Conclusions, part 1

My aim was to compare how Russian and American Media depict Russian internal affairs and events.

After having read and after having compared lots of materials we can conclude that the most popular topics about Russia in American press are the following:

1. The image of Russian president
2. Human rights and freedom of speech issues
3. Relations between the Russian government and the opposition
4. «Forcefull» tendencies in politics

A few words about the image of V. Putin. According to the Russian constitution, the only source of power in the Russian Federation shall be its multinational people. According to the American media, the only source of power in the Russian Federation is Vladimir Putin.
His name is mentioned almost in every article about Russia.

And we come to the 2 mains conclusions here:

1.       First of all, only American press associate Russia with an image of its president, Russian press doesn’t.

2.       Secondly, there two main ways that American press use to do it.
Here are some examples from our blog:

a)       Mentioning V.Putin in articles, that are not related to him (American press does, it shows the relations between these people and Putin, even when Putin is not related to the subject):
http://armediaa.blogspot.ru/2016/03/blog-post_40.html

American press:
WP: «Putin loyalist posts chilling death threat to Russian opposition leader»

WP: «Roldugin, a childhood friend of Putin who is the godfather of the Russian leader’s eldest daughter»

NTY: «Boris Nemtsov, Putin Foe, Is Shot Dead in Shadow of Kremlin»

Look how Vedomosty (http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2016/02/07/627690-kadirov-opublikoval) writes about the same subject. It doesn’t mention Putin at all.

Russian press
Ведомости: «Кадыров опубликовал видео с Касьяновым в прицеле снайперской винтовки»

Ведомости: «Среди них (подозреваемых) приближенные сирийского президента Башара Асада, сын бывшего президента Египта Хосни Мубарака и сенатор из Нигерии»

- neither Putin nor Roldugin is mentioned

b) The second way to relate Putin with any topic is to use his name as a synonym of the Russian government – look how a meeting that in Russia is called «митинг за сменяемость власти» Washington post names «anti-putin protest»: 

http://armediaa.blogspot.ru/2015/09/20.html

Сomparing the image of president in Russian and American press, we can conclude that Russian media tends to write about what has he done or what is he going to do and about his opinion instead of writing about his personal qualities.

Ведомости:
«Президент России Владимир Путин считает информационные программы российского телевидения правдивыми, передает «Интерфакс»

 
«Путин счел размещение ПРО США в Румынии нарушением договора о РСМД»

«Президент Владимир Путин назвал недавно «Бессмертный полк» «удивительной демонстрацией»»

WP: «He’s aggressive in his moves, but also calculating»

WP: «He has been cunning and forceful but also wary of taking steps that could damage Russia»

WP: «I saw three things - a K and a G and a B. He was a KGB agent. By definition, he doesn’t have a soul».

Main conclusions:

1)American press associates Russia and particularly the Russian government with an image of Putin. The Russian press does not.

2)The numbers of the most discussed topics are almost the same. The difference in opinions about these events.

3)Rus. and American press both use quotations they need to illustrate an opinion

4) Am. press stresses who Putin is and the Russian – what has he done or what does he think

Links:

• ·         https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/01/putin-loyalist-posts-chilling-death-threat-to-russian-opposition-leader/
• 
  
• http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2016/02/07/627690-kadirov-opublikoval

•         https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/01/putin-loyalist-posts-chilling-death-threat-to-russian-opposition-leader/

•         https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/kremlin-denies-putin-connection-to-allegations-of-secret-bank-accounts/2016/04/04/3812db5e-fa71-11e5-813a-90ab563f0dde_story.html

•         http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/02/27/boris-nemtsov-shot-moscow-novosti/24140323/

•         http://izvestia.ru/news/583538

•         https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/01/putin-loyalist-posts-chilling-death-threat-to-russian-opposition-leader/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/06/10/from-honest-to-killer-u-s-leaders-have-said-many-disparate-things-about-putin/

•         http://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/news/2016/05/13/640951-putin-schitaet

•         http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2016/05/13/640948-putin-rsmd

•          http://www.vedomosti.ru/opinion/articles/2016/05/06/640180-bessmertnii-polk-georgievskaya-lentochka

Russia and the US on international scene

Russia and the US on international scene

Topics analyzed:

1.   Conflict in Syria
2.   Offshore Leaks
3.   70th  U.N. General Assembly

1. Conflict in Syria

In American Press there are two dominating opinions: 

1. Since starting the Syrian military operation, Putin has gained his positions and has become a #1 world leader

2. Combating ISIS is not the primary goal of Russia’s presence in the country

The following extract from an article is an example of the previous statement that Russia had multiple reasons behind the support to the Syrian army (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/world/europe/vladimir-putin-russia-syria.html?_r=0)

Analysts noted that Mr. Putin had achieved most, if not all, of his goals — some stated, others not (NY Times MARCH 15, 2016)

First, to thwart another Western attempt to push for leadership change in Syria and to fight the very idea of outside governments forcing political shifts.

Second, to show that Moscow is a more reliable ally than Washington, given that the Obama administration had abandoned long-term allies like former President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt when they faced political upheaval.

Third, to restore to Russia the role it had in the Soviet era as an important actor in the Middle East and as a global problem solver, and to force respect for Mr. Putin as a world leader.

Fourth, to shatter the isolation that Washington had tried to impose on Moscow after the crisis in Ukraine, forging a dialogue with the United States and, to a lesser degree, with Europe.

Fifth, a subset of the previous goal, to distract attention from the war in Ukraine and to get lifted the economic sanctions imposed on Russia — a step the Kremlin is desperate to achieve in the face of continuing economic problems. Saving the estimated $3 million daily cost of the Syrian operations will also help, but it was not considered decisive.

Sixth, to show off the effectiveness of a new generation of weaponry from Russia, the biggest arms exporter in the world after the United States.

The difference between the coverage of Syrian Crisis is clearly seen in the topics of Russian and American media

Major news portals publish opinion-articles which makes it obvious how does one party perceive the actions of the other

Washington Post on Putin's policy in Syria (Putin’s power plays)

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-putin-will-do-to-stay-in-power/2015/09/27/12a964b0-63b7-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html)

For Putin’s entry into Syria, like almost everything else that he does, is part of his own bid to stay in power. 

Putin is ready to help another dictator reestablish dictatorship, reassert control and imprison all of his enemies, in Syria and, if needed, in Russia too.

О политике Обамы на РИА Новости

Перед США стоит вызов: уйти с порочных стратегических позиций, основанных на представлении, что активное применение американской силы якобы важно для поддержания мирового порядка, считает американский политолог.

Спросите иракцев, ливийцев и йеменцев, предлагает Уолт, — и у вас может сложиться иное мнение об американской мощи, отличающееся от того, что вы обычно слышите от Вашингтона.

2. Offshore Leaks

Panama Law Firm’s Leaked Files Detail Offshore Accounts Tied to World Leaders  

(http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/04/us/politics/leaked-documents-offshore-accounts-putin.html)

A group of news media outlets published articles on Sunday based on what they said were 11.5 million leaked documents from a Panama law firm that helped some of the world’s wealthiest people — including politicians, athletes and business moguls — establish offshore bank accounts.

Despite countless names the only one mentioned 

in the article is Vladimir Putin

“According to the news reports, the documents related to Russia identified several officials with close ties to Mr. Putin, including two of his oldest friends, Sergei Roldugin, a cellist, and Yuri V. Kovalchuk, the principal shareholder of Bank Rossiya, a financial institution that has come under sanctions by the United States as the “cashier” of officials in the Kremlin.

The reports said Mr. Putin’s friends and associates had channeled $2 billion through a complex, deliberately convoluted network of offshore companies. Mr. Putin’s name appears on none of the records for the companies or the transactions, but Bank Rossiya and Mr. Roldugin do”.

Even if Putin's name wasn't directly mentioned, news papers still found a way to link the scandal maimly to the Russian President and Russia ( by puting his picture in the article, or explaining the problem essence on "matreshka", one of the most famous world-wide image of Russia)

Here, on the other hand, are some of the Russian articles discussing the scandal

"Панамский скандал": достоверность сведений под сомнением

(http://ria.ru/politics/20160405/1402992428.html)

   В скандальных материалах упоминаются, в частности президент Украины Петр Порошенко, король Саудовской Аравии Салман ибн Абдул-Азиз Аль Сауд, президент Аргентины Маурисио Макри, президент ОАЭ Халифа бин Зайд Аль Нахайян, премьер Исландии Сигмюндюр Давид Гюннлейгссон, а также бывший первый вице-премьер Украины Павел Лазаренко и экс-премьер министр Грузии Бидзина Иванишвили.

    Среди приближенных к бывшим и нынешним государственным деятелям в материалах газеты упомянуты члены семьи президента Азербайджана Ильхама Алиева, двоюродные братья президента Сирии Башара Асада, покойный отец премьер-министра Великобритании Дэвида Кэмерона, несколько лиц, якобы приближенных к российскому президенту Владимиру Путину, личный секретарь короля Марокко Мухаммеда VI, дети премьер-министра Пакистана Наваза Шарифа, сын премьера Малайзии Наджиба Туна Разака, дочь бывшего премьера Государственного совета КНР Ли Пэна, сын бывшего президента Египта Хосни Мубарака и ряд других.

     Из российских бизнесменов в публикациях прямо упоминаются, в частности, Сулейман Керимов, Аркадий Ротенберг, Юрий Ковальчук.

      Кроме того, в материалах фигурируют имена всемирно известного актера Джеки Чана, аргентинского футболиста Лионеля Месси и индийского киноактера Амитабха Баччана.

We can clearly see that American Press points out  the correlation between the Offshore leaks and President Putin and those who have close ties with him, whereas Russian sources mention dozens of names. 

3. 70th  U.N. General Assembly

When discussing the results of the annual General Assembly of the United Nations, the vast majority of American sources marked contrasting positions of the two leaders

Who said what at today's U.N. General Assembly 
(http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/09/28/speakers-and-highlights-un/72963716/)

President Obama 

He said the United States would work with any nation, including Russia and Iran, to solve the four-year-old Syrian civil war, but Syrian PresidentBashar Assad cannot stay in office. On Ukraine, he said the world cannot stand by while Russia violates Ukraine's integrity and sovereignty. If there are no consequences for Russia's annexation of Crimea, it could happen to any other country in the United Nations, he added.

Russian President 

Vladimir Putin – He called for a global fight against Islamic extremism akin to a third World War. But Putin said such an effort in Syria should be fought alongside Assad's government forces. “We think it is an enormous mistake to refuse to work with the Syrian government and its armed forces,” Putin said. “No one but the Syrian forces and Kurdish militia are seriously fighting against the Islamic state.” The alternative is to arm terrorists who threaten Europe, Russia and other countries, he said.

In their turn, Russian Media focused mostly on the fact that Vladimir Putin "outdid" Barack Obama following the results of the assembly and on Putin's figure in general

Conclusions:

1)American press associates Russia and particularly the Russian government with an image of Putin. The Russian press does not.

2)The numbers of the most discussed topics are almost the same. The difference in opinions about these events.

3)Russian and American press both use quotations they need to illustrate an opinion

 4) Ameican press stresses who Putin is and the Russian – what has he done or what does he think

Links

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/world/europe/vladimir-putin-russia-syria.html

http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000003954467/obama-criticizes-russian-action-in-syria.html

Видео: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-10-02/obama-putin-s-strategy-in-syria-is-a-recipe-for-disaster-

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-putin-will-do-to-stay-in-power/2015/09/27/12a964b0-63b7-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html

http://ria.ru/world/20151027/1309108759.html

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/04/us/politics/leaked-documents-offshore-accounts-putin.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/04/04/panama-papers-suddeutsche-zeitung-journalists/82614652/

 http://ria.ru/politics/20160405/1402992428.html#ixzz48l6WAX11

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/09/28/speakers-and-highlights-un/72963716/

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/world/middleeast/un-general-assembly-syria-isis-refugees.html?_r=0

II. American internal policy and matters 

THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THE PRESS

•  The presidential elections in the USA

•Same-sex marriage

•The racial conflicts in the cases of police brutality

•The image of B.Obama

 

1. we would like to notice that the question of elections is very currently topical in the USA. without any doubts that the Russian media is involved in it, but distinctive feature of Russian and American articles is the difference between the news and presentation of information. so, one of the presidential candidates - Donald Trump claim that if he wins elections and begins the president of the USA he will build relationships with Putin. He also said that V. Putin does not respect the current head of state - Obama that is why the relationships between  2 countries are nor good in recent years. moreover, Trump noticed that the USA has many conflicts with many countries thereby accusing the current president. We know that many Russian politicians, residents of our country disagree with foreign policy of Obama that is why we would like to see next American president who intends to cooperate with Russia.

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2811769

Furthermore, The NYT published an article HOW D.TRUMP TALKS. Over the past week he called his political opponents 'stupid' at least 30 times in public. + he Mr. Trump's language is pessimistic. He uses the word 'problem' often - at least 87 times in the past week. 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/05/us/politics/donald-trump-talk.html

D.Trump as a scandalous person. RIA NEWS published an article, where he decided to solve the problem concerning the terrorism  - he wants not to let the Muslims in the USA. 

http://ria.ru/accents/20151210/1339536760.html#ixzz48kgHB4BC

http://ria.ru/world/20160613/1446351480.html

http://ria.ru/world/20160610/1445611144.html

His comments were widely shared on social media throughout the Arab world. In a region racked by conflicts, his language had an impact, including in Egypt, where he was condemned by the country's highest religious authority and by many others, who called him an Islamophobe , a racist. many authorities of European countries convicted him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/europe/donald-trumps-call-to-bar-muslims-reverberates-abroad.html

MAIN CONCLUSION: DESPITE THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS OF THE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES, THE IMAGE OF DONALD TRAMP AND HIS HUMAN SHAPE  ARE MORE POSITIVE AND FAVORABLE IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. THE MAIN REASON IS THAT RUSSIA AND TRUMP PURSUE THE SAME GOALS IN SOME POLITICAL QUESTIONS. MOREOVER, RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE HEAD OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT - ONE OF THE POWERFUL STATES  IN THE WORLD - SUPPORTER AND CO-THINKER. THAT IS WHY WE CAN SEE MASS PROPAGANDA OF THE POSITIVE IMAGE OF D.TRUMP IN RUSSIAN SOCIETY. 

+ NOWADAYS THERE ARE CLASHES AND MISUNDERSTANDING ON MANY ISSUES BETWEEN TWO STATE LEADERS - V.PUTIN AND B.OBAMA THAT I IS WHY RUSSIAN PRESS PUBLISHES A LOT OF ARTICLES WHERE ARE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE UNIRES STATES OF AMERICA AND CURRENT CANDIDATE FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

http://ria.ru/world/20160610/1445560454.html

THUS, INSPIRE THE FACT THAT THE TRUMP'S IMAGE BOTH RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATES WITH SCANDALOUS   PERSON WITH NUMEROUS PROVOCATIVE PHOTOS , 1/3 RUSSIANS FIND HIM OBVIOUS CANDIDATE FOR THE POST OF PRESIDENT OFTHE USA.

http://ria.ru/world/20160610/1445560454.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/us/politics/obama-jobs-economy-donald-trump.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/07/us/politics/obama-jobs-economy-donald-trump.html

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3012307

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3008887

http://ria.ru/world/20160612/1446301778.html

2. 26 of June 2015 supreme court of the USA made a decision according to which same-sex marriage does not contradict the Constitution. Thus, the law guarantees freedom and protection for every citizen. So, same-sex marriage became legal around all the country.

The reaction of Russian society to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the USA was very strange and wild for the West. So, we understand that the question of the same-sex relationships moved in sphere of policy.

 Primarily, it is the instrument of pressure. That is why west governments often say about democracy, progress and equality while opponents have labels like dictatorship, stagnation and suppression. Many Russians perceive such actions as a challenge, others Russians perceive it as pressure and therefore they tried to give feedback. So, in Russia after legalization same-sex marriages the flag of straights was created. It was an answer American actions and distribution the flag of LGBT in the Internet. 

http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2015/06/26/598234-verhovnii-sud-ssha-legalizoval-odnopolie-braki-na-vsei-territorii-strani

http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/2015/06/26/598234-verhovnii-sud-ssha-legalizoval-odnopolie-braki-na-vsei-territorii-strani

http://izvestia.ru/news/588224

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/12/16/not-so-gay-in-russia-india-and-australia/

http://izvestia.ru/news/588533#ixzz48lIXqjTe

http://ria.ru/world/20150903/1228023352.html
http://ria.ru/society/20150710/1124517864.html
http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000004347787/hunted-the-war-against-gays-in-russia.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/world/europe/gays-in-russia-find-no-haven-despite-support-from-the-west.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/opinion/sunday/mr-putins-war-on-gays.html

How can we see American newspaper published the article about negative Russian relation to the LGBT events. 

• necessary to notice that American article highlights this fact as a victory, while the Russian article just state the fact without expressing any feelings of  joy.

They highlight that Russian journalist - Kyselev Dmitriy on his show stated that the homo-sexual should be banned from donating blood. Moreover, he said that their organs would be unsuitable for transplantation for others. We can noticed that the name of Russian president configure too. According to this article https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/12/16/not-so-gay-in-russia-india-and-australia/ Russians treat to LGBT how unworthy and undignified people. 

but it is clear that this article is a tool of pressure and policy. Thus, 2 countries press to people, influence on their mind and give people deceptive image of the country. 

3.  Among the most discussed social issues in the USA is racial. Despite the obvious progress in this matter, the problem of racial prejudice is fiercely discussing in the USA. Moreover, the waves of striking racial conflicts appeared during the presidency B. Obama, whose rise to power, at that time accepted with the hope of further comprehensive changes in the social life of the country, including the matters of race relations. However, such issues was not only solved but even worsened. Therefore these questions are at the head of discussion. 

Nowadays we can notice racial problems like events which were happened because of police brutality. Eric Garner died after being put a chokehold by the  police on the sidewalk outside the shop. Garner suffered from asthma and overweight but the meet with police was the last event in his life. 

In Russian mass media there was translation of this event about 2 days.

To compare the importance of this action, we can analyze Russian press and American - when we make a request we receive 3 results (http://izvestia.ru/search?search=эрик+гарнер+) or 4 results (http://www.vedomosti.ru/search?query=эрик%20гарнер&sort=date&categories=materials). But in American press we can see about 1770 results (in NY Times, for example). 

So, we highlight that the problem of racial matters in cases of police brutality is shown as aggressive actions. But in the USA this problem reached  a large scale, than in Russia. 

The other typical events like this, for ex: the death of Michael Brown, Treivon Martin, Oscar Grant have the same coverage in Russian press.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2014/12/03/8dc55084-7b2b-11e4-84d4-7c896b90abdc_story.html

http://izvestia.ru/search?search=эрик+гарнер+

http://www.vedomosti.ru/search?query=эрик%20гарнер&sort=date&categories=materials

http://ria.ru/spravka/20160612/1446232201.html

http://ria.ru/world/20150910/1240991884.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/06/us/politics/bernie-sanders-eric-garner-ad.html

4. Based on earlier analyzed articles we can say that when Obama became a president many Russians believed in close relations between 2 countries. However, the different lines of policy, constant clashes, pressing from mass media became a barrier for understanding. 

In Russian press Obama is associated with American government and in the USA he is not. 

 When B. Obama became the president of the USA, many Russians posted these photos to compare how Russian president greets children and how the American president does it

The death of former South African president Nelson Mandela gave LGBT Americans a chance to celebrate the life of a man whose push for reconciliation and equality proactively included LGBT South Africans. The Rainbow Nation’s first post-apartheid president ushered in a constitution that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. The only one of its kind in the world.

But as all this was happening, gays were suffering serious setbacks elsewhere.

The situation for LGBT people in Russia is widely known. The same day I told you about Russian journalist Masha Gessen’s plea to nations and organizations “to help [LGBT] people get out [of Russia] with their families,” Russian President Vladimir Putin cracked down harder. He dissolved the state news agency and created one headed by Dmitry Kiselyov, an outspoken homophobe who, according to the Moscow Times, had choice things to say about gay men and lesbians.

In April 2012, Kiselyov stated on his show that he believed anti-gay propaganda laws did not go far enough and that homosexuals should be banned from donating blood and sperm. Taking it even further, he said if a homosexual died in a car accident, his or her heart should be buried or burned, but never given to someone as a transplant since the organs would be “unsuitable for extending the life of another.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/12/16/not-so-gay-in-russia-india-and-australia/ 

В России разработали флаг натуралов

Московское отделение «Единой России» подготовило свой ответ на легализацию гей-браков в США

фото: Владимир Суворов/ИЗВЕСТИЯ

В ответ на легализацию однополых браков в США и активное распространение в Сети ЛГБТ-флага в «Единой России» разработали флаг натуралов. Впервые он будет продемонстрирован в Москве вечером 8 июля на организованном партией празднике в честь Дня семьи, любви и верности в парке «Сокольники». Как рассказал «Известиям» замглавы московского отделения «Единой России» Алексей Лисовенко, День семьи в этом году планируется провести как шествие в защиту традиционных ценностей. Радужному флагу парад натуралов противопоставит флаг с изображением мамы, папы и троих детей. На флаге также присутствует хэштег «#Настоящая семья».

— Это наш ответ однополым бракам, этому издевательству над понятием семьи. Мы должны предупредить гей-горячку у себя в стране и поддерживать традиционные ценности, — говорит Лисовенко.

Читайте далее: http://izvestia.ru/news/588533#ixzz48nR1RqeV