Russian Mass Media Urged To Broaden Presence Abroad

MOSCOW, September 1 (Itar-Tass) — The Russian mass media is not sufficiently represented in foreign media space at present, Russian Minister of Information technologies and Communications Igor Schegolev declared at a meeting with students of journalism department of Moscow State University on Monday.

Far from all English language sites of the Russian media are well known yet and presented well enough to be acceptable to the foreign audiences. This fact among the other reasons proved to be an obstacle that hindered Russia’s efforts in the standoff with the Western media in coverage of the situation in South Ossetia, Schegolev said.

A belief that Russia has lost an informational war in respect to the situation in South Ossetia is widely spread now. This was above all, the result of a well planned media campaign conducted by Georgia. In my opinion, the fact that heavy artillery had been striking the peaceful city and that an information compound was pitched up nearby showed who had been preparing for the conflict and media war, Schegolev said. It is understood that the one who attacked had an advantage, he said.

Besides, the Russian mass media showed good work, presenting objective information, while the other side did not play to the rules. Problems arose because our mass media had been working with good quality, using the method of presenting objective information, rather than method of rigging facts, Schegolev said.

It would have been easier for Russia to rebuff an avalanche of false information from the western media if it had a broader access to foreign audiences. There are very few Russian informational centers abroad, Schegolev said with regret. All the media community should begin active work to this effect in the shortest possible time, Schegolev said.