remember, as I was nearing the final bus stop, I got a call from an unknown number. I picked up, and the voice said: ‘We would like you to start training at the Belarusian Television and Radio Company tomorrow, begin your internship, and, if all goes well, step into the news anchor’s seat,’” she recounts.
That is when her life truly kicked into high gear, given the relentless tempo of TV work and Natalya’s ongoing commitments as a student and a stage and screen actress.
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