What can television do? Everything or almost everything? We have already
had enough time to forget that the last presidential elections in Russia
were in many respects primarily TV elections. The economic crisis in Russia
made people forget the ongoing fights for ownership of the leading channels,
as well as the fact that Russian oligarchs could justly be considered television
oligarchs.
One would think that these days Russia could not care less about television,
but all of a sudden it has again demonstrated its capabilities. Several
skillful brushes of paint, and the Communist Party, which already seemed
civilized, tamed, and safe, appeared on screens as a wild pack easily capable
of throwing the country back to the Middle Ages. The party's symbol this
time is neither boring Ziuganov, nor cautious Selezniov, but hot-tempered,
goggle-eyed Makashov. Television has been punishing the communists in various
ways - with the self-assured insolence of Sergei Dorenko, with the elegant,
intelligent amazement of Tatiana Mitkova, and with the stately offense
of the "Vesti" news anchors. All of them acted like a well-tuned orchestra,
like a good team of players; you have nowhere to hide from this truth about
communism, the only thing you can do to avoid it is turn off your television.
If Russia does manage to rid itself of the revanchist threat, if its
population finally realizes what Ziuganov's and Makashov's party really
stands for, it is TV journalists who should get the credit. In such a case,
propaganda would not be such a bad word after all.
Of course, provided that propaganda itself is not bad. There is television
that keeps propagating ideas but is watched only by television and other
officials in their offices. Those officials are genuinely surprised when
this kind of television turns out to be ineffective: "Why doesn't it work?
We are doing such a god job!" Why do our viewers (if they exist at all)
come to like our opponents whom we criticize so strongly? What can one
say here? Perhaps that TV is also a kind of art. Having airtime and a studio,
along with obeying instructions from above seven days a week, are simply
not enough to achieve success.
For success, one should also possess - excuse a word unnecessary in
Ukrainian reality - talent, along with - another unpleasant word - professionalism.
Otherwise, the only effect one is likely to accomplish is the opposite
one.
But this is a totally different story and not a magic one.






