All news

Russia-US journalist exchange is big plus for "resetting" - view

The head of the Moscow Journalists' Union said "we're taking steps toward knowing each other

MOSCOW, October 6 (Itar-Tass) — Editor-in-chief of the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets Pavel Gusev said the resumption of Russia-US journalist exchange will be "a big plus, in general, for resetting" bilateral relations.

Gusev was speaking at a meeting of the working group on education, culture, sports and mass media under the Russian-American presidential commission which took place at the Itar-Tass news agency.

It is also necessary for dispelling a number of stereotypes in Russian and U.S. journalists and international relations experts, although part of these stereotypes is gone by now.

Gusev is confident that young journalists under 30 years of age must participate in the program, as it is the most productive and creative age.

It is very significant that they can exchange experience, knowledge, information, but, most importantly, they can work and prepare publications both for local mass media and media outlets in their own country.

He underlined that such an exchange might "bring our views closer in some ways; if the exchange program continues for several years, it will be a big plus, in general, for resetting (Russian-US relations) for developing personal ties, and, most importantly, and the information base will expand both in Russia and the USA."

The head of the Moscow Journalists' Union said "we're taking steps toward knowing each other not from the position of propaganda machine or the machine which has proven itself for long years, but through personal contacts, through our various exchanges."

In this connection, he called for exchanges between Russian and U.S. professors who could read "lectures for students, for those who begin to study political science, journalists, philology, i.e. for students of the humanities." "In this respect, learning about each other would bring us even closer," Gusev said.

Gusev stated that regrettably, there are many "blank or obscure spots" in the information the two countries have about each other, citing an example from his own experience. During his two weeks' stay in the USA, he heard news about Russia once or twice on U.S. television, all the reminding time was devoted to domestic points of view or conflict areas. "That is, we don't exist in the U.S information space as a country to report about."

Conversely, Russian television covers U.S. themes practically in any program to this or that extent.

"We should meet each other halfway, because we are two large peoples, two large countries. Economically, we may have different potential, but it's not about economic potential at present. The thing is there is a powerful human potential and very strong influence in the world, and it is this influence in the world that is attained through political and journalist circles, through the authoritative leading forces which make the intellectual base," Gusev underlined.

The Russian-U.S. agreement on young journalists' exchange in 2012-2013 was signed at an international conference on mass media at the Itar-Tass news agency on Tuesday.

The document was inked by Chairman of the Union of Moscow Journalists Pavel Gusev for Russia and President of the International Center for Journalists Joyce Barnathan and Knight Foundation representative Eric Newton for the USA.