“Panorama” about key issues, or Not a word about devaluation

Journalists of the press-centre of the Charter’97 tried to receive information about the reasons of devaluation in the main informational programme of the Belarusian TV “Panorama nedeli” (“Week’s panorama”).

Surprises started immediately. Among the news items announced in the one-hour program, there were no reports about devaluation of the Belarusian ruble, the news which interest absolutely all Belarusians today. In this connection we decided to watch the whole program thinking that was the piece of news nobody wanted to announce.

The main event of the last week, according to BT presenters, was opening of Christmas hockey tournament among amateur teams for the prize of Alyaksandr Lukashenka, where the main contender for victory was Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s team. Then TV viewers were taken aback by the three-time winner of the tournament of his own name, who said that only two of players are not professional players among the participants of the tournament. “The main TV item” lasted 12 minutes.

The second news item was coverage of appointment of the new chairman of Mahilyou regional executive committee. After it the presenter stated: “And now we have a report about the events most people are concerned in”. “At last,” we thought. But footage of war in Gaza followed.

Then reports about “joyful” evens followed, about parting with the leap year 2008, where awful views of earthquakes, air crashed, hurricanes and the Large Hadron Collider alternated with optimistic statistics about Belarusian’s growing purchasing power.

By that moment half a programme expires, and elated presenter informed that in the second part of the program “only good news is expected”. An idea occurred that devaluation of the national currency by 20 % might be a good even for somebody. But still there was an expectation that the even would be among the main events of the week.

After 3 minutes of advertising dedicated mostly to “Sportloto” lottery, finally joyful events followed. New year address by Lukashenka to the Belarusian people. Then a news item about New Year night in Minsk, that yellow rich Rat at last was replaced by yellow laborious Ox, who gives money only to those who work hard. And as an example faces of Belarusians and some Southern guests of our country who were celebrating were showed. And certainly the BT item showed the happiest Belarusians who were having fun near the building of the National Library.

Then the future winner of the amateur-professional hockey appeared again. He opened the new velodrome, which according to BT commenters, was a real present for all Belarusians. After cutting the ribbon of the opened sports complex, Lukashenka ordered to make the building “living” in three months.

Hopes to learn the position of the government about the devaluation of the Belarusian ruble were melting with every second, as last but one item was about development of agro-tourism in the country. That reporting still had some connection with finances, as it was called “Why rural simplicity attracts foreign purses?”

And finally the presenter announces the last topic of the program, which is at the same time advertising of Belarusian Trick-riding Cossack Theatre from Brest region.However, TV people admitted that the theatre is headed by some wonder- Cossack with Brest roots. It was told that Cossacks appeared in Belarus in the 17th century with the aim to defend the empire’s border (a strange thesis, as the imperial Russia managed to attack Russia in the end of the 18th century), and that Cossacks bring only good to people today. For viewers not to have doubts, they were shown Cossacks paraphernalia with well-known two-headed eagle. The programme ended in that. And then went advertising urging Belarusians to “invest” money in lotteries.

Today we watched the morning news on the BT channel, but not a word was said about the event with concerns all Belarusians…