Dmitry Kiselev Is Redefining the Art of Russian Propaganda

[Jefferson23]

*Fox News would be proud.

On the evening of February 23, a little more than a day after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev in the middle of the night, ceding power to protesters on the Maidan, Dmitry Kiselev was in an especially apocalyptic mood. Kiselev is host of “Vesti Nedeli,” or “News of the Week,” which airs on Rossiya, a state-owned channel that reaches 90 percent of Russian households. Every Sunday for two hours, he holds forth on his many bugbears, phobias, and hatreds: the degenerate West, traitorous liberals at home. In recent months, the show had developed a near single-minded fixation on Ukraine—or as, Kiselev saw it, the fascist usurpers that had seized power in Kiev and were being propped up by the NATO machine. On this particular night, he declared that the ouster of the Putin-aligned Yanukovych government represented nothing less than the “end of statehood” for Ukraine. The country was now under “external control,” he said, by which he meant the shadowy forces of the West. “With the starry blue flags of the European Union, made smoky from the fumes of burning tires, the country was plunged into a condition in which human life is only worth a kopek.”

Since the Maidan protests, and especially after the fall of Yanukovych, Russian television has been engaged in a propaganda onslaught unprecedented in the post-Soviet era, implying or inventing dark suspicions about Western motives in Ukraine while painting Russia’s own meddling as a heroic answer to the call of justice. Kiselev is the most high-profile, not to mention theatrically gifted, character in this on-air drama. At 60, he has a round, soft face, thin white hair cut short to the scalp, and a smile that is at once cherubic and menacing. His delivery is dynamic and highly mannered—he paces across the set and punctuates his points with the hand gestures of an overeager mime. He might make his fingers dance in the air or glide his hand across his body, while accusing pro-European protesters in Kiev of launching a “war against Russia,” or declaring the violent clashes between protesters and police last December to be a “co-production” ordered and paid for by the U.S. State Department. At times, his speech can have an almost lyrical quality, even when its content is quite ominous, such as the night he stood in front of a large photo of a mushroom cloud and reminded viewers that Russia is still “the only country in the world capable of turning the USA into radioactive dust.”

It is programs like Kiselev’s that help explain why, according to polling by the independent Levada Center, 67 percent of Russians say the new government in Kiev is not legitimate, and 85 percent consider the collapse of the Yanukovych regime a coup. Ninety-two percent of respondents told the Levada Center that television was their main source of information about events in Ukraine.

Outside Russia, Kiselev is perhaps most famous for his pronouncement that gays and lesbians “should be prohibited from donating blood, sperm, and, in the case of a road accident, their hearts should be either buried or cremated as unsuitable for the prolongation of life.” He made the remark in April 2012 to a studio audience—who clapped approvingly—but the segment did not receive widespread attention until a year later, after Russia passed a law banning “gay propaganda” in the presence of minors. Since then, Kiselev has spent a lot of time trying to explain himself. It was a “controlled flame that I used to ignite the discussion,” he told one interviewer. The problem with homosexuals, Kiselev told another, “is that they carry themselves provocatively . . . deliberately encouraging and provoking a situation so they become victims.” Still, Kiselev can’t stay away from making gay jokes, if that’s the right word for them: In February, he suggested that the Iwo Jima monument looked like men having sex. “A fevered subconscious could ascribe just about anything to it,” he said, his lips curling into a self-satisfied grin. “Take a closer look: a very modern theme, isn’t it?”

in full: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/118438/dmitry-kiselev-putins-favorite-tv-host-russias-top-propogandist

[The Magistrate]

1. And His Swill Is Parroted Here Daily, Sir, Swallowed And Regurgitated Whole

By people who proclaim themselves independent seekers rejecting propaganda from the media....

[Jefferson23]

3. An unfortunate mistake, I feel. I am not sure if enough Americans are aware

for example, that RT America is not seen in Russia. So when Americans see Thom Hartman,
a gentleman I admire, on RT, it gives legitimacy to RT.

I can certainly empathize with Hartman for utilizing RT America. He and
others with an alternative opinion are not welcomed on our MSM and I suspect
that may explain why they have accepted RT to get their message out.

Nevertheless,this is problematic since Kiselev is well known to despise leftist opinions
within the Russian citizenry. To remain in solidarity with the leftist/dissenters
population in Russia, (and I don't have to explain to you the uphill battle they have),
we need to reject RT and their state run propaganda. It's hard enough for them
as it is and what you suggest is surprising to me..Putin's agenda has been pretty
clear..why is anyone here trusting his message..I don't understand that.

[bemildred]

2. Their own version of Rush Limbaugh, how nice. nt

[Jefferson23]

4. Yea, exactly.

Off topic, have a Happy 4th, bemildred.

[bemildred]

5. Indeed.

Fireworks at the beach with family. What's not to like?

[newthinking]

6. And America circa 2002-2004 was different how?

Propaganda is a major problem making it difficult to move to a more progressive peaceful world, but the extreme painting of black and white between countries is not much better. It is all part of the same and both result in a deficit of empathy.

[The Magistrate]

7. Just A Small Hint, Sir

Saying item A is just as bad as item B does not defend item B, but rather condemns it.

What you are saying is that the Russian propaganda regarding Ukraine is a compound of lies and fabrications and distortions. So it is really up to you to explain why your comments on the topic of events in Ukraine align precisely with the propaganda lines emanating from Russia, which you have here acknowledged are in fact lies and fabrications and distortions.

[newthinking]

8. You get the general point but then end up twisting my words as usual.

(First off, can you talk like a regular person and not use your "Sir" thing, which makes you sound less than genuine. I haven't done that kind of thing since high school.)

Both sides are using propaganda. DUH! But propaganda does not mean everything on either side is all untruths, trying to make that point is just stupidity. Propaganda is the twisting with some truths and making one side of the story look more humane and righteous and the other side the opposite.

But the Ukrainian media is full of propaganda with far more lies with their 18 year old maidan "media specialist" at the helm; and our own media reports based on their information almost exclusively. You don't see how bad the propaganda is on the Ukrainian media because it does not get reported.

It is the nature of modern governments that I agree needs to change because it is counterproductive. But making hay of it when one side does it and letting the other side off the hook is Exactly what you are doing. And that is what makes propaganda particularly invidious.

Again, I am not going to get into a :

Yes
No
Yes
No

thing. So this is really all that needs to be said further.

[The Magistrate]

9. You Can Impersonate Jello On a Spike, Sir, But You Will Not Be Allowed Off The Point

You have, by your rather clumsy invocation of 'equivalence', acknowledged the propagandas you circulate regarding Ukraine are lies, distortions, and falsehoods easily on a par with those of Fox News or Rush Limbaugh or any other constituent of the media here in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. In other words, your comments here on the subject of events in Ukraine are in no way distinguishable in character from the comments appearing on blogs and comments sections supporting the invasion of Iraq and citing various tit-bits culled from the propagandas circulated by the media here in that cause. You have simply chosen to align yourself with a different rightist and support a different imperialist adventure. What makes it so entertaining is that you continue to attempt to carry off a pose of moral superiority and independent judgement and devotion to left principles while you do.

[Jefferson23]

10. Did you feel the OP presumes the MSM has no blood on it's hands from that period?

For me, bullshit is bullshit, no matter where it originates from..but best we
recognize it for what it is. I did not get the impression the author was attempting
a black and white presentation.

[newthinking]

11. I have a particular interest in Ukraine and our media has been very onesided

(My interest is personal as I know people there on both sides, but as well as I have learned (from a ton of personal research and questioning on both sides information), It is primarily the enabling of the Kyiv actions and propaganda narrative that has driven things to where they are; The media has completely obliterated the very valid oppositional concerns of the real people there by making it "all about Putin" (and thus triggering cold war crap). The militants are are a result and a distraction as well.

The people of Ukraine are hostages to both Kyiv and the Eastern Militants.

And this op, while indeed valid, again is part of that overwhelming narrative. A generally liberal magazine surprisingly completely leaves out the why and how of what is driving Russia in this direction. Russia has watched the events of the last decade and the lack of accountability and they know they are one of the countries that the neo-cons and neo-liberals would like to undermine and they believe they are fighting for the survival of their country.

The US (and the world oligarchy) started to use NGOs to attempt to undermine governments and that appears to me when Putin really turned inward. Because if the west can use money to compromise much of the organs of diplomacy, other governments, and influence or create false front NGOs it changes the entire balance of everything. There is no longer any diplomatic front or organizational component that countries like Russia can trust because all trust has been breached.

I am way off topic here, but the continuation of demonizing instead of old fashioned respect, empathy, some respect for different cultures and economies, etc, we are going nohere but setting the world on fire. We need to indeed deal with Russia, but we are instead escalating everything.

[The Magistrate]

12. This Is Just The Usual Boiler-Plate In Top-Hat And Spats, Sir

What is 'driving Russia in this direction' is fascism, and its usual appeal to restore former glories and expand imperial dominion. Russia is not doing this because of anyone else; Russia is doing this because fascist rule has succeeded communist rule, and fascist rule has succeeded communist rule because the old security services grown up under soviet totalitarianism remained intact and eased themselves into charge of the government and the economy after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russia has no more legitimate claim to dictate terms of the political and economic life of Ukraine than the United States has to dictate terms of the political and economic life of Venezuela or Ecuador or Colombia. Its attempts to do so, and do so by force of arms, are bald-faced imperialism, and you can throw whitewash by the bucket on the thing and still you will never conceal the taint. Russia has annexed territory by invasion in Crimea, and still seeks to either annex portions of Ukraine, or see Ukraine dismembered so Russia can dominate selected portions of it, and is working to this end by force of arms, applied through means so obvious they barely qualify as covert actions.

"The important thing is to remember that these things happened. They happened even though Lord Halifax says they happened."

[Jefferson23]

13. I don't feel there is demonizing at play in the OP, but clarification is always good regarding

agendas...Putin has many.

Nations in Transit 2014: Russia Leads Eurasia's Break from the Democratic World

Berlin
June 12, 2014

In a new report, Freedom House highlights Russia's pivotal role in a decade-long decline in democracy among the countries of the post-Soviet sphere.

The report, Nations in Transit 2014, shows Russia as the model and inspiration for policies leading to a retreat from free institutions throughout Eurasia and bringing the region to a new, alarming level of repression during the past year.

"The events of 2013 show that the regime in Russia as a role model for other authoritarian leaders, even in states where the authorities already surpass their Russian counterparts in institutionalized brutality and intolerance," said Sylvana Habdank-Kołaczkowska., project director of the report. "Ten years ago, one in five people in Eurasia lived under Consolidated Authoritarian rule, as defined in the report. Today, it's nearly four in five, and the trend is accelerating."

Nations in Transit 2014 finds that setbacks to democratic governance as the dominant trend across Eurasia and the Balkans, as well as in post communist Central Europe, where the persistence of clientelism and corruption was in evidence throughout the past year.

However, the year also brought some positive developments. Kosovo, Albania, and Georgia received better ratings due to improved elections and peaceful transfers of power. "The most encouraging trend of 2013 was the vocal civil society response to repressive or inadequate governance,” said Habdank-Kołaczkowska. “Civil society spoke up only in Ukraine but also in Central Europe, Kyrgyzstan, and, to a lesser degree, the Balkans."

http://www.freedomhouse.org/article/nations-transit-2014-russia-leads-eurasias-break-democratic-world#.U7gNUbFA2zI