Russian Blogs Antidote to Neutered Media

[Ghost in the Machine]

Russian Blogs Antidote to Neutered Media
Published: 2/20/08, 2:05 PM EDT
By MIKE ECKEL

MOSCOW (AP) - In the final weeks of Russia's presidential campaign, TV networks and other major media are filled with uncritical and often fawning coverage of the man President Vladimir Putin has blessed as his successor.

Check out the Russian blogs, though, and you'll as often as not find sharp, witty criticism of First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev - and the presidential contest he seems certain of winning.

One blogger named "lekka_reka" said an old lady asked him on the street: "Have they named Medvedev president yet or will we be able to actually go out and cast our votes?"

Another blogger named "YUGva" was worried about Medvedev's liberal image: "This Medvedev is a strange personality, a dark horse. ... I think he's just going to skip out on Russia, sell it to America and the West - and everyone is openly lauding his arrival?"

The postings by Web commentators, professionals and amateurs alike, are sometimes barbed, frequently satirical and always unfiltered - a marked contrast to most of Russia's major media, where many reporters, editors and producers are wary of angering the Kremlin.

http://www.att.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=7401&eeid=5705885&_sitecat=1505&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=-2&ck=&ch=ne&rg=blsadstrgt

[Ghost in the Machine]

1. kick

[knitter4democracy]

2. I'm not surprised.

Just like the samzidat, the truth is always available in Russia. You might have to look around for it, and it might be dangerous for you to have, but it's always there.