Real News in Russia is Scarce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 3, 2011 --

There isn't much news in Russia. It's not that nothing's happening. The problem is that honest reporting of news events is in short supply. These are conclusions of media business analyst William Dunkerley. He recently presented his findings at the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance in Russia. Speaking at a conference on business ethics, Dunkerley reported on how media consumers are cheated of real news. He says they are fed a diet of contrived news paid for by politicians and businessmen. They pay the media outlets to distort the news in their favor.

How did things become so bad? According to Dunkerley, the problem was created by restrictive laws enacted under former president Boris Yeltsin. They "made it impractical for media enterprises to operate profitably," Dunkerley said. In order to survive, the outlets adopted the corrupt practice of coloring the news content for a price.

Consumers are aware that they are being lied to by the media, Dunkerley said. And they don't like it, he added. Multiple studies have shown that most Russians would prefer a return to official censorship over perpetuation of the present nonsense.

During Vladimir Putin's first term as president, an American-Russian private sector initiative successfully advocated for change. Dunkerley explained: "That brought about the repeal of the laws that had precluded media companies from operating profitably." But the new opportunity to conduct business ethically did not lead to the abandonment of the corrupt business culture. It had become entrenched.

President Dmitry Medvedev has made fighting corruption a centerpiece of his presidency. But, so far he's failed to target the corrupt media sector, said Dunkerley.

The media constitute the most conspicuously corrupt, unethical, and untrustworthy sector of the Russia's economy, asserted Dunkerley. "If there is to be real change, there is a need for strong and courageous national leadership." Otherwise, the media sector is likely to remain mired in its current dysfunction, he said. Dunkerley believes that bodes ill for progress in trust and ethics throughout the economy. "Until it is fixed, the media sector will continue to inspire distrust and bad business behavior throughout all Russia, he concluded."

A video of Dunkerley's presentation can be viewed at http://www.publishinghelp.net/finec01.

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