Leonid Parfyonov’s caustic criticism of Russian television had the effect of an exploded bomb among the country’s intelligentsia.
Speaking in capacity of the first recipient of Vladislav Listyev’s Television Award, Parfyonov called modern Russian television an ineffective civil political institution. The Kremlin, he noted, ‘took over’ the television initially under the pretext of eradicating media moguls, and later for unity in its war against terrorism.
“As a result, the political authorities are now treated as a rich dead man, about whom only either good things or nothing all is said, though different opinions are obviously demanded in the country, a fact evident in the uproar caused by the airing of the dialog between Shevchyuk with Putin.”
The award was founded by the Russian TV Academy Foundation and First TV Channel in 2010.