Originally Posted by Bisquit
1. Western journalists rarely ask Russian newsmakers of their opinion. They seldom ask ordinary Russian people what they think of some political or social event in Russia. On the contrary, they tend to use so-called "experts on Russia". (Oh, Is there any school or university that gives the degree in "experting on Russia"?) These "experts" are either Russians who work in Western funded NGOs, or Westeners who visit Russia two or three times a year to meet with Russian "experts". The fact is that both of these groups are not independent. NGOs can't be independent since they are funded, directly or indirectly, by Western governments. Most of these people are virtually unknown in Russia and their opinion has not credibility among ordinary Russians. Politkovskaya is a good example. It's very easy to pose oneself as an "expert" if nobody knows you and you say or write something that pleases people in the West.