Thread: Russian Media: Do Russians trust them - why/why not?

Originally Posted by Basil77

I don't completely trust any media, but I think that Russian goverment media are much more objective when describing situation in Russia and Russia-related international affairs than Western media. Goverment media cetranly have their agenda but they at least rarely report total fakes and check their sources unlike "liberal" media. there is an information war ongoing currently and so-called Russian "liberal" media like "Novaya Gazeta", "Kommersant", RBK, Echo Moskvy etc are just enemy agents of influence and can't be trusted at all, especially "Novaya Gazeta" and "Echo Moskvy" who turned almost completely into "hate speech" mode. Here is an example how a "liberal" journalist deals with different opinion (it's Ukrainian radio but the guy is quite famous Moscow journalist):

Hey!! Good to see you too. Try to understand Lampada. I think it got very personal for her, and she was also worried that there were too many very patriotic Russians, arguing very passionately. From my standpoint: I already knew the Ukraine perspective, since that's also the Western perspective, so I wanted to hear the Russian perspective, from Russian. But from Lampada's perspective it all got too much. We are all just humans... I eventually reached a different perspective but I respect hers nevertheless. Got a bit irritated though, same as you, and took a break. Now a have a few days on my hands and couldn't stop myself from starting a few rants here! Ought to visit for the language studies though, not to write on politics.

Anyway: Nice to hear your perspective. I think you are the voice of conservative/patriotic Russians here at the moment. I can absolutely sympathise with your standpoint. I think I would feel the same, if I was Russian.

And I don't think it's true to say that "all Russian media is under the control of Putin" when there is media like this, and like Novaya Gazeta... Saying that, is part of a propaganda narrative to black-paint Russia.

Western media would have us believe that Russia today is like the USSR in the 1970s in terms of information - complete nonsense. I see more free and independent thinking among Russians than among most Brits I know.

Plus - when Russian media disses another country/region - they do it based mainly on FACTS.
Whereas Western media make up something that's not true, and repeat it until it becomes "truth". I.e. "gays are persecuted in Russia", "Putin kills journalists" etc.

There is 0.01% truth in it, but they create a whole new narrative based on their agenda.
Finally- even if therethere are/were problems with freedom of expression in Russia, so what?!
It seems to have been helpful for China to keep things wrapped up a bit - things could easily disintegrate into chaos there, which wouldn't help anyone.
And look at our ally Saudi Arabia, among others. Compared with them, Russia is a haven of political openness ...
But as it is, I think Russian media is free to expose pollution, corruption and scandals?!
Or if not, what are the big scandals that are covered up...?

As for RT: It's pretty clear from the "Newsteam" docu-soap about their reporters, that their international reporters are 100% genuine and committed - and definitely not any cynical propagandists.

Originally Posted by Hanna

Anyway: Nice to hear your perspective. I think you are the voice of conservative/patriotic Russians here at the moment. I can absolutely sympathise with your standpoint. I think I would feel the same, if I was Russian.

Thanks. Actually, before this Ukrainian crisis I was quite anti-Putin and anti-government and I still strongly oppose the current economic policy of our government. But I rather agree with current foreign policy of Russia. Also there are quite a few improvements in everyday life that happened here during the last years despite economic crisis caused by low oil prices mostly and by western sanctions (at much less extent).