Abbreviations pronunciation

[Alex]

Dear Seelangers,
I studied Russian a long time ago (40 years at least).
We were taught that abbreviations should be pronounced
in the way we pronounce separate letters in the alphabet.
So we did. Sometimes there were problems with the
letter "F" ("Ф") in the abbreviations  ФБР (FBI) or ФРГ.
They pronounced them in the incorrect way (like "ФээРГэ"
instead of "эФэРГэ"). Even on the radio and TV. You know
that in the Soviet Union there was no chance for "improvisation"
in the media. So this pronunciation was almost "officially" approved.
>From the other hand they never pronounced the USA abbreviation
in the "unconventional" way. Usually they said it like acronym.
I wonder (you are the experts!) if the rules are still the same?
I constanly hear now from the BBC (Russian Service) "СэШэА".
It makes me almost sick. But recently I heard my kids pronounce
it in the same way! When I asked why, they told me it is easy.
Easy? But it is as easy as, say, "СэСэСэРэ" or "СэНэГэ"!
Why they never say it like this?
Or maybe I am too old fashioned?
What do you think?

Aleksandre

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