Leonid Parfyonov

Acclaimed journalist blasts Russian state media

Leonid Parfyonov is the former editor-in-chief of Russian Newsweek, a television host well-known for a stream of successful, mainly non-political programmes.

But after taking to the stage last Thursday to receive a prestigious award on Russian television, Parfyonov began a five-minute speech (Watch here) slamming federal television channels for sycophantically churning out propaganda in service of the state, all before a stone-faced audience of Russian TV royalty:

National television information services have become part of the government. Journalistic topics, like all life, have been irrevocably divided into those that can be shown on TV and those that cannot.