It is old proverb 'Hasty makes Nasty'. It was revisited again. This time media which has been always claimed became the victim.In Russia media tried to go akin to US media.
The scapegoat was former Russian Prez Vladimir Putin. A tabloid, Moskovsky Korrespondent, published rumors that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife to marry a 24-year-old gymnast Alina Kabayeva.
So again the media committed silly things and faced the ire.
Later it was proved a funny. Duma, or lower house of parliament, overwhelmingly passed a bill that would loosen the libel and slander laws, and also allow the central government to shut down news outlets that published material deemed to fall under the new definitions. The newspaper shut down after Moscow authorities barred its distribution
Well, Russia’s press has a lot to learn about journalism, too, said The Moscow Times in an editorial. Here, “leaks to the press are routinely used to discredit public figures, journalists are regularly accused of blackmail and authorities systematically cow independent-minded media.” In this case, “the newspaper did not identify its sources, a practice that, while defendable in certain circumstances, was unacceptable given that it did not even bother to call the Kremlin for comment.” This whole mess could have been avoided if the paper had observed some “basic rules of reporting.” Then the paper shut down, and the Duma promptly sealed the media’s coffin. "Are relations between Chairman Putin and Deputy Kabaeva anything more than comradely? Don't look for answers in a Russian newspaper anytime soon.”
Well, Russia’s press has a lot to learn about journalism, too, said The Moscow Times in an editorial. Here, “leaks to the press are routinely used to discredit public figures, journalists are regularly accused of blackmail and authorities systematically cow independent-minded media.” In this case, “the newspaper did not identify its sources, a practice that, while defendable in certain circumstances, was unacceptable given that it did not even bother to call the Kremlin for comment.” This whole mess could have been avoided if the paper had observed some “basic rules of reporting.” Then the paper shut down, and the Duma promptly sealed the media’s coffin. "Are relations between Chairman Putin and Deputy Kabaeva anything more than comradely? Don't look for answers in a Russian newspaper anytime soon.”
The story, picked up by the world’s media, caused the Kremlin severe embarrassment and led Putin to blame journalists “who, with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies, prowl into others’ lives.”
The offending newspaper, Moskovsky Korrespondent, subsequently ran a front-page apology and suspended publication for “financial reasons”.
But that did not appear to satisfy angry parliamentarians who voted to give authorities unprecedented powers to shut down media organisations guilty of libel. A news outlet that “disseminates deliberately false information damaging individual honour and dignity” of a public official will be subject to harsh punishment.
The State Duma has voted 339-1 in favor of a measure that gives the government an additional tool to crack down on dissent, the Moscow Times reported Monday.
Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to widen the definition of slander and libel and give regulators the authority to shut down media outlets found guilty of publishing such material.
The legislation, passed by the State Duma 339-1, is the latest attempt by the government to squeeze the country’s increasingly embattled news media.
The bill allows authorities to suspend and close down media outlets for libel and slander — punishment that is identical for news media found to be promoting terrorism, extremism and racial hatred.
It also expands the definition for slander and libel to “dissemination of deliberately false information damaging individual honor and dignity.”
The legislation will be considered in two more readings, before heading to the upper house of parliament, where approval is likely, and then to Putin for signing.
The bill’s passage comes just days after a scandal involving a tabloid newspaper that had reported that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry a champion gymnast.
Putin vehemently denied the report in Moskovsky Korrespondent and the newspaper was shut down after Moscow authorities banned its distribution and the chief editor resigned.
The bill was submitted by Robert Schlegel, a former activist of the Kremlin-backed youth movement Nashi that gained notoriety for street protests and political pranks against Putin critics.
The offending newspaper, Moskovsky Korrespondent, subsequently ran a front-page apology and suspended publication for “financial reasons”.
But that did not appear to satisfy angry parliamentarians who voted to give authorities unprecedented powers to shut down media organisations guilty of libel. A news outlet that “disseminates deliberately false information damaging individual honour and dignity” of a public official will be subject to harsh punishment.
The State Duma has voted 339-1 in favor of a measure that gives the government an additional tool to crack down on dissent, the Moscow Times reported Monday.
Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to widen the definition of slander and libel and give regulators the authority to shut down media outlets found guilty of publishing such material.
The legislation, passed by the State Duma 339-1, is the latest attempt by the government to squeeze the country’s increasingly embattled news media.
The bill allows authorities to suspend and close down media outlets for libel and slander — punishment that is identical for news media found to be promoting terrorism, extremism and racial hatred.
It also expands the definition for slander and libel to “dissemination of deliberately false information damaging individual honor and dignity.”
The legislation will be considered in two more readings, before heading to the upper house of parliament, where approval is likely, and then to Putin for signing.
The bill’s passage comes just days after a scandal involving a tabloid newspaper that had reported that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry a champion gymnast.
Putin vehemently denied the report in Moskovsky Korrespondent and the newspaper was shut down after Moscow authorities banned its distribution and the chief editor resigned.
The bill was submitted by Robert Schlegel, a former activist of the Kremlin-backed youth movement Nashi that gained notoriety for street protests and political pranks against Putin critics.
