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31.10.2009 How the News is Reported in Russia October, 2009 by Andrei Nesterov The two largest state-run television stations in Russia are First Channel and Russia Channel. Most Russians get their news from one of these two stations. SRAS's Andrei Nesterov compiled the following synopsis of how major events were covered by news reports on these two stations. This news review is part of SRAS's monthly "obzor" publications. For more reviews, see the newsletter for this corresponding month. If you would like to request that a story be covered here, inform our editor. We are now providing weblinks to the related stories from the Russian broadcasters when available online! If no link is available, the material was covered in broadcasts, but not posted (or at least not found by us) online. To receive the free monthly newsletter and obzori by email, simply sign up.     Barack Obama Gets Nobel Prize In its report about President Barack Obama winning the Nobel peace prize, First Channel stated that "as of today, the record of service of the US leader has had a number of statements about the importance of settling conflicts in a peaceful way. Meanwhile, in reality, the policy of Washington, for example, in Iraq and Afghanistan, has not changed." First Channel also quoted former Polish president and 1983 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa as saying that the Nobel Peace prize should be seen "as encouragement for Obama's further actions." Russia Channel reported that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama has "both opponents and supporters," elaborating on this by saying that "while many recommend that Barack Obama refuse to accept the award, others emphasize the fact that the award imposes much responsibility, and the distinguished title of 'peacekeeper' should be confirmed by actions."   Vladimir Putin Visits China First Channel quoted Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as saying during his visit to China that Russia "doesn't object to considering the option of selling natural gas to China for rubles," meaning that the sales could be denominated in rubles rather than dollars as they currently are. Russia and First Channel did not mention how Chinese leaders responded to this statement. Russia Channel broadcast the interview with President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin who said that this visit of the Russian prime minister was a turning point in the bilateral relations because the parties "have elaborated on gas prices" and thus "the first serious practical steps have been undertaken" while previously Russia and China did not go further than conducting discussions.  According to Russia Channel, Vladimir Putin said that Russia may supply China about 10-15 million cubic meters of natural gas by 2015, and, in addition, Russia intends to start executing its obligations to supply China 38 million cubic meters of gas via the Western Pipeline Route and 30 million more cubic meters – via the Eastern. Russia Channel stated that the gas supplies by the Western route would be started before 2015, and after that "the issue of the (gas) supplies via the Eastern Route will be decided."   Parliamentary Elections Spark Protests in Russia On October 12, First Channel reported that the United Russia party had won the elections which took place in 75 Russian regions for regional and municipal legislatures and/or city mayors. According to First Channel, United Russia "have left the competitors far behind," while the Communist party ranks the second and LDPR and Fair Russia share the third rank. First Channel quoted Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia Vladimir Churov as saying that "there were surprisingly few complaints" reporting election violations. Meanwhile, on October 14 First Channel reported that "today the State Duma session is understaffed – Communists, LDPR and Just Russia members left the meeting room to protest the election results," and stated that the opposition deputies called for a recount of the votes. The channel quoted top-ranking officials from United Russia such as Deputy Chairman of the Duma Vyacheslav Volodin who said that "there are no such (election) violations" because "they should be reported to the Central Election Commission, court or prosecutor's office," and making statements about the violations at the Duma sessions is "not going to give more votes to the opposition parties." Russia Channel stated that "the demarche of the opposition parties in the State Duma is not going to affect its work and capacity to pass laws" since 315 of the 450 Duma deputies are affiliated with United Russia, and thus the Duma is able to adopt any laws even if only United Russia participates. On October 15, the fractions of LDPR and Just Russia returned to the Duma sessions. "The opposition rebellion lasted for 24 hours, but Just Russia members and the supporters of Zhirinovsky (of LDPR) tempered justice with mercy after receiving phone calls from the Russian President and having consultations with the Duma Chairman (United Russia's Boris Grizlov)," Ren-TV stated in its report.   Russia and First Channels also showed spokesmen from Fair Russia and LDPR announcing their return (though they have not posted this online). A Fair Russia spokesman stated that "this was not a planned act, but neither was it accidental." Both Fair Russia and LDPR stated that they were "ready to work" again.   Hillary Clinton Visits Russia Russia Channel reported that there were three main topics of negotiation between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian President Dimitry Medvedev  and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: missile defense systems, the START anti-ballistic missile treaty, and the issue of Iran. According to Russia Channel, Hillary Clinton stated that the USA does not have plans to deploy a missile shield "anywhere."  As for START treaty, the Secretary of State hoped to conclude the new treaty by December 5. Also, she expressed satisfaction with the fact that President Medvedev said, regarding Iran, that "sometimes sanctions and pressure are inevitable." Medvedev did not say that sanctions on Iran would be imposed, however. The majority of Russia's press, including First and Russia Channels, and most major newspapers paid especial attention to the meeting Hillary Clinton had with students at Moscow State University, and images of the US official standing under the massive Soviet mosaics in the meeting hall there were common in TV broadcasts. In her speech there, Clinton discussed the "common values" that the US and Russian leadership have. Russia Channel reported additionally about Ms. Clinton's participating in unveiling a monument to American poet Walt Whitman monument at Moscow University where she cited Whitman: "You Russians, and we, Americans!... so far apart from each other, so seemingly different, and yet... in ways that are most important, our countries are so alike."   Passage of 2010 Draft Budget On October 12, First Channel reported that the State Duma approved the budget for 2010 in the first reading, with the following budget parameters: "expected oil price – 58 dollars per barrel, average exchange rate for US dollar – 33.9 roubles, GDP growth by 1.6%." According to First Channel, "the budget for 2010 will have deficit of 6.8% of GDP which is equal to 3 trillion rubles ($103.3 billion). The budget deficit is to be made up with the money from the reserve fund and with domestic and foreign loans." First Channel quoted Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin as saying that the government "had not built into the budget any indexation (adjustment for inflation) of the salaries for the public sector workers," but it may offer such indexation in the middle of the year if budget revenues do not fall below those forecast by the budget. First Channel additionally praised the new budget as "welfare oriented" because 73% of the budget is to be spent on welfare-related programs and a significant part of the budget is to be allocated for increasing pensions by some 46%. Also, First Channel reported that all the opposition parties in the Duma voted against the budget. Russia Channel quoted LDPR party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky as saying that "the budget has no logic and no development is possible without logic." Zhirinovsky also denounced the government for plans to spend so much money on increasing pensions and other state allowances when the same government had stated earlier that raising pensions would increase inflation." In addition, Russia Channel broadcast a statement of Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov who called the budget draft "a collective statement on the failure of government." Zyuganov stated that Russia stays afloat only due to high oil prices, and that Russia is going into more and more debt, meaning that "default is already looming." The draft still requires two additional readings and the signature of the president, but is expected to pass all these easily as it is support by United Russia, which holds the majority of the Duma and is supported by President Medvedev.   Massive Traffic Jam Near Krasnoyarsk On the Baikal Federal Highway, trucks were trapped in a traffic jam for several days because of the "unsuccessful road works," as state-owned RIA news agency reported. The reason, of course, is that the "highway" is nothing more than a dirt path that turns into a bog during wet seasons. While the event did get major coverage on news broadcasts, few of those broadcasts made it to the websites of the TV channels that aired the reports. According to the agency, the highway had been closed since October 18. Only six days later, on October 23, First Channel reported that "the highway near Krasnoyarsk became a trap for hundreds of heavy trucks," and despite the "intensive repair works… it will take a minimum 24 more hours for the traffic jam to disperse." First Channel also informed the public that some drivers had been there for several day and that "vehicles which weigh less than 35 tons, made a detour around the destroyed road while heavy trucks were waiting on the curb. Currently, about there are about 150 trucks on the roadside in each direction." On October 26, Russia Channel reported that the traffic jam had been liquidated. The channel said that concrete plates had been laid on one traffic lane, and the traffic by turn goes down this lane in two directions. Also, according to Russia Channel, the rescue services arranged meals and a water supply for the drivers, provided an additional gas station and brought an ambulance to the area to provide medical treatment to any trucker who needed it.      Study Journalism in Russia The Library: Politics in Russia SRAS Resources for Teachers   Find out more! SRAS Travel Services More Study Abroad Programs Internships in Russia Heath and Safety in Russia The SRAS Newsletter Journal for Students More Free Resources! Questions or comments? Contact the editor . « back to News archive print this page email this page