Putin at it again…stomping out the BBC?

Technical complications? Bad luck? Bad press? It would appear that the BBC’s difficulties to be on the air (both on AM and FM) in Russia are more evidence of President Putin’s shutting down of the free press. As the IHT reports, these BBC problems come on the heels of many other more or less covert clamp downs, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America. The IHT article reports that the “German broadcaster Deutsche Welle has also had problems with its German and Russian-language medium-wave radio programs in the past.” All told, it just doesn’t bode well. The unspeak, double talk and lack of transparency seems to be growing at leaps and bounds. The problem is that there doesn’t seem to be anybody (perhaps other than the Brits) putting up any resistance. What’s to be done? Insofar as the internet is terribly difficult to control, I don’t see how Putin will manage to shut down all the non-favorable commentary. What is he preparing that he doesn’t want anyone to talk about? His next Presidency? I found this post and the follow-up comments from Swedish expert, Vilhelm Konnander, plentiful.

2 Comments

Sharm on August 24, 2007 at 2:00 pm

Hi there,

You are chosen to represent your country in the first international blog
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The aim of this blog is to prove to the world that differences in language, religion,race and nationality do not make us hate each other and we can make this world better if we express our opinions with respect to others.

If you agree to join us please send e-mail with your nick name , age , country and your blog address to sharm_lover@hotmail.com where you will be sent an activation mail which makes you entitled to contribute in WUB, your name as one of the contributor will automatically be updated.Please read the rules before you start any posting in WUB where you will also find the aims of this WUB.

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Minter on August 29, 2007 at 11:23 pm

The arrest, announced on Aug 28, 2007, of the ten “suspects” in the assassination of the rebel journalist Anna Politkovskaya truly seems more a signal to the “alignment” of the police with Putin than an independent indictment of the real perpetrators. I look forward to more real pronouncements regarding this case. The Moscow Times article sets the tone: http://tinyurl.com/ys2tsm.

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Sharm on August 24, 2007 at 2:00 pm

Hi there,

You are chosen to represent your country in the first international blog
WUB (World United Bloggers)

The aim of this blog is to prove to the world that differences in language, religion,race and nationality do not make us hate each other and we can make this world better if we express our opinions with respect to others.

If you agree to join us please send e-mail with your nick name , age , country and your blog address to sharm_lover@hotmail.com where you will be sent an activation mail which makes you entitled to contribute in WUB, your name as one of the contributor will automatically be updated.Please read the rules before you start any posting in WUB where you will also find the aims of this WUB.

Thanks
Chief WUB,

Sharm .

http://www.worldub.blogspot.com
Minter on August 29, 2007 at 11:23 pm

The arrest, announced on Aug 28, 2007, of the ten “suspects” in the assassination of the rebel journalist Anna Politkovskaya truly seems more a signal to the “alignment” of the police with Putin than an independent indictment of the real perpetrators. I look forward to more real pronouncements regarding this case. The Moscow Times article sets the tone: http://tinyurl.com/ys2tsm.