Barkouski: Sometimes there is a desire to ask the European Commission to cut subsidies for independent media

Pavel Barkouski, Representative for National Revival of the United Transitional Cabinet, spoke out on Facebook regarding the conflict between Siarhei Tsikhanouski and the media. He believes that independent media are in a "systemic crisis" and their funding should be cut.

Barkouski formulated several observations. He believes that the media do not adhere to standards and do not conduct sufficient fact-checking, use "crude language" and make peremptory statements.

Barkouski also complains that the media write more about Lukashenka and officials than about democratic forces.

"Even independent media pay the most attention to the actions and statements of Lukashenka and his ministers, because, they say, the lives of ordinary Belarusians depend most on this, while the activities of representatives of democratic forces are presented predominantly through the prism of disputes and scandals. (...) At the same time, the actions of democratic forces are covered much less carefully, even when concrete results are demonstrated that affect the lives of at least diaspora Belarusians, if not more widely.

Some media choose their favorites among politicians and quote them whether it's appropriate or not, turning into platforms for either Pazniak or Sannikov, while others try not to notice anyone except, perhaps, Tsikhanouskaya, because it's almost impossible not to notice her activities.

On the other hand, journalists know better than anyone else whether or not, for example, it is worth going to the elections for the Coordination Council, and are ready to unilaterally declare its diagnosis and verdict, stirring up the issue through the story with Melnikava and scandals around the institution," Barkouski writes.

He is also indignant about accidental media stars and incompetent experts, as well as the fact that media use the number of views as KPIs and focus on what people find interesting.

"Sometimes there really arises a desire to ask, at the level of the European Commission, to cut media subsidies from the 15 million per year (out of 30 million total for Belarusian civil society), so that at least the 'froth' would leave independent newsrooms and mostly professionals would remain in the profession, while incidental people would leave.

Perhaps such Darwinism would indeed positively affect the culture of independent journalism, because when its individual materials begin to be compared with works of Belarusian propaganda — that is already a diagnosis of a serious illness," Barkouski suggests.

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