Russia: Ignorance is Bliss
OK. As much of a distaste I have for the Mainstream Media in this country, with it’s partisan broadcasting, biased reporting and journalistic agendas (on BOTH sides, mind you) - - I will say without a shadow of a doubt that I’m happy our media, such as it is, have the freedoms to report as they do.
It’s just one of those little freedoms we take for granted. After all, we could be living in Russia:
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.
How would they know what constituted positive news?
“When we talk of death, violence or poverty, for example, this is not positive,” said one editor at the station who did not want to be identified for fear of retribution. “If the stock market is up, that is positive. The weather can also be positive.”
50% Good News Is the Bad News in Russian Radio
Could you imagine? Either they feel that their population of citizens in Russia cannot handle the truth (see: Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men) - - or, the government wants to shade the eyes of their population from the negative things that happen in Russia.
Ignorance is bliss, as they say. I hate to say it, but give me Keith Olbermann on air at MSNBC anytime over a government that hand picks what kind of news and commentary I, as a citizen, am allowed to view and hear.
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April 21, 2007 - 08:26 PM on April 21st, 2007
What do you think will happen if Hillary wins the White House? Will the negative impact of the impending tax rate hikes (from which the rich Dems will be incredibly exempt) be reported? Will the rising unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates be recorded as the result of less investment capital or as an indication that we should not expect to live prosperously but at the level of those who live in Europe? Will the rising murder rates in cities wherein the new gun control laws will disarm the law abiding citizens while emboldening the lawless be reported? Or if reported will the rising rates be skewed to indicate that new restrictions are in order? When the QUALITY of Healthcare drops due to socialized medicine, will socialized medicine be the denounced for the long lines and poor care or praised for the availability of care, even if noone would choose to use it? Do not think that if Hillary regains the White House that the “Fairness” doctrine will not be implemented wherein any commentator who dares to broadcast anything that varies from the party line will be subjected to having to give half of his airtime to a party line mouthpiece. Likewise any broadcaster towing the party line will be praised for their objectivity. Hell, that’s going on now. Why else do you think AL Gore and Michael Moore got Oscars for their Crockumentaries?
April 22, 2007 - 12:58 PM on April 22nd, 2007
The President thought he was able to get a sense of Putin’s soul. Now, we are to be portrayed as an enemy of Russia in the Russian press. Which leads me to conclude that what the President thought was the former KGB agent’s soul was nothing more than a deliberate charade.
April 22, 2007 - 03:01 PM on April 22nd, 2007
The President thought he was able to get a sense of Putin’s soul.
Yeah, that quote from Bush is looking even sappier now than when Bush said it.
April 22, 2007 - 06:29 PM on April 22nd, 2007
Once a KGB agent or official, almost always a KGB agent or official. I say almost because the ones who have left the KGB, have generally used their KGB connections to become mobsters. And very ruthlessly violent ones at that.