media control...

[Dr_Woland]

Vladimir Gusinsky has been arrested today.

Gusinsky is the head of Media-Most, the media group which runs the only TV station prepared to criticise shortcomings of the Putin administration (notably on the issues of Chechnya and the Economy). The company also makes the satirical show "Kukly", which has lampooned Putin repeatedly.

Officials are saying only that his arrest is linked to a "criminal investigation".

Watch this space....

Dr W.

[Straighterway]

no way!!!

oh how i pray that it's not what i think it is again.

please, no!

[d_seven]

Hello all,

This is the first time I have posted to this board.

This morning, I read an article on the Gusinsky arrest ("Arrest puts Putin on defensive" at the top of Russia.com's home page). It told how President Putin, who is visiting other European countries, claimed to have no prior knowledge of this situation and was "worried" by it. I am interested in hearing your opinions on the truth of this, especially in light of the earlier raid on Media-Most. Also, what do Russians living in Russia seem to think about Gusinsky's arrest?

Regards,
D.

[This message has been edited by d_seven (edited 15 June 2000).]

[This message has been edited by d_seven (edited 15 June 2000).]

[This message has been edited by d_seven (edited 15 June 2000).]

[This message has been edited by d_seven (edited 15 June 2000).]

[Nonson]

Administering governmental control to create domestic policy. Poking fun at one who has no sense of humor can cause deadly complications in one's life expectancy. Second-guessing a man who holds death in his hands and mouth seems an odd way to continue enjoying life's abundance. Remember now that his protocol for Chechnya was termed a mistake. The results was absolute devastation of an area, and maybe a people. Media-Most tried grasping something that they should not have, and the spanking process is underway. Using the satirical to berate the insecure leaders of a fragile government is just plain dumb, unless, of course, you're trying to start something really nasty. That's inadvisible considering the current make-up of the Russian power structure. There is something that is just 'unsane' about the whole matter. Gusinky doesn't have a chance in hell of gaining any worthwhile thing from this tussle. He'll be lucky to escape with his hide intact.

[Dr_Woland]

Hi Nonson

Whilst it's true that Media-Most are behind "Kukly", the satirical show, NTV is widely regarded by all russian intellectuals and business-people as being the most objective channel available, and is praised for the quality of its news-reporting. Kukly is only a tiny and unrepresentative part of their output.

Gusinsky is widely-regarded by his peers at the highest level of Russian economics, Putin depends on their cooperation to hold onto his position. Berezovsky, of course, is the little rat who stands to gain personally from seeing Gusinsky crushed, but the others won't stand for it, and immediately made public statements saying so.

I agree with the theory of "realpolitik" generally, but in this case, Gusinsky is not the lost cause you believe him to be. He has a lot of powerful friends - notably in Otechestvo. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov is not someone to tangle with - his favourite revenge on those he dislikes is to send some builders round to opponents offices and fill the toilets with concrete. The previous Kremlin regime loathed Luzhkov even more than the present one - yet Luzhkov remains in power, and seemingly untouchable. And remember - Luzhkov controls and pays the Moscow Police Force, and their loyalty to him in unassailable. As he quipped when Yeltsin tried to have him subpoena'd - "and who's going to bring me in - my own police force?"

Dr W.

[Nonson]

Dr. Woland, while the mosquito is but a tiny part of creation and is not representative of the total vista, its buzzings and bites are irritations to one's mental balance and possibly deadly to one's health. >>>>>>Business people and intellectuals seldom are able to view things outside of the polished surface of their own vested interests, and they are generally approving of that which complements their current estates. >>>>>>>Judging from Gusinky recent,ill-advised, outburst it is easy to predict that he'll become a plague-carrier in many circles. Most peoples' loyalty extends only to their own bellies. Indeed, Berezovsky tends to gain somewhat from the current intrigue, but he too is being used quite indecently-but he is a willing slut. >>>>>>>>Mayor Yuri, partly mad in his own right, and a little maddness is probably necessary if one is to capture and retain power in the jungle. But Luzhkov is also very cunning and very experienced. Under no circumstance will he diminish his own luster in a futile attempt to save a dead man walking. He fully understands that he must maintain his loathsome image in the eyes of the power-brokers, and he knows that the powerful fully understand this also. He's smart, and he knows that for him to remain an 'untouchable' he damn well can't poke this bear with silly-sticks. I can't believe that Yuri will risk his throne for the saving of Gusinky. Now,if there was atruck-load of cash in a Swiss bank........you know, a retirement nest-egg. Boris the Sham was played with and laid with by too many of the wretched of the earth for me to have much of an opinion on what Luzhkov may have done tohim if things ever got beyond testy. We shall see what we shall see. Shalom

[Straighterway]

Dear Nonson,

[re:your post on June 17]

u basicaly said that some people should [for their medical bell-being's sake] be quiet if the Comrades want them to be quiet. oh yeah?

well, i'll admit that this time their actions probably did not have a whole lot of positive impact on the society, but it might have been different if they spoke out for a greater cause equally irritating to the gov't.

poking fun at the gov't is not JUST being "nasty". it's speaking ur mind and letting the gov't know that's ur intention and ur right from the start. it's a matter of principle.

yes, this conflict is initiatinge a struggle.
but i am sure u r not naive to believe that democracy can come without sweat. confrontations between the new regime and the old one r unavoidable. BUT, there MUST be battles, if there r to be any victories.

and if there r people w/ enough guts to take it on themselves, [w/ possible deadly complications in one's life expectancy,remember?] i would back them all the way.

no, Media Most didn't HAVE to do what they did. it wasn't quite "nice". but they had the RIGHT to speak and showed the gov't they were able to exercise it.

only... oh, poor Putin, his feelings got hurt!!! what a pity that when u r president u can't go cry to ur mommy anymore.

that's sure reason enough to arrest a man. he really IS interested in becoming the tsar. that would suite him perfectly

see ya.
luv, the Idealist.