PODCAST:Next Year in Moscow
TITLE:Next Year in Moscow 6: Remote work
DATE:2023-04-08 00:00:00
URL:
MODEL:gpt-4-gizmo
"Next Year in Moscow 6: Remote Work," an episode from The Economist's podcast series, explores the challenges faced by Russian independent media in the wake of the country's invasion of Ukraine. The episode, narrated by Arkady Ostrovsky, delves into the stories of various media outlets and journalists who have been forced to adapt to the oppressive media environment under Putin's regime.
The episode begins with the story of Tatiana Malkina, a journalist who courageously questioned the leaders of the 1991 Soviet coup. Fast forward to 2022, and Malkina reflects on the start of the war in Ukraine, highlighting the generational impact of such events.
A central focus of the episode is TV Rain, Russia's last independent news channel. The station, led by Tikhon Dzyadko, was forced to cease operations in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. TV Rain resumed broadcasting from abroad, but faced challenges, including a controversial statement made on air that led to a rift within the team and the loss of their broadcasting license in Latvia.
Galyne Timchenko, the head of the online news outlet Meduza, recounts her team's preparation for the worst, including moving operations abroad and establishing a network of freelancers within Russia. Meduza's work, critical of the Russian government and the war, led to its designation as an "undesirable" organization, severely limiting its operations within Russia.
Mikhail Fishman, a TV Rain anchor, shares his personal struggle with continuing his journalistic work from outside Russia. Despite the challenges, he remains committed to providing truthful reporting about the war and Russia.
The episode highlights how independent media outlets have adapted to these challenges. They have utilized technology such as VPNs to circumvent state censorship and have creatively used traditional methods like distributing printed PDFs to reach their audience within Russia.
The story of Novaya Gazeta and its editor, Dmitry Muratov, is also featured. Despite being shut down in Russia, half of Novaya Gazeta's team continues to work remotely, demonstrating the resilience and determination of Russian journalists to keep reporting despite the risks.
"Next Year in Moscow 6: Remote Work" portrays the ongoing struggle of Russian independent media to survive in an increasingly repressive environment. It underscores the importance of these media outlets in providing an alternative narrative to state propaganda and maintaining a connection with the Russian populace that opposes the war in Ukraine.
