Pavel Tsoroyev, Nazran-Makhachkala. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Observers from the North Caucasus have many times stated that spread information reports on events in the region are mainly negative or even lying. Necessity of cooperative work of media resources in the NCFD in the information space became a topic of a workshop in the capital of Dagestan.
The plenipotentiary presidential envoy in the NCFD, Alexander Khloponin, stated that “this platform should be a preface of the second mass media forum in the North Caucasus, i.e. it should determine general messages for its content, one of priorities should be breakthrough of the North Caucasus mass media to the all-federal information space.”
The head of Dagestan, Ramazan Abdulatipov, supported the idea of mutual dependence of the media space and economies of the NCFD regions: “At the moment we don’t use it in full extent. Many non-professionals and provocateurs appear, who make inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations difficult.”
“It is necessary to think over steps for promotion real information on the North Caucasus in media resources. It is well known that the holy place is never empty. More mobile and motivated resources broadcast information instead of us. We should discuss a scheme of cooperation. The matter is how to resist those who spread lie. Let’s found an expert club and conduct its rotation in the media field. Moreover, we should work more with representatives of civil journalism – bloggers,” Zubair Zubairuyev, the deputy minister of press and mass media, stated.
“We have to build information agenda. Independent and adequate information should dispel myths about the Caucasus. Everybody comments on the situation in our region, even people who have nothing common with the Caucasus. And they manipulate public opinion,” Igor Sopov, the head of the Center for Modern Caucasus Policy, says.
The problem of a lack of professional journalists in the North Caucasus was discussed by Rustan Lakhov, the director of the republican information agency of Karachay-Cherkessia. According to him, the North Caucasus mass media “fight with a sling in hands against a nuclear information weapon.” As a result of the workshop the memorandum on cooperation was signed between the executive power bodies of the NCFD constituents.