Russian state-media has gone the way of Fox News and now deems itself Russia's policy-makers:
Parroting the decrees of the government? That's so boring. There is no thrill, no EXCITEMENT in that.
No.
As Glenn Beck, Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and all the rest will be able to tell you, the biggest thrill for a media-person is the RAW FEELING OF POWER that comes from whipping the public into some outrage.
For many years, russian state-media has dutifully regurgitated what it was told to regurgitate.
All the while they jealously looked over to the US to Fox News.
They saw the pure undiluted FREEDOM the news-anchors of Fox News had.
The freedom to say ANY BAT-SHIT CRAZY THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND AT THIS MOMENT.
And to do so without any negative consequences.
Now that Russia has declared the war in Ukraine basically a war between good and evil, Russia's news-anchors and political commentators finally see their opportunity to do what Fox News does:
To force your personal opinions, your personal grievances, your personal speculations, your personal hatred onto the audience.
And to do so without any professional repercussions or even a bad conscience: After all, you are fulfilling your patriotic duty!
https://www.thedailybeast.com/wild-kremlin-tv-hosts-threaten-the-us-with-nuclear-strikes-unless-sanctions-end-and-reparations-are-paid?ref=home?ref=home
There is just one slight problem: Russia's media-personalities have tasted power. They have tasted the kick of not controlling public opinion on the government's behalf, but controlling public opinion ON THEIR OWN BEHALF.
THEY DECIDE WHAT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE ARE TO BE OUTRAGED ABOUT. Not the russian government.
Does anybody believe that Russia's media will give up that power again?
Or will Russia's media-personalities become addicted to this feeling and regularly whip Russia's people into new panics and outrages just to sate their own egos?
Congratulations, Russia. Your news-media is now officially headed by fame-hungry sociopathic outrage-merchants. There is no way this could somehow backfire on russian society and Russia's political stability.