AP: Russia Launches 'Patriotic' TV Channel

[sonicx]

MOSCOW - Russia's Defense Ministry has launched experimental broadcasts of a new TV channel intended to boost military prestige and counter negative reports of hazing, desertions and corruption in the armed forces, its creators said Monday.

The new channel — Zvezda (news - web sites) or "Star" — is aimed at developing "the feeling of national pride among its citizens ... a feeling of responsibility for Russia's fate and pride for the nation's great historic past and belief in its future," producers said in a news release.

The station was test-launched on Sunday and will initially be broadcast in the Moscow region, said Sergei Savushkin, the channel's director, at the opening ceremony Monday. Later this spring, Zvezda is expected to begin operating in many other of Russia's 89 regions.

"Zvezda is about the belief that our country is the most beautiful in the world, that our history is the most heroic and that the future is in our hands," said Ivan Kononov, a TV journalist and one of Zvezda's creators.

The demoralized and underfunded Russian military is plagued by numerous desertions, suicides and other violent incidents, including vicious hazing by older conscripts. Military officials, including Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, have sought to boost the army's prestige, and President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) has called for cultivating a sense of patriotism among Russia's youth.

more = http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=494&ncid=763&e=2&u=/ap/20050221/ap_en_tv/russia_military_tv

[peacebird]

1. following in the pentagons footsteps

the pentagon launched it's military propaganda channel a couple months ago

[liveoaktx]

9. And 3with taxpayer money- TELL Dish to quit Airing propaganda

[peacebird]

11. i did - when i dumped them for DirectTV

[Randi_Listener]

2. Taking a cue from FUX Newschannel

Complete with Blonde Femmebots and a stream of bullshit that passes for news.

[Downtown Hound]

8. Exactly what I was thinking

Putin has clearly been studying Fox and its success, not only as a moneymaker but at brainwashing the masses.

[The Straight Story]

3. Interesting - check out this:

I posted this article (also of interest in this same vein):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=116&topic_id=9012

Back on Feb 5 I think. In that same issue (IIRC) was an article on this same topic about their new channel.

Check out:
http://en.rian.ru/rian/

For up to date news from that area, here are some from today:
RUSSIA BACKS CHINA AS ITS STANDS UP FOR SOVEREIGNTY
U.S. SET TO LIMIT OTHER STATES' CONTACTS WITH IRAN
RUSSIA SHOULD NOT BE EXPELLED FROM G8
RUSSIANS MORE PESSIMISTIC SINCE 2004

[paineinthearse]

4. Deja vu

Where have I read this before? Oh, yeah......

Dish Network Brings Pentagon Channel to Millions of Subscribers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=109&topic_id=1855

[blm]

5. Did Bush and FOX share their format with Putin?

And will CNN coverup for Putin the way it does here for Bush?

[Inland]

6. Buttering up the listeners, like Fox, with unwavering compliments

Their country is the BEST, their leaders the BEST, their heartland the BEST, their values the BEST, and what looks like evil, selfishness and smallmindedness is actually VIRTUE. And sneer at anybody who doesn't know it.

Why have news when you can butter up the listeners? People eat that shit up.

[solinvictus]

7. Putin...

As a student of modern European history and politics, I've always said that Putin would bide his time and react against NATO expansion into the Baltic and US attempts at regional hegemony in Asia Minor. Now we're seeing it happen. Putin is no stooge, he understands the need to resist US encroachments on Russian geo-political interests and will act accordingly.

[AlinPA]

10. Sounds like Fox "News". n/t