press freedoms

[Sergey Glebov]

What exactly the effort consists in when you just need to turn on your radio
receiver and listen to Echo? It is available to 46 million people. These
people are not interested in Echo, they don't need to go out of their way to
get a receiver and listen to the news!
Sergey 





On Sat, 3 Feb 2007 01:48:16 -0500, Michele A Berdy <maberdy at ONLINE.RU> wrote:

>You know, I think the problem in understanding the situation is that you 
>are judging by Internet from afar.  Internet is very deceptive. I travel 
>outside the capitals, and there is not the same range of national press 
>available, and when it is available, it's more expensive.  There are a few 
>places that have a lively media scene, but mostly in coverage of local 
>issues.
>
>Yes, if I lived in Tula, I could, if I really wanted to, have access to
>other kinds of press.  But first, I'd have to know it exists.  Second, I'd
>have to go out of my way to get it.  Third, it would cost more.  Fourth, I
>have to some incling that I'm not getting the whole story from TV.  How
>would I know that in Tula?  (It's easier for people with Internet, but that
>is a small percentage of the population.)  Say I've just come home from a
>hard day at work, made dinner for my family, listened to my kids natter
>about stuff they want to buy and I can't afford, done a load of laundry, 
>and finally sit down at 9 pm to watch Vremya.  I see a report of the 
>pipeline dispute.  I hear the announcer tell me that the Europeans have 
>just lamblasted Belorussia for this.  I see a number of Russian officials
>lamblast Belorussia and explain why they had to do this, why they are a
>reliable energy partner and that the West is just afraid of us because we
>are strong.  How on earth would I know that that isn't quite the whole, or
>the accurate, story?  But let's say, for the sake of argument, I'm curious.
>I'd have to take my weary bones to the library, to an internet cafe (filled
>with kids, where I'm going to be embarrassed that I don't know how to do
>anything), or, if I were lucky, I could call a friend who has internet at
>home and ask to come over.  But that's a tremendous amount of effort.  Do
>you want to blame Russians for not wanting to do all that?  What American
>would do all that?
>
>So, yes, the coverage of Ekho Mosvy is fairly broad, but the reach isn't. 
>People at the station cite half million as their regular listeners. 
>
>Professor Denner said he felt like Lewis Carroll talking about this, and 
>it is beyond-the-looking-glass-ish. I wrote and write again that this is 
>not the Soviet model of censorship.  It isn't total, either in media or in 
>subjects. Here's a telling example: Andrei Norkin received the best TV 
>host Tefi award for his show on RTV1, which is NOT on the regular channels 
>(it can only be accessed on cable) and is not seen by something like 95 
>percent of the population. That's weird to begin with. In the awards show 
>he thanked the academy and then thanked Vladimir Gusinsky and Igor 
>Malashchenko, who own/run the channel.  The audience applauded.His thanks 
>and the applause were cut from the broadcast of the show on regular TV.  
>But the fact that it was cut was discussed on Ekho Moskvy, in newspapers, 
>and on the Internet.   So about 85 percent of the population has no idea 
>that his station is run by Gusinsky and Malashchenko, and no idea that the 
>academy applauded when they heard their names. And about 15 percent do.
>
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