Report from Moscow: Russian media favor Yanukovych (09/26/04)

Report from Moscow

Russian media favor Yanukovych

by Maryna Makhnonos
Special to the Ukrainian Weekly

MOSCOW - Russia's preferences concerning Ukrainian presidential candidates seem evident as that country's media outlets cover the campaign of mostly one candidate: Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia has protested against the "black PR" that some local media have applied to Mr. Yanukovych's most serious opponent Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's former central banker and ex-prime minister.

A review of coverage by newspaper and TV channels shows that Russian journalists perceive Mr. Yanukovych to be a pro-Russian candidate - the only one capable of maintaining friendly and mutually beneficial relations between Russia and Ukraine. The Viedomosti daily is one of the few exceptions as it tries to present an unbiased view of the presidential campaign in Ukraine.

Journalists' reports concerning the leader of the Our Ukraine faction, Mr. Yushchenko, vary from neutral to hostile. As most media outlets represent the general political views of Russian official powers directly or indirectly, one may assume that they reflect the true attitudes of the Russian political elite.

President Vladimir Putin's playful phrase recently uttered during the summit in Sochi supports the idea that the Kremlin is betting on Mr. Yanukovych.

In Sochi a journalist asked Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma how he views a free trade zone between Russia and Ukraine in the future, but he refrained from commenting. Then Mr. Putin proposed that the questioned be "passed" to Mr. Kuchma's neighbor to his right, eliciting some sympathetic laughter. Mr. Yanukovych was the neighbor.

TV channels and newspapers use what political scientists call "black PR" against Mr. Yushchenko. For example, the newly established Russian-language newspaper called Time of Ukraine has praised Mr. Yanukovych's political achievements and called his rule an "economic miracle," but has published only negative information about Mr. Yushchenko. Other candidates get no attention at all.

Recently the newspaper published a large photo of the Yanukovyches on one page and cited 27 critical remarks about Mr. Yushchenko on the next one. "Inability to organize work," "lack of accuracy" and "lack of skill to dress well" were only a few of the comments about Mr. Yushchenko.

On August 31 the press service of the Association of Ukrainians in Russia and the Federal National-Cultural Autonomous Organization Ukrainians of Russia publicized a statement concerning the Time of Ukraine newspaper, whose first issue became public on Ukraine's Independence Day - August 24. The diaspora's lawyers found out that the newspaper lacks the appropriate registration and demanded that the Russian police investigate whether it is published legally.

"The content of the newspaper, which is mostly dedicated to the Ukrainian presidential campaign, caused a negative reaction among Ukrainian community in Russia. The community considers it to be inadmissible to transfer methods of political battle and black PR abroad," the statement said. "Ukrainian public organizations in Russia do not participate in the presidential campaign and do support any candidate. However, actions that harm Ukraine's reputation among Russian citizens should not be left unanswered."

The leader of the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia, Oleksander Rudenko-Desniak, said that Time of Ukraine doesn't help Russian readers to see an unbiased picture of Ukraine. "The Russian media cover Ukrainian events inadequately in general. They highlight some points so that their tone, towards Ukraine is haughty. Unfortunately, some well-respected press organizations use this tone, too."

Last weekend, Vremia news on one of Russia's main state TV channels said Mr. Yushchenko is busy with self-promotion and criticism of his opponents. A journalist quoted Kyiv political scientist Mykola Pohrebynskyi as saying that Mr. Yushchenko always "complains of his destiny, which is the psychology of a man who knows he will fail in advance."

The story alleged that also scandals are associated with the Yushchenko campaign and showed a truck driver, who claimed Mr. Yushchenko's bodyguards beat him for awkward maneuvers on a highway. No replica from Mr. Yushchenko's supporters followed.

Mr. Yanukovych, on the other hand, is depicted in a positive manner in the news and even in feature stories. An hourlong TV program on the NTV channel, which is considered to be independent and is one of the most popular in Russia, broadcast an interview with Mr. Yanukovych and his wife during prime time on Saturday, August 28. There was not a word about politics, only a pleasant chat about his character with family pictures as background. However, none of the Russian TV programs gave the same attention to any of the other Ukrainian candidates, of which there are 26.

"People here underscore that Russia is interested in the current Ukrainian prime minister, while Mr. Yushchenko is so-so," Mr. Rudenko-Desniak told The Ukrainian Weekly. "I consider it to be a fabricated myth that Mr. Yushchenko is a person who seeks only to spite Russia. It's not clear how the current prime minister will treat Russia when he becomes president, some journalists have carefully noted. Also, Russia may find itself in an awkward situation after all these publications if Mr. Yushchenko wins. It should keep that in mind."

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