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Western media outlets’ political cliches distance them from truth — TASS director general

Andrey Kondrashov emphasized that the influence of these manuals extends across the largest European and American media outlets, as well as publications from other countries

ASTRAKHAN, August 22. /TASS/. The Western mainstream media, operating under politically motivated guidelines and saturated with cliches, have distanced themselves from truth and objectivity. According to Andrey Kondrashov, Director General of TASS, all major Western outlets are currently influenced by such directives.

"Today, Western media find themselves in a very uncomfortable position," Kondrashov explained at the 10th Caspian Media Forum in Astrakhan. "They are compelled to operate in ways that starkly contrast with the principles they preached in the 1990s. Objectivity has been abandoned; instead, they rely on an endless stream of cliches and manuals that all media outlets are beholden to." He added, "It's difficult to envy them now, as many within these organizations are painfully aware of how far removed they are from the truth when working under these political scripts." Kondrashov emphasized that the influence of these manuals extends across the largest European and American media outlets, as well as publications from other countries.

About the Caspian Media Forum

The 10th Caspian Media Forum is taking place in Astrakhan on August 22. This year, the event gathers over 1,000 journalists, government officials, and representatives from public organizations across Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Gagauzia, and Uzbekistan. The forum's central theme is "The History of the Caspian: From the Past to the Future." Initiated in 2014 during the summit of the five Caspian Sea nations - Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkmenistan - the first Caspian Media Forum was held in Astrakhan in 2015. Since then, a Caspian editorial office and an expert club have been established in the Astrakhan Region to facilitate ongoing information exchange.

Organized by the government of the Astrakhan Region with support from the Russian Presidential Staff, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, the forum benefits from TASS as its official information partner. The event is streamed via TASS’s official channels and the Caspian Media Forum website, ensuring broad accessibility and engagement.

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