The Washington Times, the second-popular and one of the most-often-quoted newspapers in the U.S., has published the article by Markus Kuokkanen on the initiatives for Belarus: Belsat TV, ARU TV and the European Humanities University. The author has paid much attention to Belsat TV.
The article highlights the difficult conditions which the Belarusian contributors of Belsat TV have to work in. The author believes that the main mission of the channel is presenting an alternative view to the Belarusian people.
Belsat TV, has been broadcasting via satellite from across the border in Poland since 2006. Because it is illegal to work for foreign media in Belarus without a special permit, Belsat TV doesn’t officially have any journalists based there. It is watched regularly by half a million of Belarus‘ 9.5 million people. The author stresses that often Belsat TV is the only station capable of filming and broadcasting footage of events such as demonstrations.
According to the interviewees, quoted by Markus Kuokkanen, the dissident media provide uncensored news and a platform for the opposition which have no other place to debate publicly.
Belsat TV helps to revive the Belarusian language, which has been forced into a “language ghetto” as Russian dominates the state media.
The article states that initiatives such as Belsat, ARU TV and the EHU provide hope for a post-Lukashenka future.
Article by Markus Kuokkanen on the Washington Times web site
