The authorities vs. the mass media

Dialogues of the authorities with mass media look more like monologues. The state plays the role of a mentor who reads a lecture to a provincial student, while this student, crying and sniffing, promises that “this” will not be repeated. And it looks so believable!

All the more, that state interests are secured by the authoritative organization SAMI – Union of Media Industry Associations. However, let us put this aside this SAMI. Better to speak about the anarchy of local mass media, which fully depend on the local authorities spirits. And, of course, it is more secure to praise than to criticize them.

This is obvious. For example, recently, the Voronezh newspaper Molodoi Kommunar injured the local mayor. Then, he newspaper was closed. And one more story connected with the newspaper Naryana Vynder (Red Tundra Dweller) of the Nenets Autonomous District. The story was discussed at the sitting of Union of Russian Journalists. According to the chairman of the Union, Vsevolod Bogdanov, who appeared on the radio station Ekho Moskvy, proceedings were instituted against the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Olga Zarubina. According to the press-service of the Nenets Autonomous District administration, the reasons of the dismissal and the investigation were violations in the financial activities of the editors. The Naryana Vynder newspaper became known after its supernumerary correspondent Alexei Vasilivitsky at the press-conference of Vladimir Putin asked a question about the evasion of Vladimir Butov, the head of the Nenets Autonomous District, from appearance in the Public Prosecutor Office, while he was a witness in some criminal cases. Soon after that, Olga Cheburova was dismissed, while Leonid Bogarchuk became editor-in-chief.

Later, three workers of the newspaper left the newspaper: one correspondent and two technical workers. Vsevolod Bogdanov said that members of the great jury plan to consider the situation regarding the newspaper and publish some articles on the subject.

The conclusion is this: while in the center, the dialogue is starting, in the regions, it is ending.

Yekaterina Lykova PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/08/43862.html