I figured this was coming ...
Look at this. Maybe the Russian authorities are scared that the terrible pictures will ignite a religious war. They want to lead on this not have it turn into genocide. Kind of like they stopped showing the twin towers burning on TV because people couldn't take it emotionally and it was feared it might incite people to murder Muslims. Some people in turbans were killed, but they were Sikhs. Also, the security forces aren't exactly covered in glory by the Izvestia account. Of course, inciting people into indiscriminate mass killing does play into the hands of the terrorists. Putin has said that vigilantee justice will be viewed as terrorism. Unfortunately the tragedy at Beslan may get much worse. Beslan may only be the first act. If the Russians can't find the reall culprits that supported the actual terrorists, they are probably going to have to find someone to blame.
Izvestia editor fired over coverage of school siege
06 Sep 2004 17:48:48 GMT
Source: Reuters
MOSCOW, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The editor of the respected daily Izvestia was dismissed on Monday after shareholders complained about the newspaper's weekend coverage of the bloody end to the school siege in southern Russia.
Editor Raf Shakirov said shareholders had objected to Izvestia's Saturday issue, which featured large pictures, including one covering the front page, of dead or injured hostages at the school in Beslan and lengthy accounts of the end of the siege.
He told Reuters a major shareholder representing the interests of metal giant Vladimir Potanin had told him on Sunday: "We cannot have a newspaper in the form of a poster."
"This was said to be at odds with our format and too emotional...Clearly they wanted it like one of the main newspapers -- 'Operation completed, hostages freed, casualties, along with pictures of weary special forces rescuing children'," he said.
"Formally, I am leaving at my own request. But, naturally, I have no wish to do so," Shakirov said. "I am obliged to leave. There is no other choice."
At least 335 people, half of them children, were killed after forces stormed the school and ended the the 53-hour siege of the school by Chechen separatists.
Many newspapers have asked questions on whether the operation was carried out properly and on the Kremlin's policy in dealing with 10 years of Chechen insurgency.
But state-controlled television, Russia's most influential medium, has avoided such issues. Rights advocates and Western officials have alleged that Russian television has become less objective as more channels have fallen under state control.
Izvestia's shareholders made no comment on the departure of Shakirov, who had held his job for a year after working at a number of other publications.