Journalist Tikhon Dzyadko on why he went to America and why he wants to return to Russia - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

Journalist Tikhon Dzyadko - why he left for America and why he wants to return to Russia

Tikhon Dzyadko. Photo courtesy of RTVi.com

Tikhon Dzyadko. Photo provided Rtvi.com

Instead of Moscow - New York, instead of Dozhd - RTVi. Russian journalist Tikhon Dzyadko has been living and working in America for more than a year, but does not consider himself an immigrant. He openly does not like the Russian authorities, but hopes to return to Russia someday in the future.

Tikhon’s service record includes work in the international organization Reporters Without Borders, on Ekho Moskvy radio station, the Russian TV channel Dozhd, and the Ukrainian Inter. In New York, he joined the developing team of the RTVi channel, focused on the Russian-speaking diaspora.

ForumDaily talked with Tikhon Dzyadko about the atmosphere in modern Russia, the differences between Ukrainian and Russian media and the danger that comes from Donald Trump.

Tikhon, do you consider yourself an intellectual immigration?

I do not see my move as immigration. I don’t feel like an immigrant, I feel like a person who, for some – as yet undefined – period of my life, works and lives outside of Russia. But I try to go there as often as possible and connect my future with Moscow, with Russia, with everyone who is there. I don't plan to stay here forever, I plan to live in the Russian Federation.

You basically do not perceive the current Russian authorities, but at the same time you say that you still want to return to Russia and live there. Is there dissonance for you?

I have a lot of questions about who is now leading the Russian Federation, in which direction the country is heading, how it is managed and what is its development plan. In fact, there is no development plan. Of course, it can not upset me and can not scare me. And I have an unequivocal attitude towards this.

But a country and a state are not the same thing. And this applies not only to Russia, but also to Ukraine, the USA, France and other countries. There is a country that consists of a large number of completely different links: from people, habits, some places, etc. That at the moment there are people in the leadership of this or that country who you or me are stylistically, politically, ideologically not close - it happens. But history shows that some people replace others, the atmosphere changes, the air changes, and the movement changes.

You talked about the atmosphere in today's Russia. How would you describe her? Is it already the bottom or is it even worse?

I would not use these categories at all. I would say that, unfortunately, the country is currently moving towards conservatism, absolutely unjustified and unmotivated, and towards self-isolation. Both the first and second leads to the fact that the country does not develop.

The country is monstrously lagging behind a large part of the rest of the world in terms of economics, politics, living standards and cultural content.

Attempts to write off any problems on external threats and on an external enemy, and any criticism linked to the lack of patriotism is the path to nowhere, which is now, unfortunately, my country is going. History has repeatedly argued that such a choice is always wrong.

You are currently working on RTVi. Why did you decide to come to this channel and, in fact, what are you doing there?

I had a desire to work in the United States and precisely in New York. I was well acquainted with Ekaterina Kotrikadze, who heads the information service of RTVi, and addressed her with an offer of her services. This proposal, to my great satisfaction, she and CEO Nina Lepchenko met with great satisfaction.

Now I am leading the news, we are thinking about possible new formats, and I hope that this will happen. Especially in light of the fact that RTVi now has incredible opportunities for development. About a month ago a new team led by brilliant professional Alexey Pivovarov appeared on the channel. This team will expand and work in Moscow, New York, Israel, Germany. Now there are a lot of incredibly interesting plans.

I was very lucky that I got on RTVi at a time when the channel has every chance to be among the best media in Russian that are broadcast outside the Russian Federation, and how digital media can be in demand around the world, including and in Russia. This is terribly interesting.

From left to right: RTVi Information Service Director Katerina Kotrikadze, Tikhon Dzyadko, Mayor of New York Bill De Blasio. Photo courtesy of RTVi.com

From left to right: RTVi Information Service Director Katerina Kotrikadze, Tikhon Dzyadko, Mayor of New York Bill De Blasio. Photo provided Rtvi.com

You can open the veil - what changes are being prepared on the channel?

It’s too early to talk about the details, since everything is under development. But the basic conceptual idea is that now the 21 century is in the courtyard and you need to move towards digital, towards the interfacing of various formats - television, Internet site, towards promoting information through various platforms, including instant messengers and applications. You need to understand what year it is and how the media is developing around the world. Here we are going to go this way. So RTVi will develop equally in the direction of traditional television, which it has been for all these years, and in the digital-direction, which corresponds to the new realities.

I understand correctly that in the course of these changes will be added the projects that you will lead?

I hope so.

Let's talk a little about your previous work. You came to Washington as a correspondent for the Ukrainian TV channel Inter. Why did they leave from there?

I worked for a year at Inter, and I realized that I was doing a little differently from what I would like to do, and there are people who will do it much better.

What do you mean?

In recent years I have worked mainly in studio format. The job of a correspondent is not something that I can do well. It seems to me that I can work in a studio much better. Accordingly, there are people who will perceive the position of Inter's correspondent in Washington as a much greater plus. Therefore, I began to look for some opportunities and found them on RTVi.

Working at Inter for you was the first experience with a Ukrainian TV channel. According to your observations, what is the difference between Ukrainian television media and Russian ones?

I think that the Ukrainian television media today, unfortunately, are not much different from the Russian big TV channels. It would be better if they differed more. Ukrainian TV channels are in the same state of nervousness, turning into hysteria as the Russian ones.

Of course, all this can be explained by the general situation in the world, relations between Ukraine and Russia, the situation in the east of Ukraine, but, nevertheless, it seems to me, it’s not worth writing off this rather aggressive position when covering certain news.

The position of Russian TV channels now is this: we are surrounded by enemies and let’s tell everyone that the United States, the European Union and the lack of bonds are to blame for everything. And in Ukrainian big TV projects I often see that Russia is to blame for everything. Indeed, Russia - as a state and its leadership - is to blame for many things, in particular for what is happening in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. But, in my opinion, this cannot and should not be a common thread every day in almost every news story.

But what distinguishes Ukrainian channels from Russian ones is that it concerns internal stories. There are more Ukrainian channels than Russian ones, and their owners are completely different people. This, it seems to me, is a definite plus when covering internal Ukrainian stories, since viewers have the opportunity to choose. However, as in Russia in the early and mid-90s, these TV channels in one way or another reflect the aspirations and desires of their owners - representatives of certain oligarchic groups. But this creates the possibility of choosing between them.

On the one hand, I agree on the coverage of the role of Russia, but on the other hand, in Ukraine quite often there are materials exposing corruption in the ranks of the Ukrainian authorities, and there is absolutely full awareness that corruption eats the state from the inside. On Russian television, I still can not imagine this.

The fact is that I do not sit with the remote control around the clock and do not watch Ukrainian channels. I'm talking about some kind of general feeling. You are right - the degree of freedom in covering problems, compared to Russian television, is several times higher. Talk about corruption, about button-deputies, and so on. This is and there is, a priori, more. And on the Russian channels, with the exception of “Rain”, this is not at all. But the general atmospheric feeling of this nervousness, turning into hysterics, does not leave me either.

For you personally - where is the line between informing and propaganda?

Where the journalist, instead of telling about the news, proceeds to manipulation, where the journalist begins to believe that it is not the fact that is of prime importance, but his interpretation. I am convinced that journalists must submit facts. But at the same time I am also convinced that journalists should not try to play in objectivity, because objectivity does not exist.

When the presenter begins his broadcast, he greets and introduces himself - he is a specific person, with a specific name and a specific surname. And it would be strange if he didn’t have some opinion of his own. If, sitting in the frame, he does not share this opinion, it turns out that he is hiding something from me - as from the viewer, he is no longer very honest. If he is hiding something from me, if he is falsifying the facts, keeping silent about something or simply making things up (which at least the Russian media are guilty of) - let's remember the crucified boy - then this is no longer information or journalism, but propaganda and manipulation .

Photo courtesy of RTVi.com

Photo courtesy of Rtvi.com

You worked for quite a long time at Dozhd, which was experiencing problems with financing, they tried to close it. Do you think that in today’s Russia there is a chance for an independent channel that—I won’t say “supports the opposition,” but at least covers its activities—to survive and exist normally?

So you called it “Rain”. Thank God, it exists and functions. Just the last few weeks we have witnessed new and very interesting investigations made by Dozhd journalists. Another thing is that, naturally, the existence of Dozhd or any other independent information projects or independent media is an existence not thanks to, but in spite of. This is daily hard, painful work in every sense - both financial and psychological. People who continue to do this - be it at Dozhd, be it at Novaya Gazeta, be it at The New Times magazine, be it at RBC - are doing a huge, complex and very important job.

You are on RTVi now covering the American election campaign. In Russia, just recently, the elections to the State Duma were held, and presidential elections will take place soon. In your opinion, what is the difference between election campaigns in the United States and in Russia?

The difference lies in the fact that in America there is an election campaign, and in Russia it is not.

The exception is those representatives of the opposition who tried to carry out this campaign. In particular, Dmitry Gudkov, who ran for the State Duma, led a brilliant campaign, but he did not make it. With these rare exceptions, there is no campaign. In Russia in recent years, elections are not an expression of will, but an absolutely mathematical process - due to certain agreements, some people either get into parliament or not. And the agreements are implemented in the form of numbers drawn by the Central Election Commission.

In America, of course, everything is completely different. In the United States, the election campaign always proceeds as it should. For example, the first debate between candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was watched by more than 80 million people. Depending on what people hear, they change or do not change their position. Candidates travel around the country and discuss issues directly with people. And people again make their choice. This is exactly what an election campaign should look like. In the USA it looks like this. In Russia - at least today - no.

The Republican candidate, Donald Trump, made quite complimentary statements regarding Russia and President Vladimir Putin personally. Do you think that if Trump becomes president, how will relations between Russia and America change? Will countries be friends?

It seems to me that no. Because at the core of the disagreements that we observe is the difference in value positions in the first place. Regardless of whether Trump comes or Hillary Clinton, or a person with any other name, these differences will not go anywhere. These are the differences of two political systems, two societies, which today see the development of their countries completely opposite to each other.

Therefore, even if Trump becomes president, countries are unlikely to make friends. Another thing is that it will be a completely different relationship, because Trump is much more convenient and much more profitable for Russia than Hillary Clinton, because he is - in a bad sense - a flexible person. How many times on key issues of his campaign, he changed positions. And Hillary Clinton is a politician of principle. It will continue the policies that led, as Secretary of State, and led by current President Obama. It is clear that the Russian Federation does not like this policy. They will obviously try to negotiate with Trump somehow, especially since he is a businessman, and it’s probably easier to talk with businessmen.

Tikhon Dzyadko on air on RTVi. Photo courtesy of RTVi.com

Tikhon Dzyadko on air on RTVi. Photo provided Rtvi.com

Let's talk about you now. Do you like America?

Yes, I really like it here. I'm terribly interested. Every day I discover something new, despite the fact that I have been here for over a year. I traveled a lot to Europe on business trips and have always seen that a lot there differs from Russia.

But being in America for the first time three and a half years ago, I realized that it was some other kind of planet. And this feeling still does not leave me. In addition, I constantly feel some kind of cinematography of what is happening - we all know America from films.

And what's not to like?

There are things I don't understand, there are things that upset me. I am terribly upset, for example, by the current division of the country. It reminds me of Russia now - there is a group of the population that wants the country to move forward, and there is a conservative part of the population that wants to remain in their ideas about the structure of the world and does not understand that moving forward is only possible if there is progressive thinking in the head.

Are you talking about the party watershed?

This is not so much a party as a value. You can be called both a democrat and a republican, but if you think that a person with black skin cannot sit in the same place on the bus where I am sitting, with white skin, then this person has some problems. And we see that there are many such people, unfortunately. And if we have already mentioned Trump, then his danger is that he is parasitic on these archaic, dangerous and harmful moods. This is very frustrating and frightening in some sense.

Do you have favorite places in New York or in general in America?

I used to dislike New York very much, because I always found myself passing through it. I used to stay here on the 2-3 of the day, usually, and I always wanted to go somewhere, because you are in New York. It was always a terrible fussy. Now I live in Brooklyn, I work in Manhattan and every day I seem to be in two worlds.

As for some favorite places, then everything is trite. I love to walk in Central Park.

And what about Brighton Beach?

Once. This is a very interesting experience. I don't think I would live there. It seems to me that the desire for some kind of conservation is erroneous, and Brighton seemed to me to be just such a very conserved place. At that moment I didn’t even have the feeling that I was in New York. It seems to me that when you are in a country, on the contrary, you need to take from her as much as possible.

Favorite HR question. Who do you see yourself in 10 years - in what country do you live, what do you do?

I dont know. I know that I want to do the same thing that I do now, because I really like it. And it seems to me - I will say immodestly - I manage to do it well. What country am I in? Probably, I would like to see myself in Russia, because in general I see my life and the future of my children who live in Russia there. I want my colleagues and I to have the opportunity to work not in spite of, but thanks to. But there is no point in making plans.

See also:

Russian media in America in the faces: Katerina Kotrikadze

Alexey Pivovarov will be the general producer of the TV channel RTVi

RTVi presenter Vladimir Lensky: News is dragging like a whirlpool

Lead of RTVi Lisa Kaymin - about the craziness of the news editorial and about her beloved New York

Russians who changed America

Our people Rtvi
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1060 requests in 1,240 seconds.