Is the Russian media pushing for intervention in Novorossiya?
It is always tricky to try to get a sense of what is happening in a country by parsings its media as there is often a big disconnect between what the talking heads say and what most of the people really feel. And yet, this can a useful exercise in the following circumstances:
A) The media is pretty tightly controlled by the regime in power at which point is can be analyzed to see what kind of "consent manufacturing" or "opinion massaging" is being performed. For example, most wars are normally preceded by media vilification campaign against the other side. Thus,
observing such a vilification campaign can be considered as an "indicator" or even "warning" of a possible military attack, especially is other indicators and warnings point to the same eventual outcome
B) The media is more or less independent from the regime, but primarily linked to the national elites and their agenda. Here again, because these elites, by definition, have power and access,
they can use the media to put pressure on the formal leaders of the country. Think of the Israel Lobby and its use of the US media to promote the wars on Iraq, Iran and Syria.
C) Finally, the media can be more or less "in tune with" the general public and its concerns, hopes and ideas, at which point it can offer a good insight into what is going on.
Regardless of which of the models above applies to Russia (for what it is worth, I personally think that it is a mix of the three), it is, I strongly believe, very important to note the following fact:
three of the most popular shows on Russian TV have increasingly become strident in their outrage over what is happening in the Ukraine, over the US's hypocrisy and over the need to put a stop to the atrocities committed by the Ukrainian junta. These shows are:
- Sunday Evening with Vladimir Soloviev (Воскресный Вечер с Владимиром Соловьевым)
- Politics with Petr Tolstoi (Политика с Петром Толстым)
- News of the Week with Dmitri Kiselev (Вести Недели с Дмитрием Киселевым)
I think that it is worth saying a few words about these shows.
Comment: US News & World Reports is attempting to convince people that there is an actual debate going on, that freedom of the press is real: