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In Russia, 50% of News Must Be Happy

Posted by kdawson on from the ministry-of-truth dept.

Several readers sent us to the New York Times for disturbing news on Russia's vanishing press freedoms. The story tells of how one of the few remaining relatively independent radio outlets in Russia recently acquired new managers, reportedly loyal to Vladimir Putin. Quoting: "At their first meeting with journalists since taking over Russia's largest independent radio news network, the managers had startling news of their own: from now on, they said, at least 50 percent of the reports about Russia must be 'positive.' In addition, opposition leaders could not be mentioned on the air and the United States was to be portrayed as an enemy, journalists employed by the network, Russian News Service, say they were told by the new managers, who are allies of the Kremlin."

7 of 551 comments (clear)

  1. And in America... by ushering05401 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No pictures of caskets coming home from the mideast...

    This whole thing is just a matter of degrees.

    0% of any country's news must be proven factually accurate from what I can tell. Can we get some journalistic standards in the house? Anybody?

    1. Re:And in America... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This whole thing is just a matter of degrees.

      As is anything for someone with a brain. But it is fairly obvious that the matter of degrees difference here is like a Siberian winter vs Phoenix in the summer. Remember what they have done, forced the media to demonize one country and idolize themselves. This is nationalism at its worst. And with Putin's changes like appointing governorships (versus elections), Russia is becoming a totalitarian state.

      It is always wise to be very careful about a rabidly nationalistic totalitarian state. Over 100,000,000 people died in the last century from those entities.

      And before someone wants to criticize me by saying that the US is just as bad, I suggest you understand the meaning of the degrees of difference. Bush has abused the laws and now has a ~30% approval rating and is now a lame duck. Putin has abused the laws and has a >70% approval rating and the power to do anything he wants. If you don't see the difference, you are blind.

  2. No enemy? by Southpaw018 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From what I remember of American Military History, during the Cold War, many American textbooks kicked off the discussion with something to the effect of "There are two world superpowers, the US and Russia, locked in a struggle..."

    Many Russian textbooks of the same era, however, took this approach (again, paraphrasing, not quoting anything): "There is one world superpower, and they mean to oppress us..."

    During that time, just as afraid as we were of Communism, they were afraid that we were going to nuke them if the blinked twice.

    Now, it appears, that Russia is reentering the thinking that there is one world superpower, and that they must fight against it. The problem with that, of course, is that our propaganda is currently directed elsewhere. I wonder what they'll fight against when the supposed enemy isn't fighting back?

    --
    ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
  3. I might actually pay attention... by josquint · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If the news featured more positive stories.

    American news THRIVES on depressing and horrifing scenarios. It's, well, depressing.

    The world isnt a kind and gentle place, but must it be a manufacutred hell?

  4. Re:Enforced vs. voluntary censorship by scrondle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What facts specifically do you think Gore is "fast and loose" with? I'm asking because I am not a climate scientist, but my wife is doing climate research at the moment. I haven't heard anyone in a position to know say anything other than it was pretty accurate for a powerpoint presentation by a politician. Also, he's been working on this for a long time, that makes him opportunistic how? Also, what is the "other side" of the story? That we had carbon levels like this before there were modern humans on earth? WTF?

  5. Re:tag: backintheussr by QuickFox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The first step in establishing a dictatorship is to define an enemy, preferably one that you know either cannot or will not defend itself. Like terrorism?
    --
    Terrorists can't threaten a country's freedom and democracy. Only lawmakers and voters can do that.
  6. Re:In Soviet Russia by shark+swooner · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In Putin's Russia, the In Soviet Russia joke writes itself