Russian TV takes Soviet-era turn

[Eugene]

Russian TV takes Soviet-era turn

By Fred Weir, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
Thu Aug 4, 4:00 AM ET

MOSCOW - Islamic bandits. Sandstorms. A Red Army officer fighting
venal bureaucrats to bring Communism to the wilds of Central Asia,
liberate Muslim women from their veils, and spread the light of
Soviet power.

It's "White Sun of the Desert," and just about every Russian has seen
this 1960s film. Even now when it comes on TV, people drop everything
to watch it.

This feel-good homegrown Russian flick is a nostalgic return to a
time when Russian society radiated a collective purpose and national
determination, one that has been beaten down since the collapse of the
Soviet Union some 15 years ago. Movies like "White Sun" serve as
ballast for a society overrun by Western fare like "Sex and the City,"
"Alien Resurrection," and "Doc Hollywood." And if Ivan Kononov has his
way, it's the kind of programming that will help revive the
traditional my-country-first patriotism that guided Russians for
centuries and led to great triumphs in war, culture, and science.

Mr. Kononov is a top producer at Zvezda, a newly-launched state-run
TV network. Zvezda, which means "star," is one of several
government-funded initiatives ostensibly aimed at correcting what the
Kremlin perceives is a dearth of national pride and identification
with the state - especially among Russia's rudderless youth. "Until
now, there is not a single TV channel oriented on the ideas of the
Fatherland where priority is given to all things Russian," Kononov
says. "You may call it propaganda, but we need to stop this tendency
to beat ourselves up, stop selling out our country."

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20050804/wl_csm/opatriots

[Dogmudgeon]

1. "...stop selling out our country"

Roosky Freepers!

Who'd'a thunk it?

--p!
Luchye pozno chyem nikogda.

[wli]

2. it won't be anywhere near as bad as ABC/NBC/CBS/Fox

They make Soviet-era propaganda look like a little light pro-state apologetics.