A key figure in the Russian media is about to leave his post in what would become the second major change in leadership of Russian national television this week. Igor Malashenko is expected to resign as president of the NTV television channel to start a new career in image-making, according to the NTV press service. The idea of launching a public relations firm is one that Malashenko has long cherished, a press service spokesperson said. On Wednesday, Malashenko flew to London on a business trip which ""might be connected with this idea,"" said NTV spokesperson Maria Shakhova. Earlier this week Nikolai Svanidze replaced Eduard Sagalayev as chairman of RTR, the government-owned Channel 2, for reasons that are not entirely clear. ""I think that these are links in one chain,"" said Viktor Gaft, director of Image-Contact political consulting firm. He said he believes that a ""major redeployment"" of political and financial forces is underway, but that so far its direction is uncertain.