© all rights reserved 2011
THE MEDIA AND THE INTERNET
Here there are 3 distinct periods: before 1918, 1918-1991,
and 1991-present. Before 1918 there were only newspapers,
and plenty of them. The Tsar’s censors kept an eye on socialist
journalism but there were no real restrictions, since so few
people were literate. 1918-1991 was strictly-controlled news
and propaganda within the confines of the USSR and its vassal
states. (*KEY*) Propaganda was a serious weapon which was
NOT used in foreign countries but rather against THE SOVIET
PEOPLE in an attempt to justify its policies. This embraced
films, radio, and television as well as the arts. Less
constrained/restricted media began in, and slowly progressed
from, the 1950’s with the journal SAMIZDAT and with radio
access to the foreign-based BBC and Radio free Europe.
1991-present has seen independent media explode in all forms
but the State had taken back complete control of radio and
television by 2006. As in the USSR, today almost all
newspapers are printed but once every 1-2 weeks. Russia is
among the top 10 most dangerous places in the world for
journalists.
About 30% together have some form of internet access,
broken down by: all of the rich and middle class=7% and some
of the poor,=23 %; access to information for the latter group is
much more limited. As in China, The Russian Government
views SKYPE, Facebook, You-tube, etc., as threats to national
security and thus may limit their use or eliminate them entirely.
The Government also views untappable computer telephone
use as another potential threat to land-line use, as more and
more people have already abandoned their wired systems for
mobile phones---the entire wired telephone monopoly/wire-
tapping system is under threat. Also, as in China, no individual
or organization has any right to computer/software ownership
protection, so the government can remove any computer
system from anyone, any entity, anywhere, at any time if it
desires. Because of these and other concerns like hacking,
many western elements of the web don’t function well in Russia.
(*KEY*) In 1861, Russia set up the world’s first internationally-
focused organization dedicated to spying and espionage.
Today, Russia maintains this leadership, being the first
Government to establish and fully subsidize aggressive,
purposeful hacking programs against all world governments.
So for Russia, the internet is a mixed blessing from a western
perspective….
and 1991-present. Before 1918 there were only newspapers,
and plenty of them. The Tsar’s censors kept an eye on socialist
journalism but there were no real restrictions, since so few
people were literate. 1918-1991 was strictly-controlled news
and propaganda within the confines of the USSR and its vassal
states. (*KEY*) Propaganda was a serious weapon which was
NOT used in foreign countries but rather against THE SOVIET
PEOPLE in an attempt to justify its policies. This embraced
films, radio, and television as well as the arts. Less
constrained/restricted media began in, and slowly progressed
from, the 1950’s with the journal SAMIZDAT and with radio
access to the foreign-based BBC and Radio free Europe.
1991-present has seen independent media explode in all forms
but the State had taken back complete control of radio and
television by 2006. As in the USSR, today almost all
newspapers are printed but once every 1-2 weeks. Russia is
among the top 10 most dangerous places in the world for
journalists.
About 30% together have some form of internet access,
broken down by: all of the rich and middle class=7% and some
of the poor,=23 %; access to information for the latter group is
much more limited. As in China, The Russian Government
views SKYPE, Facebook, You-tube, etc., as threats to national
security and thus may limit their use or eliminate them entirely.
The Government also views untappable computer telephone
use as another potential threat to land-line use, as more and
more people have already abandoned their wired systems for
mobile phones---the entire wired telephone monopoly/wire-
tapping system is under threat. Also, as in China, no individual
or organization has any right to computer/software ownership
protection, so the government can remove any computer
system from anyone, any entity, anywhere, at any time if it
desires. Because of these and other concerns like hacking,
many western elements of the web don’t function well in Russia.
(*KEY*) In 1861, Russia set up the world’s first internationally-
focused organization dedicated to spying and espionage.
Today, Russia maintains this leadership, being the first
Government to establish and fully subsidize aggressive,
purposeful hacking programs against all world governments.
So for Russia, the internet is a mixed blessing from a western
perspective….
