The Fight for Press Freedom in Putin's Russia

With Russia's parliamentary elections scheduled for December 2 and the pro-Kremlin United Russia party expected to win an overwhelming majority in the voting, President Vladimir Putin has intensified attacks on his opponents--most recently, accusing them of being in the pocket of Western governments. Most of the country's state-run media have fallen in line.

Attacks on opposition forces are not confined to verbal demonization. On Wednesday, Farid Babayev--the head of the Yabloko party ticket in Dagestan was shot at the entrance of his apartment building. Babayev, a human rights activist and fierce critic of the United Russia party and local authorities, died on Saturday. That same day, Garry Kasparov, one of the leaders of the opposition coalition Other Russia, was arrested in Moscow and sentenced to five days in jail for leading an unsanctioned street march on Russia's Central Election Commission. (City officials had given the coalition permission to hold a rally but not a march.)

The Kremlin's tightening grip on the media, especially national and local television, and authorities' harassment of opposition parties, led Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky to draw a parallel between Putin's Russia and Soviet Russia. "Russia stands on the threshold of the restoration of Soviet-style single-party rule."

On the eve of elections, there has been an intensification of attacks on what remains of Russia's free press. On November 9, Russian authorities shut down one of the country's few remaining independent newspapers-- the Samara edition of Novaya Gazeta. The pretext provided by authorities was cynical and hypocritical: in a country which leads when it comes to intellectual piracy, the police confiscated the paper's last remaining computer (the others were seized in a raid last spring) and indicted its editor for allegedly using a counterfeit version of Microsoft software.

Last week, Dmitrii Muratov--the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta's national edition--was in New York to receive the Committee to Protect Journalist's International Press Freedom Award. I had the honor and personal pleasure of presenting CPJ's award to him. My husband Stephen Cohen and I first met Dmitrii--a tenacious and brave editor--in 1993. He and a few other colleagues had gathered in the basement cafeteria of Moscow News--then a bold paper of the glasnost era--to plan the launch of Novaya Gazeta. Survival of a different kind was on their minds at that time; they were beginning the paper with two computers, one printer, two rooms and no money for salaries!

An initial boost of financial support came from former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who contributed part of his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize Award to pay for more computers and salaries. By 1996, Novaya's circulation had risen to 70,000 from its initial run of 10,000; today it's national circulation is close to 600,000 and 100,000 visit its website every week.

I knew in 1993 that Dmitrii was a bold and creative editor. What I did not foresee was that he would become one of the last defenders of press freedom in Russia. The newspaper, which continues to publish against great odds, has paid a heavy price for its crusading investigations into high-level corruption, human rights violations, brutality in Chechnya and abuses of power. Three of its most courageous reporters --Igor Domnikov, Yuri Shchekochikhin and Anna Politkovskaya--have been murdered for their unflinching investigations

One by one, newspapers and television networks have yielded to Kremlin pressure and surrendered their independence. Nonetheless, as Russia has descended from the media freedoms of Gorbachev's "glasnost" to today's conformity and compliance, Dmitrii Muratov and Novaya Gazeta's reporters and editors have continued --despite the financial, political, physical threats and pressures---to remain independent and publish.

In his remarks at the Committee to Protect Journalist's dinner in NY last week (the English translation of his speech and a You Tube video of the event are posted below), Muratov spoke powerfully, and personally, of his fight for press freedom--and for justice on behalf of his slain colleagues.

Let all who care about a free press and a democratic society work to ensure that Novaya Gazeta survive and thrive as an independent, oppositionist force--and that the journalists' killers be brought to justice.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Colleagues:

A granddaughter was born to Anna Politkovskaya this year. Her name is Anna Victoria. Life goes on.

Here's the video:

Comments (39)

1. and indicted its editor for allegedly using a counterfeit version of Microsoft software.

   speachless..................

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 11:05am

2. The state, alas, became a corporate business--the business of special security forces.

   this one's too scary to comment on.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 11:15am

3. Are we talking about Russia, KVH favorite country or about Venezuela?

   Posted by JOMAMMA 11/26/2007 @ 11:11am

   no, we're talking about colombia.

   j ust for you jm, the rightwingiest piece i could find [businessweek.com]

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 11:23am

4. Are we talking about Russia, KVH favorite country or about Venezuela?

   Posted by JOMAMMA 11/26/2007 @ 11:11am

   how crass, jm.

   this is something that your hero, st. ronald, built his "legacy" on.

   and now it creeps back.

   how can you be so flip?

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 11:27am

5. "The Fight for Press Freedom in Putin's Russia"

   Posted by KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL 11/26/2007 @ 10:36am

   thanks.

   "al-jareera's Sami al-Haj has been jailed for five years as an enemy combatant at the U.S base in Guantanamo without charge or trial."

   and this:

   JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA STAFF KILLED IN 2006

   COUNTRY

   NAME

   PROFESSION

   EMPLOYER

   DATE KILLED

   Afghanistan Abdul Qodus TV Cameraman Aryana 22/7/06 Afghanistan Karen Fischer TV Journalist Deutsche Welle 7/10/06 Afghanistan Christian Struwe, TV Journalist Deutsche Welle 7/10/06 Argentina Pablo Federico Mansilla Producer Channel 26 TV 27/2/06 Bangladesh Bellal Hossain Dafadar Correspondent Janabani Newspaper 14/9/06 Brazil José Késsio Radio Journalist Amambay FM 13/3/06 Brazil Manuel Paulino Da Silva Editor Hoje Jornal Newspaper 20/7/06 Brazil Ajuricaba Monassa de Paula Freelance Journalist Brazilian Press Association 24/7/06 China Wu Xianghu Deputy Editor Taizhou Wanbao Newspaper 2/2/06 China Xiao Guopeng Editor Ashun Daily Newspaper 18/7/06 Colombia Gustavo Rojas Gabalo Radio Commentator Radio Panzenú 20/3/06 Colombia Milton Fabián Sánchez Radio Journalist Yumbo Estéreo 9/8/06 Colombia Atilano Segundo Pérez Barrios Radio Commentator Radio Vigía de Modelar 22/8/06 Colombia José Bonilla Romero Journalist Various 12/10/06 Colombia Marino Pérez Murcia Correspondent/Contributor Radio Habana/Le Monde Newspaper/Ger- man TV 26/11/06 IN Dominican Republic Johnny Martinez Magazine Editor/TV Producer Equilibrio Magazine 13/4/06 Dominican Republic Domingo Disla Florentino TV Commentator Sport Visión 28/8/06 Dominican Republic Facundo Labata Radio Journalist Freelance 25/9/06 DRC Bapuwa Muamba Journalist Freelance 8/7/06 Ecuador José Luis León Desiderio Presenter Radio Minutera 13/2/06 Eduador Raúl Sanchez Sandoval Freelance Photographer La Hora Durandeña La Prensa de Durán Newspapers 14/2/06 Guatemala José Azpur Sports Reporter Progreso Radio 4/5/06 Guatemala Eduardo Heriberto Maas Bol Radio Journalist Radio Punto 10/9/06 Guyana Ronald Waddell TV Talk Show Host HBTV Channel 9 30/1/06 MS Guyana Mark Maikoo Print Technician Kaieteur News Newspaper 8/8/06 MS Guyana Chitram Persaud Print Technician Kaieteur News Newspaper 8/8/06 MS Guyana Elion Wegman Print Technician Kaieteur News Newspaper 8/8/06 MS Guyana Richard Stewart Print Technician Kaieteur News Newspaper 8/8/06 MS Guyana Shazim Mohamed Print Technician Kaieteur News Newspaper 14/8/06 India Prahlad Goala Correspondent Asomiya Khaba Newspaper 6/1/06 India Arun Narayan Dekate Correspondent Tarun Bharat Newspaper 10/6/06 India Shabir Ahmad Dar Photographer Freelance 14/9/06 Indonesia Herliyanto? Freelance Journalist Radar Surabaya, Delta Pos Tabloid Visual Tabloid, Jimber News Newspapers 29/4/06 Iran Ayfer Sercce Journalist Firat Haber Ajansi (Euphrates News Agency - FHA) 24/7/06 MS Iraq Alin Ghazi Jack Interpreter Christian Science Monitor 7/1/06 Iraq Sarmad Salman Sports Reporter Freelance 14/1/06 Iraq Hamza Hussein Sports Reporter Al-Diyar TV Station 23/7/06 Iraq Mahmoud Za'al Cameraman/Reporter Baghdad TV 24/1/06 Iraq Atwar Bahjat Reporter Al Arabiya TV 23/2/06 Iraq Adnan Khairallah Cameraman Al Arabiya TV 23/2/06 MS Iraq Khaled Mohsen Sound Technician Al Arabiya TV 23/2/06 Iraq Munsuf Abdallah Al-Khaldi TV Presenter Baghdad TV 7/3/06 Iraq Amjad Hameed Editor Al Iraqiya TV 11/3/06 MS Iraq Anwar Turki Driver Al Iraqiya TV 11/3/06 Iraq Muhsin Khudayyir Editor Alif Ba Magazine 13/3/06 Iraq Kamal Manahi Anbar Trainee Institute for War and Peace Reporting 26/3/06 Iraq Koussai Kahdban Journalist Al-Bilad Radio Station 22/4/06 Iraq Abdel Majdi al-Mehmedawi Reporter Freelance 5/5/06 Iraq Sa'd Shammari TV Journalist Al Iraqiya TV 5/5/06 Iraq Sa'ud M'Zahim Al Hudaythi TV Journalist Baghdadiyah TV 5/5/06 Iraq Laith Mashaan TV Journalist Nahrein TV 7/5/06 MS Iraq Muazaz Ahmed Technician Nahrein TV 7/5/06 Iraq Abid Shakir Al Dulaymi Freelance Journalist Al Jumhuriyah Newspaper/Al Qadisiyah Newspaper/Reuters 7/5/06 MS Iraq Ismail Muhammad Khalaf Printshop Worker Al Sabah Newspaper 7/5/06 Iraq Abbas Ahmed Kadhem Reporter Al Adaalha Newspaper 10/5/06 Iraq Sadek Al Shammari Journalist Iraqi News Network 18/5/06 MS Iraq James Brolan Sound Technician CBS Television 29/5/06 Iraq Paul Douglas Cameraman CBS Television 29/5/06 Iraq Jaafar Ali TV Sports Presenter Al Iraqiya TV 31/5/06 Iraq Ibrahim Seneid Editor Al Bashara Newspaper 14/6/06 IN Iraq Alaa Hassan Journalist Inter Press Service 28/6/06 Iraq Osama Qadeer Freelance Cameraman Fox News 29/6/06 Iraq Adel Naji Al Mansouri Correspondent Al Alam TV 29/7/06 Iraq Riyad Muhammad Ali Reporter Talafar Al Yawm Newspaper 30/7/06 Iraq Abdul Wahab Abdul Razeq Ahmad Al Qaisie Editor/Freelance Journalist Kol A Dounia Magazine/Various European Newspapers 31/7/06 Iraq Mohammad Abbas Al Hamad Editor Al Bayinnah Al Jadida 7/8/06 Iraq Ismail Amin Ali Freelance Journalist Al Sabah/Al Qarar Newspapers 7/8/06 Iraq Abdel Karim Al-Roubai Design Editor Al Sabah Newspaper 9/9/06 Iraq Hadi Anawi Al Joubouri Freelance Journalist Various Iraqi Newspapers 12/9/06 Iraq Safaa Ismail Inad Photographer Al Watan Newspaper 13/9/06 Iraq Ahmed Riyadh Al Karbouli Correspondent Baghdad TV 18/9/06 MS Iraq Jassem Halad Ibrahim Driver Al Iraqiya TV 4/10/06 Iraq Azad Muhammad Hussein Reporter Radio Dar Al Salam 10/10/06 Iraq Mohammed Abdul Rahman Announcer Radio Dijala 12/10/06 Iraq Abdul Rahim Nasrallah Al Shimari General Manager Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Ali Jabber Bodyguard Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 Iraq Noufel Al Shilari Deputy General Manager Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 Iraq Thaker Al Shousili Presenter Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 Iraq Ahmad Sha'ban Presenter Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Sami Nasrallah Al Shimari Administrative Manager Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Hussein Ali Video Mixer Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Maher (Last Name Unkown) Guard Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Ahmad (Last Name Unkown) Guard Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Hassan (Last Name Unkown) Guard Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 MS Iraq Unknown Generator Operator Al Shaabiya TV 12/10/06 Iraq Raed Qais Al Shammari Correspondent Sout Al Iraq (Voice of Iraq) TV 14/10/06 MS Iraq Ali Halil Guard Al Iraqiya TV 16/10/06 Iraq Saed Mahdi Shalash Journalist Rayat Al Arab Newspaper 26/10/06 Iraq Sherin Hamid TV Presenter Al Iraqiya TV 29/10/06 MS Iraq Annas Kassim Nejm Driver Al Iraqiya TV 29/10/06 Iraq Abdelmajid Isma'il Khalil Journalist Freelance 31/10/06 Iraq Ahmed Al Rasheed Reporter Al Sharqiya TV 1/11/06 Iraq Qussai Abass Journalist Tariq Al Shaab Newspaper 2/11/06 MS Iraq Unknown Driver Tariq Al Shaab Newspaper 2/11/06 Iraq Mohammaed Al Ban Cameraman Al Sharqiya TV 13/11/06 Iraq Fadia Mohammed Abid Journalist Al Masar Newspaper 15/11/06 MS Iraq Unknown Driver Al Masar Newspaper 15/11/06 Iraq Luma Mohammad Reyad Reporter Al Dustoor Newspaper 17/11/06 Iraq Waleed Hassan TV Broadcaster Al Sharqiya TV 20/11/06 Iraq Ra'ad Jafar Hamadi Journalist Al Sabah Newspaper 21/11/06 Iraq Nabil Ibrahim al-Dulaimi Radio Journalist Radio Dijla 4/12/06 Iraq Aswan Ahmed Lutfallah Cameraman Associated Press 12/12/06 Iraq Akhil Sarhan Sports Journalist Al-Riyadia 29/12/06 MS Lebanon Sleiman Chidia Technician Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation 22/7/06 Lebanon Layal Nagib Photographer Al Jarass Magazine 23/7/06 Mexico Jaime Arturo Olvera Bravo Photographer Freelance 9/3/06 Mexico Ramiro Téllez Contreras Radio Commentator Exa 95.7 FM 10/3/06 Mexico Rosendo Pardo Ozuna Journalist La Voz del Sureste Newspaper 29/3/06 Mexico Enrique Perea Quintanilla Editor Dos Caras, Una Verdad Magazine 9/8/06 Mexico Bradley Roland Will Reporter/Documentary Filmmaker IndyMedia 28/10/06 Mexico Misael Tamayo Hernandez Editor El Despertar de la Costa Newspaper 10/11/06 Mexico José Manuel Nava Sánchez Editor Excélsior Newspaper 16/11/06 Mexico Roberto Marcos Garcia Reporter Testimonio Magazine 21/11/06 IN Mexico Adolfo Sanchez Guzman Reporter Televisa 30/11/06 IN Mexico Raul Marcial Perez Journalist El Gráfico Newspaper 8/12/06 Nigeria Godwin Agbroko Columnist This Day Newspaper 22/12/06 Pakistan Munir Ahmed Sangi Cameraman Kawaish Television Network 29/5/06 Pakistan Hayatullah Khan Reporter/Photographer Ausuf Newspaper/European Pressphoto Agency 16/6/06 Pakistan Maqbool Hussain Sail Correspondent On Line News Agency 15/9/06 Pakistan Mohammad Ismail Bureau Chief Pakistan Press International 1/11/06 Philippines Rolly Canete Radio Journalist Various Radio Stations 20/1/06 Philippines Graciano Aquino Columnist Central Luzon Forum Newspaper 21/1/06 Philippines Orlando Mendoza Editor/Contributor Tarlac Patrol Newspaper/Tarlac Profile Newspaper 2/4/06 Philippines Nicholas Cervantes Columnist Surigao Daily Newspaper 2/5/06 IN Philippines Albert Orsolino? Photographer Saksi Ngayon Newspaper 16/5/06 Philippines Fernando "Dong" Batul TV Journalist DYPR 22/5/06 IN Philippines George Vigo Contributor Union of Catholic Asian News 19/6/06 IN Philippines Macel Alave-Vigo Radio Host dxND 19/6/06 Philippines Armando "Racman" Pace Radio Presenter Radyo Ukay Digos 18/7/06 Philippines Ralph Runez TV Cameraman RPN-9 28/7/06 Philippines Prudencio "Sonny" Melendrez Photographer Tanod Newspaper 31/7/06 IN Philippines Ponciano Grande Columnist/Radio Host Nueva Ecija Newspaper 7/12/06 Philippines Andres "Andy" Acosta Reporter DZJC Radio Station 20/12/06 Russia Vagif Kochetkov Correspondent Trud, Tulskii Molodoi Kommunar Newspapers 8/1/06 Russia Yevgeny Gerasimenko Journalist Saratovsky Rasklad Newspaper 26/7/06 Russia Anna Politkovskaya Reporter Novaya Gazeta Newspaper 7/10/06 MS Russia Anatoly Voronin Business Manager Itar-Tass News Agency 16/10/06 Somalia Martin Adler Cameraman Freelance 23/6/06 MS Somalia Madey Garas Driver National Union of Somali Journalists 4/8/06 Sri Lanka Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan Journalist Sudarorli Newspaper 24/1/06 MS Sri Lanka Ranjit Kumar Newspaper Machine Operator Udyan Newspaper 2/5/06 MS Sri Lanka Suresh Newspaper Marketing Manager Udyan Newspaper 2/5/06 Sri Lanka Sampath Lakmal de Silva Journalist Freelance 2/7/06 MS Sri Lanka Mariathas Manojanraj Distributor Yarl Thinakural and Veerakesari Newspapers 27/7/06 MS Sri Lanka Sathasivam Baskaram Driver/Distributor Uthayan Newspaper 15/8/06 MS Sri Lanka Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah Managing Director Namathu Eelanad Newspaper 21/8/06 Sudan Mohammed Taha Editor Al-Wifaq Newspaper 6/9/06 Turkey Ilyas Aktas Student Journalist Devrimci Demokrasi Newspaper 14/4/06 Turkmenistan Ogulsapar Muradova Correspondent Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 14/09/2006* Venezuela Enis Garmendia de Ortiz Journalist Diario La Nación Newspaper 4/1/00 Venezuela Jorge Aguirre Photographer El Mundo Newspaper 5/4/06 Venezuela José Joaquin Tovar Editor Ahora Newspaper 17/6/06 Venezuela Jesús Flores Rojas Co-director Región Newspaper 23/8/06 Venezuela Pedro Bastardo Journalist Bolivar Press Office 7/10/06 Yemen

   rest in peace, my brothers and sisters.

   and thank you.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 11:57am

6. Posted by JOMAMMA 11/26/2007 @ 11:46am

   it's not any plot.

   it's indifference and greed.

   coke tastes good once or twice a year. (it's really bad for you)

   but a beverage and a corporation are not the same thing.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 12:02pm

7. It seems the poor Russian people are DESTINED to never live under a democracy...they have never known one, atleast for long.

   And seems we are destined to one positive relationship with it...some "World War-II" "enemy of my enemy" alliance, trying to use Russia against the Chinese.

   Too bad.

   Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 12:14pm

8. BTW, FROSTY....I think Pepsi was in first in the old Soviet days, not Coke.

   Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 12:16pm

9. I want to thank Frosty for posting a list of all those journalists who've been killed in 2006--journalists trying to hold governments accountable for abuse of power, corruption; also, journalists investigating corporate corruption and abuse--and in many case, the interweaving of state and corporate abuses. The Nation is beginning work on an investigation fo Al-Jazeera's Sami al-Haj--whose five years at Guantanamo, without charge or trial, should, if it had humility in its dessicated bones, keep the US government from proselytizing democracy to other nations. We need some democracy promotion at home. At the same time, journalists should maintain bonds of solidarity, outside of government avenues, to defend press freedom everywhere. kvh

   Posted by Katrina vanden Heuvel at 11/26/2007 @ 12:21pm

10. Posted by KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL 11/26/2007 @ 12:21pm

    just trying to do my part.

    "At the same time, journalists should maintain bonds of solidarity, outside of government avenues, to defend press freedom everywhere."

    as should all of us.

    here's something you can watch while you're eating lunch:

    watch what the "commies" at the cbc think about the state of u.s. media. [cbc.ca]

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 1:13pm

11. FROSTY, curious...

    what do you think the American Left would say if NPR/PBS Corporation for Public Broadcasting said that its "the programming provided by the Corporation should be predominantly and distinctively American"...

    as the CBC says that its programming "should be be predominantly and distinctively Canadian"?

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 1:20pm

12. "should be be predominantly and distinctively Canadian"?

    Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 1:20pm

    if someone could only define that.

    i can't.

    what do you think the American Left would say if NPR/PBS Corporation for Public Broadcasting said that its "the programming provided by the Corporation should be predominantly and distinctively American"...

    well, it's that way defactoly speaking anyway.

    they should cheer because their tax dollars are being spent in order to allow them to better understand their compatriots.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 1:32pm

13. mask,

    are you happy with the state of american media?

    i'm not happy with the state of the media here.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 1:37pm

14. jomamma-Claiming that Russia is KVHs favorite country is too ignorant for words.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 11/26/2007 @ 1:47pm

15. man...them openly fascist russkies need to take some notes from us obverse democratic fascists and learn some better orwellian satano-aynrando slick marketing.

    first make sure almost all media is owned by a fascist corporatist few. make the most unapolegetically fascist "fair and balanced" and have it constantly slur those fascist owned organs which pretend to be non-fascist as "liberal" or "socialist", thereby slanting everything several subtle shades to the right. allow a true professional journalism to exist, but only on the marginalized outside, barely chugging along and constantly derided by the fascist owned mainstream media as kooky and extreme and biased...

    furthermore paint your self serving fascist lies with a veneer of scholarly respectability by having the fascist billionaires support a privately owned propaganda establishment of "conservative think tanks" that publish non peer reviewed propagandic garbage by hacks given high falootin titles by the directors of said propaganda factories...then use them to refute real science and economic studies by reputable experts when needed under the guise of (orwellian) "fairness"...because its just not fair to give all the news time to the truth and none to lies! thats called "bias"...

    so talk to mr. murdoch, vladimir so you can institute slick uhmurukuhn style aynrandian corporatist fascism...its a lot less messy...trust me, i live under it! remember, when it comes to press critics its ALWAYS better and more effective to buy, own, marginalize, and ridicule than jail and kill!

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/26/2007 @ 2:02pm

16. NG's editor is really 'a hero of these times'. Other players are taking a different approach. At a recent meeting in St. Petersburg with Irina Khakhamada a long-time democracy advocate and spokesperson for small business, she discussed how and why she has in effect removed herself from the political scene, these elections and is not even supporting any party. She just came out with her first work of fiction (based on political themes, nonetheless). She doesn't see much hope for her generation or the current 'oppositionists' to change much of anything. She puts her hopes on the next generation, coming into their own in about 10-15 years. Those whose minds are not affected by the Soviet times. She also does not exclude that someday, Russia may be run by a woman.

    Posted by akhmatova at 11/26/2007 @ 2:10pm

17. i'm not happy with the state of the media here.

    Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 11/26/2007 @ 1:37pm

    But the CBC is (along with the BBC) the model that the American Left wishes was followed with PBS/NPR....massive funding making it competative with the private networks?!??!??

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 2:34pm

18. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 2:34pm

    the cbc is but a small component of our media.

    their pretty cool.

    radio canada* is better.

    *that's the cbc in french.

    are you happy with the state of american media?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 2:38pm

19. Posted by AKHMATOVA 11/26/2007 @ 2:10pm

    Didn't Kakhamada run and get less than 4% of the vote???

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 2:42pm

20. are you happy with the state of american media?----Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 11/26/2007 @ 2:38pm

    Define it.

    ABC? CNN? Fox? ....they do what they do and apparently folks watch them. But "The Nation" is also "American media"...so is Air America. So is Huffington Post, National Review, Media Matters, and so is Limbaugh...

    so is (or was) Art Bell discussing UFOs and Reptilian members of the Royal Family with David Ickes.

    If it's sought after, it can be found. If it's NOT sought after by a large percentage of the public...then it's fans complain about how "corporate Media has gotten!" (like it never was, back to Hearst and Pulitzer)

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 2:45pm

21. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 2:45pm

    well, it appears the quest for sanity must dig deeper still.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 2:52pm

22. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 2:45pm | ignore this person

    The bigger problem isn't the media itself but the format - television had displaced the written word and thus done away with abstract thought, not to mention reduced the people's attention span to 30 second slivers while debasing reason to mere symbols. I won't even touch the issue of the damage to the language done by television. Unfortunately, the idiot box is an oracle in the US.

    Posted by chimichenga at 11/26/2007 @ 3:09pm

23. akhmatova as a posting name! impressed, moved...what would she have made of all of this insanity in blogosphere! Khakamada--an interesting figure but one who did not resonate with many Russians --I think, largely due to her free-market/ laissez-faire mantra.(Russia is a social democratic country in many ways....support for some govt role in economy, levels of fairness..a welfare state --which while it has been gutted, people still support) I spent many years working with Russian womens' groups and while there is a bit more space for women to play a role in Russia's development, there are still so very few women at high levels of power (makes our measly representation in Congress look quite good) and media continues to treat women like objects--often demeaning women..But Khakamada was one of few women to rise high in a political party (Yabloko party is also good when it comes to women's representation --) kvh

    Posted by Katrina vanden Heuvel at 11/26/2007 @ 3:33pm

24. Putin's opponents in the pocket of George Bush? That's impossible. We get the same kind of BS arguments over here. "If you aren't with Bush then you're with the terrorists." That's no different at all from "if you aren't with Putin then you're with Bush". Authoritarians everywhere are always using that one-size-fits-all argument.

    Posted by conshame at 11/26/2007 @ 3:48pm

25. Unfortunately, the idiot box is an oracle in the US.----Posted by CHIMICHENGA 11/26/2007 @ 3:09pm

    Good thing that's not true in ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, CHIMI....or else this would simply be another in your "America, gotta slam it first, last, and forever" mantras.

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 4:02pm

26. Posted by FROSTY ZOOM 11/26/2007 @ 2:52pm

    You can't FORCE people to be discerning. And who's to say that their choices aren't exactly what they want or NEED?

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 4:04pm

27. BTW, before the idea of "elect women" as a panacea gets thrown around....might I just mention the names Indira Gandhi and Isabel Peron (throw in Margaret Thatcher if you want to really undercut some of those who typically espouse this theory...heheh)

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 4:09pm

28. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 4:02pm | ignore this person

    You're a lousy prune. Maybe if you unglued your fleshy ass from Nowhere, America once in a while you'd see that much of humanity hasn't the luxury of loafing around in front of a computer like you, much less a television. BTW, a TV requires electricity in case you forgot. Come see how many millions don't even have it here, fuckstick.

    Posted by chimichenga at 11/26/2007 @ 4:37pm

29. Come see how many millions don't even have it here, fuckstick.----Posted by CHIMICHENGA 11/26/2007 @ 4:37pm

    Honesty quiz, CHIMI.

    How many of those millions of Colombians who don't have a TV...

    would want one if they could get it?

    (Now, you either can lie and say "They don't need it"...without asking a single one of your "fellow countrymen"....

    or say "Okay, yeah, they would...so what?" and undercut your previous statement....or just go off on a tangent as SOP)

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 4:49pm

30. BTW, CHIMI....when are you making another run for your ATM? (aka coming to "L'Amerique" to pick up some quick evil, corrupt Yanqui dollars)?

    heheh

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 4:50pm

31. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 4:50pm | ignore this person

    When are you going to leave the US so that someone else can actually be the first to comment on every new post. Really, you pounce on this site as if it were all you had.

    Posted by chimichenga at 11/26/2007 @ 5:32pm

32. Posted by CHIMICHENGA 11/26/2007 @ 5:32pm | ignore this person

    hey...you should read and post here...its a cool site and fun.

    www.intellectualconservative.com

    they havent booted me yet, but i bet they would you. heehee...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/26/2007 @ 6:11pm

33. excellent.

    one more to worry about:

    Putin Says U.S. Is Meddling in Election

    By CLIFFORD J. LEVY

    Published: November 27, 2007

    MOSCOW, Nov. 26 -- President Vladimir V. Putin on Monday accused the United States of trying to taint the legitimacy of next week's Russian parliamentary elections by pressing a group of prominent independent election observers to abandon efforts to monitor the campaign.

    Mr. Putin contended that the monitors, who are deployed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, had halted plans to appraise the parliamentary balloting at the urging of the State Department in Washington.

    Mr. Putin's statements in recent weeks have taken on an increasingly nationalistic tone as he has sought to muster support for his party in the elections on Sunday. Speaking to reporters on Monday in St. Petersburg, he once again criticized what he suggested was foreign meddling in Russia's affairs.

    "According to information we have, it was again done at the recommendation of the U.S. State Department, and we will take this into account in our interstate relations with this country," he said. "Their goal is the delegitimization of the elections. But they will not achieve even this goal."

    Mr. Putin later added that if Russia maintained a robust military, "We will not allow anyone to poke their snotty nose into our affairs."

    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/27/world/europe/27russia.html?em&ex=11962 26000&en=fe69f750d3c4525b&ei=5087%0A

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/26/2007 @ 6:11pm

34. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 4:50pm

    man - you get it coming and going....chimi calling you a "fuckstick", spence telling you to "shut yer dickhole"...

    you inspire the most creative ugly profanity...lol

    yer my hero!

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/26/2007 @ 7:15pm

35. Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE 11/26/2007 @ 7:15pm

    Consider the source, IBB.......a "anarcho-communist at heart, who believes in balance" ex-"subsistance" bank robber who's not voting because nobody electable can meet HIS standard of "good candidate"...

    and an America-loathing ex-pat who bitchs about the USA....between trips up here to earn enough vile, corrupt, decadent dollars to go back and blog in Medellin about how vile, corrupt and decadent his national "ATM machine" is.

    Posted by Mask at 11/26/2007 @ 7:59pm

36. Posted by MASK 11/26/2007 @ 7:59pm |

    shut yer dickhole, fuckstick! lol...

    hey - that chuck show turned out to be pretty good after all...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 11/26/2007 @ 8:54pm

37. "the nation" is a great magazine but on this issue, it's hasnt really done its job...it wouldn't hurt to check out kasparov's credentiaals before toting him as a liberal democratic opposition to putin...he is a neocon who is a VIP member of American Enterprise Institute and gets his financial support from US government so where was Putin wrong when he accused his opponents of being western jackals? the west has already destroyed his country in the 1990s, he will not allow it to happen again. and unlike in the US in Russia the press is not allowed to print lies (remember the media before the war in Iraq?) and if it means controlling the press so it doesn't, so be it.

    Posted by zaika212 at 11/27/2007 @ 01:44am

38. Speaking of courageous journalism, I spotted this entry for Dahr Jamail at a nice site called AmericansWhoTelltheTruth.org [tinyurl.com]:

    Dahr Jamail Biography Independent Journalist, War Reporter, 1968–

    "It was a failure of citizenship of the American people that the Bush cabal was allowed to invade Iraq. Thus, every U.S. citizen who is not doing everything in their power to end this illegal and immoral occupation as quickly as possible is complicit with the war crimes being committed in Iraq on a daily basis."

    In early 2003 Dahr Jamail was happily working as a mountain guide on Denali, writing about climbing for an independent Alaskan newspaper, and saving money. Then the drumbeat for war in Iraq destroyed his peace. As he read foreign and independent news and "did the usual stuff to express dissent," he was infuriated by how he saw the corporate media cooperating with the Bush administration.

    When the invasion began, Jamail, a fourth-generation Lebanese American who grew up in Houston, decided he could sit at home, depressed and angry, or he could take action. He bought a laptop computer, a digital camera, and a plane ticket.

    In Iraq for eight months between November 2003 and February 2005, Jamail reported "collateral damage" far beyond what the military or embedded journalists acknowledged. He wrote of soldiers shooting people in prayer at a Baghdad mosque. He relayed accounts of civilians in Fallujah with extraordinary burns (later revealed to be caused by white phosphorus) and of men and women who bore white flags being shot in the Euphrates River as they tried to swim to safety. Jamail also watched those profiting from the war, reporting examples of blurred lines between the military and corporations operating in Iraq, as well as Bechtel's failure to restore potable water after being paid hundreds of millions to do so......."

    Wouldn't it be great if instead of Super Bowl's, Oscars, and Grammy's the biggest hoopla every year in America was for "Those who Tell the Truth"?

    Imagine.

    P.S. Space is the place, FZ!

    Posted by b_kool_66 at 11/27/2007 @ 03:18am

39. Space is the place, FZ!

    Posted by B_KOOL_66 11/27/2007 @ 03:18am

    indeed.

    speaking of hoopla, welcome to chriss-miss-a-holiday-a-shop-a-rama!

    thanks for the truth link.

    check out mr jamail's post today on tomdispatch:

    Here is part of the statement released by U.S. military spokeswoman in northern Iraq, Major Peggy Kageleiry:

    "A suspected insurgent and improvised explosive device cell member was identified among the killed in an engagement between Coalition Forces and suspected IED emplacers just north of Samarra.... During the engagement, insurgents used a nearby house as a safe haven to re-engage coalition aircraft. A known member of an IED cell was among the 11 killed during the multiple engagements. We send condolences to the families of those victims and we regret any loss of life."

    As usual, the version offered by locals was vastly different. Abdul al-Rahman Iyadeh, a relative of some of the victims, revealed that the "group of men" attacked were actually three farmers who had left their homes at 4:30 A.M. to irrigate their fields. Two were killed in the initial helicopter attack and the survivor ran back to his home where other residents gathered. The second air strike, he claimed, destroyed the house killing 14 people. Another witness told reporters that four separate houses were hit by the helicopter. A local Iraqi policeman, Captain Abdullah al-Isawi, put the death toll at 16 -- seven men, six women, and three children, with another 14 wounded.

    As often happens, the U.S. military, once challenged, declared that an "investigation" of the incident was under way.

    @ [tinyurl.com]

    Posted by frosty zoom at 11/27/2007 @ 08:31am