Retiring BBC presenter: As with all conservative media, facts mean little in Russian media

[pampango]

The BBC Russian Service’s Seva Novgorodsev: ‘Putin panders to the lowest common denominator.

Novgorodsev says, “the tonality of Russian media has gone down tremendously. It is all patriotic in a hysterical way and the facts are the last thing they think of.”

He adds: “Putin panders to the lowest common denominator. The propaganda says that, of course, Britain is in cahoots with America and all they think about is to downgrade Russia, destroy it, change the government etc. It reached a fever pitch, whereby logic and common sense [were] no longer present and that is a dangerous situation.”

Novgorodsev’s shows brought in Russian figures unpopular with the regime, such as Alexander Litvinenko and Anna Politkovskaya, both since murdered. However, his airtime has been much reduced in recent years and, after the closure of the Russian radio service in 2011, restricted to just a downloadable podcast.

He says media organisations such as the BBC have “a lot of work to do” to combat the gulf between Russian and British perceptions of each other. “It needs to be explained on a human level because you cannot fight facts with facts because they distort them the way they like,” he says.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/04/bbc-russian-seva-novgorodsev-world-service-putin

The fact-free, fear of 'others' mentality is similar to that of the republican party. Patriotism, emotion and conspiracies predominate.

[ryan_cats]

1. Where in the article was this: As with all conservative media, facts mean little in Russian media?

Where in the article was this: As with all conservative media, facts mean little in Russian media?

[pampango]

2. “the tonality of Russian media has gone down tremendously. It is all patriotic in a hysterical way

and the facts are the last thing they think of.”

It is my own humble opinion that conservative mind and media depends more on patriotism, emotion and conspiracy thinking than does the liberal mind and media which leans more towards facts and science.

[ryan_cats]

3. So you use your own headline to highlight a story to make it say what you want it to say?

So you use your own headline to highlight a story to make it say what you want it to say? I would say that is great journalism but I do believe it is the opposite of great journalism.

[pampango]

5. I am no journalist but many believe that avoiding facts and pushing patriotism, conspiracy theories

and fear are hallmarks of the conservative media. If the shoe fits the Russian media, so be it.

If you disagree with my impression of conservative media, please elaborate. Or you can stick to questioning my journalistic style.

[ryan_cats]

6. You are fully entitled to you opinion.

You are fully entitled to you opinion. You are also entitled to post it where anyone lets you.

Do you not see a problem with your headline:

Retiring BBC presenter: As with all conservative media, facts mean little in Russian media

When he never said such a thing?

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Yes, that's how the General Discussion forum works

You've had 10 years to work that out. Posting on DU is not 'journalism'. It's discussion, and that includes opinions.

[ryan_cats]

9. Discussion, I didn't know that

Discussion, I didn't know that.

I guess posting misleading headlines (oh I meant opinions masquerading as headlines, is that better?) at the start of a post about an article is discussion. I do think we use different dictionaries, mine is not in crayon.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. 'Crayon'? You've stooped to accusations of childishness already?

You've just showed a discussion with you isn't worth it.

[ryan_cats]

11. Actually my accusations were implying a childish intellect.

Actually my accusations were implying a childish intellect, reasoning and rationalization process but who's counting since we've been friends for ten years, can I borrow some money?

[Codeine]

4. Let us not be too self-congratulatory.

Leftist media is all too often replete with conspiracism, woo, magical thinking, and shrill declamatory statements in place of facts.

These are human traits and foibles to which both sides fall victim rather than distinct ideological tendencies.

[pampango]

7. Left media has some of that but I would argue much less than the right wing media.

Birtherism, climate change denial, nativism/anti-immigrant sentiment, UN as New World Order/One World Government, I could go on, are all alive and well and constantly pushed and believed on the right.

Perhaps the left media has the same tendencies with conspiracism, magical thinking and shrill declamatory statements. If so maybe they are not as obvious to me because we also usually have facts, science and history on our side so that our arguments do not seem as detached from reality as the fact-free versions employed by the right.