Just when I was feeling due for a round of Putin-hatin’, here was Don Murray with an interesting, terrifying profile of the new Russian media last night on The National. Among the alarming facts:
1. Russian t.v. is banned from criticizing Putin. Print and radio can still criticize him, but since Russians get 85% of their news from t.v., pretty well everyone is exposed only to pro-Putin stories.
2. The most popular movies made in Russia in the past year were financed by the Kremlin and have a pro-Putin slant.
3. Putin replaced the governors of all Russian states with hand-picked appointees, 2/3 of whom are former KGB pals. Murray said this is the equivalent of replacing the provincial premiers with government party members. Can you imagine Harper doing that? Wow.
4. Satirical shows have been banned from t.v. Movie and t.v. personalities who still dare speak out against Putin, are marginalized as members of an anti-Russian intelligentsia who always oppose the government.
5. 13 journalists who were critical of the Kremlin have been murdered over the past few years, and no-one has been arrested in any of the cases.
6. When something goes bad in government, the news reports show Putin dressing down the minister responsible, who has to stand there and get told off and insulted about his alleged incompetence.
7. Schoolchildren are encouraged to draw pictures of Putin in a variety of heroic guises. Don Murray said: This would be so open to satire, but satire isn’t permitted.
Jeez, this isn’t about making Russia great again. This is a cult of personality.
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