Babr presents an overview of key events in the Irkutsk segment of the Telegram messenger for the week from February 13 to February 19 inclusive.
Is journalism dead as of 2020?
Last week, in the telegram space, they discussed the life and death of journalism and civil society in Irkutsk. It was interesting.
Stepanov and New Media (@stepanovnm):
⚰How the fourth and fifth died
In modern discourse, we mention five branches of government: judicial, legislative, executive, journalism and civil society.
I am convinced that the balance of all branches allows the society to be healthy
Now I would like to go back 10-15 years and see how the balance of our branches of government in the Irkutsk region has changed.
Journalism in the region as a power, as a force, as an institution died around 2020, or rather, it was eaten by the first three authorities: addicting to government contracts became such a drug, from which all official media withered away, turning into deviant media structures that evoke an intermediate emotion between irony and regret . Intelligent journalists either left or went into the field of PR, and stupid journalists went to work in the first three levels. Characters who stood out from the general mass and wanted to engage in journalism were not needed in official structures. But there is light at the end of the tunnel – Telegram. Today it is 90% anonymous and this is its merit: the “lack of ends” gives some freedom, some guarantee of protection for the author, this is a breakthrough in the information vacuum.
Now about civil society. Who remembers different public parties from the “Waves of Baikal” to the “School of Public Politics”? We had communities of environmentalists, architects, politicians, liberals, and so on. There were round tables and discussions. I will also remember about our “Public Policy Club”. How did we slide from all this to orchestrated pickets at Pioneer, Popular Fronts and organizations a la In Sight?
Looking back there, 10-15 years ago, I understand that it was organic there – a natural element of the life of the system, and today, carrying out something like this is almost a challenge. The reality is noticeable and obvious to me, in which the resuscitation of this is impossible. If journalism has Telegram, then there is nothing in civil society but hope.
Irkutsk Political (@Irkpolicy):
Irkutsk journalist Pavel Stepanov issued a death ode to Irkutsk journalism and civil society.
While we were thinking about the response to Pavel’s emotional and categorical text, where he completely undeservedly hung an insulting label on Irkutsk journalists, someone in the comments had already done this. Here is the “answer” to Stepanov’s take without changes.
Ashka:
“I’m afraid you’re confusing cause and effect. It’s not that government contracts have corrupted journalists. It’s just that regional and even more so local media have fewer and fewer opportunities to earn money. It did not start in 2020, but much earlier. The reasons, I think, you yourself are well aware of. One of the most important is the general availability and cheapness of information, to which not everyone was able to adapt and turn to their own benefit. For many, a budget boob has become the only chance to save the editorial office and feed the team.
Well, about civil society. It hasn’t gone anywhere, it’s just mainly engaged in the most necessary and natural for today – physical survival.
Baikal cormorant (@sterv38):
We could not help laughing while reading how Pavel Stepanov talks about the collapse of Irkutsk journalism. We have known about the collapse of journalism as such, and especially political journalism, for a long time. And our position is stated in the description of our channel. But it’s not for Pavel Stepanov to make Yaroslavna cry. Pasha was originally a commercial journalist. And his formation in the profession began with friendship with the ruling party. Now only prices and quality of video filming/editing have increased. Yesterday Pasha shot a film about how good Sergei Petrov is, although he himself is well aware of the rampant corruption in the Angarsk administration. Or, for money, she fawns over the mother businesswoman Kazakova, showing in the frame how pious she is and, in general, a holy person. And today weeping that all the journalists sold out. Here, according to Stanislavsky, we do not believe.
15 million did not help
Last week there was a rumor about the closure of the Angarsk hockey club “Ermak”. And before that, he was allocated 15 million for salvation.
Supreme Hockey League (@liga_vhl):
Immediately after the match with Lada, the players of the Yermak hockey club wrote to us with an appeal:
“- An open letter to the media and communities on the Internet from the players of HC “Ermak”
Dear fans, readers, colleagues and all concerned!
You all know that our team has been affected by a difficult situation. Yes, there are ongoing investigations. Yes, we managed to get in touch with league officials. Yes, local legislators have allocated ₽15 million to help the club. Yes, we have contacted the FHR disciplinary committee.
But so far, all these actions have not had any concrete and positive impact on us – those who have suffered from this situation and have not seen a salary since October.
We continue to slip illegal papers on early termination of contracts without payment of severance pay.
We continue to be fired in batches: 14 people went to the exit, who, with a temperature, gnaw ice and prove the impossible. And 5 players from them right after the match with “Lada” in the cold also put documents (concocted on their knees) for signature.
The All-Russian Hockey League continues to ignore us, because we are not the first and far from the last. Such cases are repeated year after year.
We caused a stir and created a precedent. But while this has not yielded any results, the situation continues to be extremely depressing.
We would like to show a better result if we did not have to fight for hard-earned and sweat, although this money is due to us by law.
All the undersigned express their disagreement with the inaction of the VHL and are waiting for an official and clear answer from the responsible persons.
Thank you for your attention.”
Angarsk gossip (@spletnikangarsk):
Meanwhile, the Ermak Hockey Club non-profit partnership ceased its activities on 01/19/2023.
It was liquidated by a court order. For some reason, we were unable to find the court’s decision in open sources.
At the time of liquidation, the non-profit organization had several outstanding enforcement proceedings from the bailiff service for a total amount of about 8 million rubles.
Irkutsk. Nowhere else (@irk_24):
Colleagues report the final closure of Yermak. 15 million for “rescue”, allocated quite recently, did not help.
New Vasyuki at minimum wages
The mayor of the Markovsky municipal district last week presented … a stop! This, of course, is good, but the telegram agreed that it was too small for the ambitions of Tatyana Makarevich.
Irkutsk Political (@Irkpolicy):
The head of Markov Tatyana Makarevich reported on the construction of another stopping point from the profiled sheet. Recall that before the new year in Markov passed three such stops. Makarevich plans to build an oasis city in Markov with ponds, museums, souvenir shops, a hippodrome, a chapel, etc.
Babr. Nowhere else (@babr24):
Colleagues, let’s call a spade a spade.
Tatyana Makarevich is a person out of place. She is incapable of being mayor.
Just because she ran some small firm doesn’t mean she’s capable of running a large municipality with lots of problems.
We think this shed is the pinnacle of her accomplishments.
Hyperboloid engineer G. (@hyperboloid_news):
Makarevich is a miracle-wonderful and marvelous-wonderful. Who and why expected normal work from her as mayor is completely incomprehensible.
