PURE MANIPULATION OF PEOPLE

In the reality of COVID-19, more and more Russian journalists denounce disinformation.

This month’s most spectacular media scandal in Russia, news that the F2N2 team already transmitted[1] was by the Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov and who devoted his Sunday show “Besogon” (Exorcist) to Gates. The show appeared on the state TV channel Rossiya–24 on May 1.

The conflict between the state-controlled network and the Russian cinema celebrity broke out after the latter used air time to attack, among others, Bill Gates, claiming that the Microsoft founder wants to implant microchips in billions of people in order to control them.

Now Vladimir Pozner, one of Russia’s most prominent journalists since the time of Gorbachev’s glasnost and perestroika, has published a letter to Nikita Mikhalkov expressing his disapproval and opposing of the film director’s recent work.

“I am glad you have experienced censorship”

In the letter addressed to Mikhalkov Pozner centres around the issue of censorship: “First of all, I want to say that I am glad that you, and precisely you, a person who has never experienced censorship in your work – neither in the Soviet era nor in the post-Soviet era – have now encountered it. I, unlike you, had to deal with censorship in the Soviet era […] and I deal with it, unofficially, today”.

However, Mr Pozner’s assessment of Mr Mikhalkov’s production is clear: “As for the program that was taken off the air. It represents exactly what you object to and what you resent: it is pure manipulation of people”.

The veteran journalist also describes the complex nature of this form of media manipulations: “From my point of view, you are doing it very well, professionally and in a talented way, maybe better, skilfully. Because the elements of truth and falsehood are very finely mixed“.

In the end of the letter, Vladimir Pozner returns to the topic of censorship, underlining his principled position: “In conclusion, I would like to tell you that, despite my, let’s say, unflattering assessment of your programme, I agree with you on one thing: you have been subject to censorship, to which I am categorically opposed“.

The disagreement between the two high-profile Russian personalities is symptomatic of the way Russia’s media landscape has reacted to the COVID-19 reality.

As the coronavirus problem has reached tragic heights in Russia, many Kremlin-loyal media have tried to focus on accurate reporting; however, this picture has been mudded by sudden outbursts of disinformation, often in the form of conspiracy theories.

You can read the whole article here.

Source: EUvsDisinfo

[1] https://f2n2.mk/rakata-na-moskva-pokazhuva-znaci-na-rastreperenost/