Russia and Ukraine have many things in common in the current financial crisis and economic downturn. As Russia is watching the capital run out of the country ($50 billion last month alone), politicians in Ukraine are bickering about that check from the IMF. These days, whether its Russia or Ukraine, everyone wants and needs every last million.
But there is one thing that sets apart Russia and Ukraine – its not the financial crisis itself but the coverage of it. Simply put, the state-dominated Russian media presents a much more limited view of the ongoing economies woes than media in Ukraine. How so and what are the implications? – Marc Schleifer and I talk about it in more detail in our recent op-ed in the Moscow Times.
There is just one comment there, but it is quite groundbreaking – apparently there is more media freedom in Russia than anywhere else. Media Freedom Index authors would probably disagree.
Published Date: November 21, 2008