This Thursday April 15 Russian TV broadcasted acros the country President Vladimir Putin’s 14 th annual 3.5 hour question-and-answer session. Putin’s answers to dozens of questions covered most of issues that could be considered important. Today the session is the main subject of discussions in Russian media.
The CNN web site that presented the overage of the session mostly commented on Putin’s answers to questions about international politics. The coverage includes even video recording of the parts of the Russian broadcast.
The CNN coverage neglects to pa attention to two facts, which especially struck many Russian commentators. First, Putin’s rhetoric was much more peaceful than his rhetoric in all his speeches made since the annexation of Crimea. Some commentators think that it shows the President’s desire to put an end to the conflict with USA and Europe.
What seems even more important is that for the first time in the history of Putin’s TV Q & A sessions, much more time was devoted to the Russian internal problems then to foreign affairs. Several millions messages with questions were sent to Putin by Russians prior to the session. The greatest number of questions was devoted to terrible condition of Russian roads; next were questions about housing; and third were problems with medical services.
While answering the questions Putin seemed to share these concerns with Russians, though in reality Putin’s government keeps cutting funds allocated to these issues in Russian budget. One example: during the time of Putin’s rule, 50% of Russian hospitals have closed.
After the session some discussion appeared in Russian media devoted to the way the session was produced. It was presented to Russians as a live, uncontrolled broadcast.
Among participants were even some recognizable representatives of the opposition. One of them, Vladimir Ryzkov, said in his interview to democratic radio station “Eho Moskvy” that he was invited to the session by the television producers and was given no specific instructions. He and other representatives of the opposition were told that all of the invitees would be free to raise their hand showing that they have a question.
Putin himself was to choose whom he’ll allow to ask questions. It happened that Putin chose none of the oppositionists.
The web site of the BBC Russian Service published an article about the preparations for the Putin’s session. According to the article several dozen people from different regions of Russia were brought three days earlier to the Meadow Hotel, which belons to President’s administration and is located in the forest of the most fashionable Moscow suburb.
Some knew that they would take part in the Putin’s session, while others were told that they are going to participate in a “talk show”.
On Tuesday all invited were put through a sort of casting process and it was determined who would have the opportunity to ask questions to the President in the “live” broadcast.
On Wednesday they were taken to Moscow for rehearsals. Those who were not casted for the show, were treated to a tour of Moscow.
At the time apart from rehearsals, the participants of the session lived the normal life of the hotel guests. They could, for example, visit the disco. However, the scope for entertainment was still somewhat limited for them: alcohol was not sold to them at the bar.
Among the participants of the show were some celebrities. How were they convinced to participate in it? A BBC correspondent asked this question of Vladimir Balakin, the director of the Institute of Physics, located in a small town of Protvino, not far from Moscow.
Balakin told the correspondent that about 10 days prior to the show, he was repeatedly called by a TV producer and invited to participate in a “talk show”.
“I asked him,” said Balakin “to explain what was the topic of the show, but I was told that it will be explained later. I said that unless they send me a letter, a script, what’s it all about … I’m busy, I have no time to be on talk shows.”
TV producers have sent Balakin a script, something abstract. It was difficult to understand what’s the show about. Balakin decided not to go and even didn’t respond to the producer’s letter.
Several days later, the mayor of Protvino, his friend, “suddenly” called Balakin. He said that from April 12 to April 14 a meeting on the issues very important to their town will take place in Moscow, and it is necessary for Balakin to be there. He said that the Deputy Governor and other important people who were known to Balakin, were going to be there too. Only when Balakin was brought to the Meadow Hote did he understood what was the nature of the important meeting in which he was chosen to participate.
