How the News is Reported in Russia
February 2008
by Andrei Nesterov

Nashi Quietly Disentigrates?

The major Russian TV channels did not cover the restructuring of the "Nashi" youth movement, which many, including the Russian newspaper Kommersant, predicted was the end of the youth political movement. It was created at the beginning of 2006 and proclaimed its objectives as modernizing the country and supporting the policies of President Vladimir Putin. The controversial group went on to participate in such events as the noisy picketing and temporary blocade of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow, a book burning of the writings of author Vladimir Sorokin, and lavish outdoor events funded by the Kremlin that included air shows from the Russian air force and, according to many reports, major ecological damage to the wooded areas they were held in. Nashi has received much official support - in July 2007, "Nashi" leader Vasily Yakimenko was appointed the head of the newly formed Government Committee on Policy Affecting Young People.

However, at the end of January, 2008, at a conference of Nashi's regional leaders, a decision was made to keep only five regional branches out of fifty - in Vladimir, Ivanovo, Tula, Voronezh and Yaroslavl. The main chapter in Moscow will continue to exist. Activists from other regions will be able to participate only in a few special projects, newly elected Nashi leader Nikita Borovikov said to the press. "There is no longer threat of 'Orange Revolutions,' and for this reason we will be able to concentrate on other things," he said, according to Newsru.com. Nashi has lost a considerable portion of the funding allotted to it via the Russia's federal budget.

In another interview carried by Strana.ru, Nikita Borovikov said that the organization will focus on "global projects of vertical structure," such as "Our Construction Workers," which will strive to deliever work force to build children's playgrounds or even entire apartment buildings.

Also, Bororvikov said  that Nashi will preserve some horizontal schemes of organization, such as the network of the regional branch leaders - the Nashi "Commissars." Nikita Borovikov expressed hope that Nashi will be even stronger and more influential after implementing the organizational innovations.

Putin's Last Major Press Conference as President

On February 14, President Putin held his last annual press conference before his leaving office. It was broadcast live by all major Russian TV and radio channels. According to Russia Channel's additional news coverage and analysis, the event had record duration at four hours and fourty one minutes and covering about 100 questions from a record audiance of journalists (more than 1,300).  Russia Channel also reported that the journalists often applauded to the president's "witty and pithy" remarks.

Russia Channel and First Chanell focused on Vladimir Putin's assesment of his presidential term, in which he said that he does "not think there were any serious failures" and gave examples of achievements such as the growth of the Russian economy. "I have worked like a galley slave throughout these eight years, morning till night, and I have given all I could to this work. I am happy with the results," he continued.

He was also quoted as again denouncing the OSCE Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (which has declined to send observers to the Russian presidential elections) and expressing his readiness to work as prime minister in case Dmitry Medvedev is elected president.

Little commentary and analyis to the press conference was broadcast by Russian TV. However, a brief interview with the Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs for the Federation Council Mikhail Margelov who said that OSCE Bureau not sending observers "will have no effect to the Russian presidential elections."

Presidential Election Campaign in Progress 

Russian TV channels allocate much time to Dmitry Medvedev, the United Russia presidential candidate, the majority of time given to political news reports. Nearly every day, some story concerning him, and usually featuring legthly quotes by him is featured on both First Chanell and Russia Chanell, which usually focuses on some aspect of Medvedev's current job as Deputy Prime Minister and has been extensively covering Medvedev’s trips in different Russian cities and regions in this capactiy.

During his a trip to Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum on February 15, Medvedev made public his program for the further development of Russia. The program is aimed at fighting corruption and imposing the rule of law in Russia. It has other priorities as well, such as reducing the mortality rate, helping people to start businesses, and improving Russia’s road system.

Russian TV stresses that the 2008 presidential elections is a serious event, unlike previous presidential campaigns in Russia. "We have a very serious attitude to the elections and don’t want them to become buffoonery," Communist presidential candidate Gennady Zyuganov said in a Russia Channel interview. 

Meanwhile, while covering the other candidates except for Medvedev, Russian TV uses a playful tone in its reports. For example, First Channel quoted LDPR presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky who said that he goes to campaign to different places: "it can be a sports center, it can be a marketplace, an eatery, a dormitory, public transport, or a childrens' playground." (In Russian, "childrens' playground" can mean the same as "circus" in English, indicating an absurd or chaotic situation.) Russia Channel anchors described Zyuganov’s campaigning in the following way: "Meetings of the Communist Party leader with voters have been events with established traditions: a red flag, a bust of Lenin and, of course, playing the tune." (In Russian, "playing the tune" can mean someone who espouses beliefs they have not serisously considered or do not seriously believe in.) As for the youngest candidate, Andrei Bogdanov, has recieved the least attention from the stations and voters ans seems to do a good job of making himself a joke. He has taken the overly cute nickname "Bonych" on his web-blog and asks blog visitors such hard-hitting questions as whether he dresses well enough at campaign events. Bogdanov has promised to give a bottle of whiskey to the person who most precisely predicts his result at the coming elections. Most serious analysts predict him recieving less than one percent.

The support given to Medevedev is presented in obvious tones. "The only candidate who has preferred working to campaigning, is Dmitry Medvedev," summarized Russia Channel in its report on the candidates' current standing. 

Minority Candidates Debate Russia's Future

The major Russian TV and radio stations allocated air time to the debates of presidential candidates. These stations include First Channel, Russia and TV Center Channels, and also by Voice of Russia and Radio Russia radio stations. However, only three candidates participated in the debates, frontrunner Dmitry Medvedev declined to participate "due to the heavy workload of the Russian government," government-controlled ITAR-TASS reported. Center TV, another government-controled chanell, has offered specific topics for the candidates' debates: priorities of Russian foreign policy, problems of social policy, "food security," pension reform and others. The last debates will be aired on February 29, which will focus on the priority goals for the first year of work of the new Russian president. The first debates, aired on Center TV on Feb 4th, were dedicated to Russia’s foreign policy priorities. Durring these debates, candidates discussed Russia’s prospective policy towards the USA. Democratic Party nominee Andrei Bogdanov argued in favor for pro-Western policy and advocated the idea of Russia’s joining the EU and NATO, while Gennady Zyuganov said that "they (the West) are putting an American liberal shirt on us, and the purpose of this is to destroy our economy." Vladimir Zhirinovsky stated similar viewpoint as well by saying that "Anglo-Saxons – England, today the USA and their allying countries – have always had a goal of weakening and dissecting Russia."

Russian Tug-Boat Captured by Pirates

Tug-boat Switzer Korsakov built in St. Petersburg in December 2007 was going to Sakhalin around Africa. Near the shore of Somalia the boat was attacked and hijacked by pirates. There were four Russian citizens onboard. First TV Channel reported that Russia cannot directly negotiate liberating the crew as there are no Russian diplomatic representations in Somalia and because the boat itself is not Russian. The boat owner, Danish company, decided to authorize a British company with experience in hijack negotiatations to negotiate. Meanwhile, there no reports on any success as of February 17. On February 11, Russian TV reported that a US Navy ship opened fire at a boat delivering food and fuel to the pirates who had hijacked the Russian boat. The targeted boat escaped.