Canon on the air

Journalists began to confuse the presidential press conference with a direct line

By the fourteenth season of the annual press conferences of President Putin, their canon was finally defined. The president is previously carefully preparing for a conversation to operate with all the necessary figures from memory. On the eve of the current press conference, this moment was especially noted by the state media. Then follows a many hourly session of questions and answers, beyond which, like the straight line, during which Putin communicates with citizens, the public is monitored by all the public interested in politics. The purpose of the action for the Kremlin: to show that Putin does not evade difficult issues, transmit “signals”, demonstrate the personal qualities of the president, for example, wit. Purpose for the public: to catch “signals”, understand hints, evaluate the current general line. To know - with what or against what to hesitate.

The most contradictory in this design over the years is the role of the journalistic community itself. Last year, the press conference fell on the pre-election period and became a platform for impromptu debates between the two presidential candidates-Putin and Sobchak, despite the fact that the latter came to the event in journalistic accreditation. Sobchak then asked about why Navalny was not allowed to the elections and are they afraid of political competition in the Kremlin. This year Putin had less opponents, after all, the fourth term has just begun. Most representatives of domestic journalism sought to ask obviously convenient questions, so there is a feeling that this is how professionalism is now understanding.

Others generally systematically confused the site on which they are located with a direct line, and themselves as journalists - with the so -called ordinary citizens. Instead of asking questions and evaluating the quality of the answer, many colleagues took the floor in order to formulate a request.

For example, a journalist from Vladivostok asked to cancel pension reform. And a journalist from Dagestan is to take a criminal case of murder for personal control.

There were many petitioners, they desperately tried to attract attention. This year, the press conference participants were asked not to bring large posters, so some journalists tried to stand out at the expense of costumes. The Snow Maiden, a man in her father and a girl in boxing gloves were seen. Putin had to ask the audience not to arrange an “unauthorized rally”.

The most acute question was asked by the special corner of “Novaya Gazeta” Ilya Azar (see how this fragment looks on the video and how different from the common good atmosphere). He asked how the President could comment on the activities of the Wagner PMC, the murder of Russian journalists in the TsAS and the arrest of human rights activist Leo Ponomarev. And perhaps, if Putin had been asked in three hours a hundred such questions, the picture would be much less canonical.

Putin traditionally began with the "Economic Basis" and said that although there are some problems in the economy, but in general the picture is positive, everything is being established, GDP growth was 1.7%, and by 2021 there will be all 3%. The best achievement was financial stability and a surplus budget of 2.1%. Western sanctions in this context of a big problem, according to the president, are not constituted and in general historically Russia developed precisely in conditions of external pressure. Nevertheless, Russia needs a technological jerk to reach a new level. In the president’s speech this time, there were a lot of words about the benefits of progress. Along the way, he stated that he was pleased with the work of the Medvedev government, and the head of the Accounts Chamber Kudrin is a good specialist and his comrade. This signal, of course, was accepted.

After talking about our economic achievements, it came to temporary difficulties, namely an increase in VAT and retirement age. Then the president referred to the fact that the country was in short supply, and in order to maintain social obligations to people, I had to go to such measures. For economists, in all these constructions there are many points for criticism, but even the non -specialist is visible an ideological gap.

It is difficult to simultaneously refer to a surplus budget and talk about the inevitability of increasing taxes.

Putin reassured those gathered that although the West rattles with a weapon, there would be no war, because humanity has enough common sense. “Russophobes in the Kyiv corridors of the authorities” are still undercusable and, even worse, arranged a whole church schism for their elections. Which, according to the president, is a serious attack on religious freedom, because now you will have to focus on Istanbul, and there is not far from Washington.

As a note of postmodernism slipped at any modern canon at a press conference: Sergei Brilev asked the president about the current state of Russian-British relations.

And closer to the end, Putin once again stated that the economy is primary: we need to think not about the conquest of the world, but about the entry of Russia into the club of developed countries, as equal among equals. It seems that if we focus on this goal, then we are not looking for easy ways.