"Moral censorship" from the "People's Party"

Closely connected with the issue of "censorship of bad news" is the issue of "moral censorship" in the media and on movie screens, which was raised by the "People's Party".

In July, on the initiative of Valery Galchenko, a "round table" was organized dedicated to the problems of national cinema in Russia, where issues of quotas for imported cinematographic production were discussed.

At the same time, a draft law on the same topic was submitted for discussion by the State Duma Committee on Information Policy: V. Galchenko spoke in favor of limiting the screening of imported films to 50 percent of the repertoire plan. In case of violation of the limit, it is proposed to take licenses from TV channels and cinemas.

In our opinion, quotas for imported film and television production are not, in our opinion, a sign of conservatism (for example, it is quite understandable that Karen Shakhnazarov, director of Mosfilm, is in favor of quotas for imported film production). However, the reasoning is alarming: "I watched Rambo with pleasure ... A wonderful film! Understand, I am not fighting against foreign films. I am for morality on the screen!" - said the co-chairman of the "People's Party".

Despite the fact that no one took this idea seriously, two drafts were nevertheless submitted to the State Duma - "On the display of national films and the placement of socially significant information on television broadcasting" and "On making additions to Article 4 of the RF Law "On the Mass Media information". The first draft stipulates that the share of national films should be at least 60%, and it also provides that broadcasters are required to provide at least 20% of air time per year for socially significant information; the second - a ban on showing in the electronic media "scenes of acts violence" . Their consideration was scheduled for November 18, but was canceled at the last moment without explanation. It is noteworthy that the State Duma Committee on Information Policy did not support the bills.

But the idea of ​​"moral censorship", in addition to the "People's Party", is actively supported by other political movements that have entered the election race, in particular, the People's Republican Party of Russia, the Motherland bloc.

Kuznetsov Valery. Rimbaud vs. Myshkin // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2003. 14 July.
Falyakhov Rustem. Every second film will be domestic // Newspaper. 2003. 15 July.
Will there be quotas for imported films? // News. 2003. October 3rd.
Taratorin Dmitry. Pinocchio the Legislator // Novye Izvestia. 2003. October 22.
Electoral bloc "Motherland" (People's Patriotic Union) "program documents // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2003. November 12.
Elections - 2003 // RTR. 2003. 17 November.
Raykov Gennady. We are populists // Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2003. November 18.
Satin Elena. Education of feelings // New news. 2003. November 18.