Pro-Yeltsin censorship in the Russian media

[K. A. Pital]

In 2003, a Russian director was making a documentary movie about the 1993 Moscow power struggle between Yeltsin and the Parliament. Here's a mail that he got from the channel RTR's chief editor.

Vasya, hello again!

I'm sending you a list of correction demands after watching the movie with O. Dobrodeev and N. Svanidze.

1) Press the theme of the left's responsibility for the civil war. More clearly indicate the responsibility of the communists for what happened. Explain the tendency: it was a communist revanche attempt, not a personal power struggle. Personal is secondary.

2) Remove the theme of Yeltsin's alcoholism (same for Mitteran);

3) The Ostankino episode: that the RPG was firing from within the building, not true. You must correct in the following fashion: a clear provocation of drunken, enraged animals. For that you can make additions to the interview with Tsygarev (he's waiting for a call), think, who else can claim that.

4) About Gaidar and his reforms, you should press the point that the pauperization did not start with him.

5) Once again reiterate that Yeltsin was right. It may already be present in materials you already shot. Also, Svanidze can re-iterate that on demand.

These are the large-scale directions and goals of remaking.
Now, small details:

5) Kazannik in the first part of the movie, with his words that he was set up as a cover for the shooting of innocents, and also in the second part of the movie where he mentions Yeltsin's constant meddling in the criminal investigation - cut that out.

6) Do not smear Zor'kyn so much - he is still a government official.

7) Two synchronous readings by Korzhakov in the second part of the movie about Yeltsin's behavior in the bathhouse and about Yeltsin not reading any books - cut that out.

Separate demands from Svanidze:

8) Rutskoi is depicted as a soft man and a popular politician. That is not true.

9) Synch. from Parkhomenko that he was going around the Kremlin where no one understood anything - that is too unimportant. There is a lot of Parkhomenko already. So cut this out.

In general, Svanidze is fully ready for filming, he wants to signify his position more clearly. He only asks you to warn him of the shooting date so that he would be dressed the same as he was on prior shoots.

Tsyvarev is waiting for a call.

We need to think, who else we are going to add.

With unchanging respect, A. Vinogradova

[fgalkin]

Nothing surprising there. The script of every episode of every show is being reviewed by a certain person on each of the major channels before being filmed. It's not being publicized outside the industry, but it's true.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[bobalot]

Stas, I was under the impression that the average Russian despises Yeltsin and anybody associated with his disastrous era. Is that true?

[fgalkin]

Stas, I was under the impression that the average Russian despises Yeltsin and anybody associated with his disastrous era. Is that true?

Depends. I know a lot of people in the anti-Putin crowd who like him, and ignore his faults. The only good arguments they provide is that by the end of his reign, the ruling clique an the oligarchs already stole all the money they would ever need and actually began investing in the country. When the government changed, the process started all over again.

I'm not sure how that's an argument FOR Yeltsin, but there you go.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[TC Pilot]

Why would anti-Putin people be pro-Yeltsin? Didn't Yeltsin appoint him and name him his successor?

[fgalkin]

Why would anti-Putin people be pro-Yeltsin? Didn't Yeltsin appoint him and name him his successor?

Yes, but before that, Russia had the closest thing to a true democracy in its history. Some people like him for that. I say it was a fucking disaster.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Darth Yan]

How did he fuck up? Just curious, as my knowledge of Russia is nihl.

[fgalkin]

How did he fuck up? Just curious, as my knowledge of Russia is nihl.

Click me

Stas has done an excellent job of making a list of the many fuckups of Boris Yeltsin in that thread.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[TC Pilot]

Yes, but before that, Russia had the closest thing to a true democracy in its history. Some people like him for that. I say it was a fucking disaster.

Oh, I see what you mean. My mistake.

How did he fuck up? Just curious, as my knowledge of Russia is nihl.

Imagine a country that hasn't had any concept of private property, markets, or capitalism, and is instead a country built on non-competitive, state-directed industries and an all-encompassing welfare system for approximately 70 years.

Then take all that away in an instant.

Edit - and that's just one of many problems that befell post-Soviet Russia, either because of Yeltsin (who is as responsible as anyone for it collapsing as it did) or while under his watch.