Democracy. Freedom Human Rights.: A Democratizing use of Radio in Contemporary Russia

ABSTRACT

The role of radio in Russia's democratization in the 1990s deserves additional research. While scholars have paid a great deal of attention to television's role in this process, radio has been ignored. Analysis of the program Democracy, Freedom, Human Rights, which is produced by the Memorial Human Rights Center, provides important evidence of the role radio can play in raising human rights issues to a broad Russian audience. The weekly program airs on Radio Russia, a nationwide, state-run station, and is heard all over the Russian Federation and in the newly independent states as well. The program serves a didactic function by passing on information about citizens' rights and responsibilities under Russian law. In the process it supports respect for law that is necessary to consolidate democracy in Russia. In addition, the program provides an opportunity to develop a new discourse about democracy. Supporters of democracy do not defend the very idea in the face of authoritarian critics, but they discuss the various shapes that Russian democracy could take. Guests of the program discuss controversial issues in a responsible manner, rather than allowing extremists to dominate the conversation as often happens in the Russian media. The program has enjoyed a 10-year run without sensationalizing issues. Rather than imposing a new orthodoxy, the aim of the program is to generate discussion of issues. Mail from listeners indicates that this is taking place.