Russian EuroNews Bias
The news coverage of Alexander Lukashenka’s inauguration ceremony on EuroNews demonstrated once again how biased the Russian language version of EuroNews really is.
The original phrase in English:
“International observers said the [Belarus’] vote was neither free nor fair. EU officials also warmly welcomed Milinkevich this week in a rebuke to Lukashenko.”
was removed and replaced with this phrase in Russian:
“EU was not very happy with the results, but it decided to limit its reaction to humanitarian (sic!) sanctions.”
The full texts of the articles in question can be found on the Belarusian United Civic Party website [1]
This is not the first time Russian EuroNews does that. I wonder if EU Commission is aware of the fact that EU-sponsored channel which exists on EU taxpayers’ money has such quality standards of journalism and regularly censors its Russian version, especially when it comes to Belarus-related topics.
Some other examples I cared to write about:
• EuroNews Coverage — and their headlines
• Shooting incident — and the EuroNews coverage
• Top news on CNN — no news on EuroNews
If you want to know how bad Lukashenka really looked during inauguration I don’t recommend to rely on Russian EuroNews news reports, read the blogs instead:
• Lukashenko makes a tired and tedious impression
• On Lukashenka’s inauguration
April 11th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
Is possible to complain as I did following the next link:
http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=newcontacts&form=1&id=31&lng=1
Regards
April 11th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Interesting to see that all the journalists are russians for the Russian version of Euronews…
http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=whois&lng=2
April 11th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
If you want to see their faces, follow this link:
http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=whois&lng=2
Press on “Redaction” and after on “Equpe de langue russe”
Regards
April 12th, 2006 at 9:23 am
But what’s the problem? Of course, they need native speakers. So in Spanish department it’s Spaniards, in Portugese - journalists from Portugal, etc… The problem is not that they are Russians. The problem is how they “translate” things into Russian, when it comes to Belarus-related news items.
April 12th, 2006 at 10:59 am
I know, but maybe this way of “translate” would be very different if the journalists are Lithuanians, Polish, Belarusians…citizens and Russian speakers instead of only Russians citizens. What I mean is, if this way on “translate” is only happening in the Russian version (I use to watch Euronews in English, Spanish and Portuguese and all of those versions use almost the same speech) probably is due to one of the following reasons (or all of them):
1.They are very bad journalists (I wonder how the selection process for Euronews is)
2.They receive instructions from Russia
3.They just tell what is good for Russia and what the Russians want to listen as citizens of an “empire”
and, sorry, no way with my taxes.
Regards
April 12th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
I agree with Edmundo. It isnt the language itself. Most likely it’s option 2 or 3. Remember that Putin supports lukashenka. Therefore most negative comments about either Belarus or Russia will end up being slimmed down or altered. There’s also a possibility that it is not the translator’s themselves whom are responsible for this (am pretty sure the director / editor wouldnt allow mangling of content) but more likely that Euronews signed a contract stating they should censor the Russian version. Pretty much like the recent row about Google’s filtering policies for China.
April 12th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
The pro-Putin bias with Russian journalists is rife.
Even BBC Russian has to change their articles as some ‘more enthusiastic’ comrades let their Nationalist pride spill on to the site.
Talk about Propaganda, everybody in Russia thinks as one.
April 16th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
[…] Some other previous examples I cared to write about: • Russian EuroNews: “EU not happy” • Russian EuroNews Coverage — and their headlines • Shooting incident — and Russian EuroNews coverage • Top news on CNN — no news on EuroNews […]
May 21st, 2008 at 2:23 pm
A close look at the so called EUROnews, will show that its coverage is limited to Spanish, French, German and central europe affairs and events. You hardly ever see any Scandinavian affairs. Euronews is just a propoganda machine for Spain and ETA