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MINSK, 3 January (BelTA) – Natalya Eismont, the Press Secretary of the Belarusian President, spent several years working on various projects at Belarusian Television (BT). In the documentary “70 years with you! Anniversary of Belarusian Television” she and former colleagues reflect on the pace of work and flagship programs of the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company, BelTA has learned.
Natalya Eismont joined BT while still a student at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. Juggling her studies, graduation performances, and her role as a theater and film actress, she recorded her television programs in advance.
“I'd study in the morning, then quickly head to BT in the afternoon to prepare the program. Then I'd rush to the theater, perform, and then return at night to 9 Makayonka Street to record the Business Life program for the morning,” the press secretary shared, recounting her daily routine at the time.
Occasionally, there were small but memorable incidents. “Of course, every play is different. I remember how the poor makeup artists sometimes struggled with me. We had a performance based on the works of Vasily Shukshin, where at the finale, hay would fall from above accompanied by very dramatic music. Yet, I would arrive already made up for Business Life and with my hair practically done, so the makeup artists wouldn’t have to wait for me. So, right there in the studio, the lighting technicians, cameramen, and I would pick the hay and straw out of my hair and record the program, sometimes working late into the night. In the morning, it aired as scheduled. And then those everyday routines began again,” recalled Natalya Eismont.
With her characteristic resilience and optimism, she would climb the stairs ten times a day. “On the one hand, it’s hard, but on the other, it’s a great way to save money on the gym,” she noted with a smile.
There were quite a few projects, each requiring full dedication. Business Life focused on imports, exports, and gold and foreign exchange reserves. It was followed by Regional News, which required a deep dive into fieldwork: covering sowing, harvesting, and first-aid stations. Subsequently, she moved on to host Panorama.
Information Minister Marat Markov (who was Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company from 2011 to 2017) almost immediately recognized her potential: “I must admit, when I first saw Natalya Nikolayevna on air, I wondered why she was reporting regional news instead of anchoring a flagship program. That was my initial reaction. It simply took me a little time to fully understand her potential.”
For a long time, she also anchored the main evening newscast, Glavny Efir. However, another program in her career holds a particularly special place: Pra Mastatstva (About Art).
Mikhail Revutsky, co-host of the project and head of the culture department at the First News Channel, reflected on their collaboration. “Just imagine the pairing: she was a correspondent and the grace, the undisputed prima of the airwaves. To me, it always felt like Beauty and the Beast. We were determined to approach this format and our commentary on culture in a way no one else would,” he emphasized.
For Natalya Eismont, her time at BT was more than just an unforgettable period and valuable experience.
On 1 January 2026, Belarusian television celebrated its 70th anniversary. The era of Belarusian television began on the first day of 1956, when Tamara Bastun addressed viewers from a small studio in the still-unfinished television center.
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