The Chairman of the SJR responded to the increasing cases of attacks on journalists

Russian journalism has never experienced such shocks as in the last four years. First, two years of work during a pandemic and reporting from the “red zones” – sometimes from the first person and while lying under an IV. Then – the front line of an information war unprecedented in history, where the Ukrainian TsIPSO is rushing into a frontal attack from the enemy, and artificial intelligence is breathing in the back. On the eve of Russian Press Day, Vladimir Solovyov, Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia, told MK what the domestic media are going through in an era of global change.

-Vladimir Gennadievich, how do you assess the state of modern Russian media?

– We live in very difficult times, in a turning point. However, this era, although difficult, is very interesting for journalism. Right now journalists can show all their talents and test themselves. Including, whether or not you can go to the North Military District zone, be under fire and write about what you see. Our journalists received training during the Covid pandemic. Many of our colleagues have realized whether they are ready to put on a protective suit and enter the red zone. Someone, lying with a drip, went live and told how everything was happening. This was a test of our journalism for mobilization readiness.

– The SVO had no less impact on journalists than the pandemic, right?

– Over the past two years, there has been a clear division into two camps. On the one hand, those who left the country and are clearly working for enemy propaganda, receive money for it and do not hide it. On the other hand, those who remained. They are the vast majority. And they work to win.

– Are young people not afraid to enter the profession against the backdrop of global changes?

– On the contrary, the profession of military correspondent has now acquired a romantic flair. When I speak at journalism departments, not only guys, but also girls come up to me – and girls are now the majority of the departments. They ask how to become a military correspondent. They imagine how beautiful it is to stand next to a tank in a bulletproof vest, something is burning behind them, and they heroically talk about it. But they don’t understand that in war you can die and be wounded. It’s blood, dirt, it’s scary. Not everyone can even mentally endure these trials. SJR conducts courses in which experienced specialists tell how to behave in extreme, emergency circumstances. How to prepare for these dangerous business trips. And we will continue to do so. But I always say that no report is worth your life. You need to stop in time.

– Now it is not safe for journalists in the rear. For example, Trofim Tatarenkov’s apartment door was recently set on fire.

– Now the Ukrainian TsIPSO (center for information and psychological special operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) is working very actively –“MK”). Journalists receive threats constantly. But we have gained a lot of experience from our Belarusian colleagues. When there was an attempted coup in Belarus, the organizers sought to suppress the will of journalists working for the state. There were attacks and death threats. They threatened to kill the children of media workers. The chairman of the Belarusian Union of Journalists, Andrei Krivosheev, was forced to walk around the city with a pistol. Threats were written on the walls of entrances and apartments of journalists: “We will kill you,” “we will strangle the children.” This is a proven practice. It was used back in Yugoslavia. And now we see the same thing in Russia.

– If we talk about threats to journalists, now many are afraid of neural networks. Robots have already learned to come up with headlines and write news. Do you think the media will reach the point where the reader or viewer will no longer be able to distinguish a report made by a live journalist from the creation of a computer?

– Recently, at a big press conference, Vladimir Putin was shown himself. He was very surprised. So deepfake options have already reached the point where, for example, an image of the president of a nuclear power who will declare war may appear on the screen. And humanity will cease to exist at this point. It is very dangerous to let the development of artificial intelligence float freely. He learns himself incredibly quickly. Already today, robots read and compose news. Artificial presenters are already appearing on many channels. Therefore, many intellectuals in different countries of the world, such as Elon Musk, say that we need to slow down the development of this amazing process a little.

– Will it turn out that sooner or later AI will send all of us, journalists, to the labor exchange?

– Nowadays there is fierce competition between journalists, bloggers and YouTube channel owners who are not responsible for their words, may not check information and therefore publish it with great speed. We have competition ahead of us with artificial intelligence. It will be even tougher. Some journalistic professions will disappear: those associated with routine data processing. But artificial intelligence is unlikely to be able to take away work “in the field” and creativity from journalists. Our most talented colleagues will benefit greatly from AI in their work. And he could deprive many others of their jobs.

– The other day, VTsIOM published interesting data. 63% of Russians support the introduction of censorship in the media. Such sentiments in society threaten journalists no less than AI, don’t you think?

– First of all, I must say that any censorship in Russia is prohibited by the Constitution. The charter of the SJR also stipulates that we are against censorship and for freedom of information. But I understand my fellow citizens who are very worried about everything that is happening. Negative information is difficult to bear. Sometimes even professional journalists do not understand where some news comes from. And even more so, ordinary citizens sometimes suffer direct harm to their health from the flow of negativity and heavy information. I see from statistics that censorship is proposed mainly by middle-aged and older people.

– That’s right, according to VTsIOM, it is mainly people from the 45+ category who support censorship.

– Young people are always against censorship and for freedom of speech. With us, you can read any foreign agents, anyone. In contrast to the enemy’s side, where the information space is tightly sealed and caulked. In this sense, we have freedom of speech. We can see everyone who has escaped and is working for the enemy. Of course, we have certain limitations. They are related to not harming those who are at the front. There was such a tendency when young people made their way closer to the front line, stood against the backdrop of a clear terrain and told on air how cool everything was. And then enemy shells flew there. Therefore, we should not talk about censorship, but about the fact that the main principle of journalism today should be the principle of “do no harm.”