International journalist on TV: the evolution of the profession from the program "International Panorama" by V. Zorin to the "International Review" by E. Primakov

Legkodukh Elina Aleksandrovna Postgraduate Student, Department of Journalism, Belgorod State National Research University 308015, Russia, Belgorodskaya oblast', g. Belgorod, ul. Ul. Pobedy, 85 legkodux1983@mail.ru

 The first issue of the program "International Review" was released in March 2015 on the channel "Russia 24" and was conceived as a continuation of the legendary Soviet information and analytical program "International Review".

The outstanding international journalist V. Zorin was a co-author of the issue – he conducted the first broadcast and passed the "baton" to Yevgeny Primakov.

"The first thing the audience saw in the program was Valentin Sergeyevich, who said his signature words: "Hello, dear fellow viewers!", says Yevgeny Primakov in an interview with the Rossiya–24 channel ^[15].

Trying to preserve the traditions of Soviet international journalism, E. Primakov often turned to V. Zorin for an assessment of the issues of the International Review: "For us it was a "landmark and tuning fork" ^[15].

However, V. Zorin himself said that it is much more difficult to work as an international journalist and create high-quality editions of analytical programs in the current conditions: "It was very difficult for him, he existed within the framework of a common system. Then there was the concept of dissidence within the system. However, he (Zorin) said that it is much more difficult to work now, because the flow of information is much larger, everything happens and changes much faster ..." ^[15].

In modern realities, widespread access to information has led to the fact that viewers have begun to influence the content of Internet sites that broadcast political and information-analytical programs. In order to retain an audience and compete with infotainment programs, the creative methods of international journalists are undergoing a significant transformation.

V. Zorin emphasized this fact in his recent interviews: "There are so many really fateful events happening in the world today. Now the system that emerged after the Second World War is actually changing. You cannot create a clone, at least because you are not in the iron framework in which we were," said V. Zorin ^[14].

Of course, 35 years after the last issue of the International Review program, the methods and creative techniques of international journalists could not remain the same. Therefore, our task was to identify the positive and negative sides of the evolution of the profession.

In order to trace the transformation of the program "International Review", to study the creative techniques of Yevgeny Primakov's work, we studied the broadcasts of different periods. The content analysis was based on 11 issues of the International Review, starting from the first - 2015, the two hundredth broadcast of 2019 and the last broadcasts of 2020.

Our study consists of two parts:

- comparison of ideological and political components in programs (similarities and differences in topics and issues);

- comparative content analysis of the construction of the programs "International Review" and "International Panorama".

We started our research by studying the ideological and political components in the programs "International Panorama" and "International Review". Our task was to compare and identify similarities and differences in the topics and problems of these programs.

Analysis of the choice of subjects of the reports of the program "International Panorama"

The program "International Panorama" consists of four or five international reports, which are analyzed, summed up and concluded by the presenter of the program.

One of the reports of the program necessarily covers the international military conflict – special attention is paid to the fighting in Central America – the correspondents of the program constantly filmed reports from the Republic of Nicaragua, as well as countries such as Syria, Pakistan, Lebanon.

For example, a report "on the aggressive actions of Israel in Lebanon with the direct participation of the US army" in the program from 12/26/82 ^[29], a report "on the campaign of civil disobedience in Pakistan in response to the anti-popular regime of President Zia Ul-Haq" ^[30] aired from 09.10.1983, "a report from the Nicaraguan town of San Pedro del Norte, constantly being subjected to military attacks from neighboring Honduras" ^[31] on the air from 06.11.1983.

Examining more than thirty issues of the International Panorama program, we identified the countries from which reports were shown in each broadcast of the program – Germany, the USA, Great Britain, Japan, which indicates the ideological orientation of the program and the political vector set by the government of the Soviet Union.

For example, in the following editions of the program "International Panorama":

1. Broadcast from March 13, 1983 – in it 3 out of 5 stories are devoted to the countries of Germany, the USA, Japan: about the political situation in Germany after the early elections to the Bundestag; about the refusal of the US authorities to extradite the war criminal Boleslav Maikovskis, who led the shooting of civilians in the Latvian village of Audrini; about the work of the VII conference of heads of state and the governments of Non-Aligned countries in Delhi; about the forecasts of Japanese scientists about the possibility of a strong earthquake in September 1983 ^[32];

2. Issue dated 06.11.1983. Reports from the countries of Germany, Great Britain, USA: "a report from the West German city of Wuppertal – the birthplace of F.Engels; about the speeches of the British public against the government's decision to deploy American nuclear missiles on the territory of the country; about what the propaganda and mass media of the United States frighten their population with" ^[31].

3. Broadcast from 26.12.82. In the program reports: "USA. On the implementation of President Reagan's economic program; On the results of the outgoing year in Germany; New Year's report from Japan" ^[29].

4. Broadcast 09.10.1983. «A report from the industrial center of Northern England – the city of Sheffield; about the victim of the policy of "prohibitions on the profession" in Germany – a postal worker and a member of the city parliament, Bastian" ^[30].

This structure of reports contains almost every broadcast of the "International Panorama".

Each issue of the program necessarily included a report on a cultural event, the history of ancient cities or an interview with a famous artist (basically, this story was at the end of the broadcast).

For example, the report "Snow Festival" in the Japanese city of Sapporo" on the air from 03/18/1984 began with the following lead–up, about the cultural orientation of the plot: "Another, comrades, one essay about winter, but this time about winter without politics, and not because the Japanese have no political concerns - there are plenty of them, but because you just want to talk about winter. Muscovites are not very spoiled with their snow this year, especially since we are pleased to see at least Japanese snow ..." ^[33].

Or the report "about the Argentine singer and film actress Lolita Torres" broadcast on March 13, 1983: "And in conclusion of the program about something more pleasant: people of my generation remember the film "The Age of Love" – light as a glass of sparkling wine and the first acquaintance with the charming Lolita Torres. Then there were other meetings – the actress came to us, and now a new date – says Igor Goransky"^[32].

A special gift for the Soviet audience were reports on the history of ancient cities. For example, "a sketch about the old part of the Algerian capital – the Kasbah" in the program from 06.11.1983: "This is the Kasbah – the soul and heart of the city, its history, its present day. For four centuries, the Kasbah has been directed by a cascade of flat roofs of its houses, mosques and palaces to meet the sea. I have seen, experienced, and preserved a lot in the memory of the Kasbah and the Turkish pashas who ruled the city during the Ottoman Empire and the heyday and decline of piracy, the center of which in the Mediterranean was Algeria in the 16th – 17th centuries. The future author of the immortal "Don Quixote" Cervantes spent four years in captivity here, captured by pirates," says correspondent Evgeny Lukyanov ^[31].Such reports, even after 40 years, remain interesting and relevant, and in Soviet times they were an opening to another reality for the viewer.

Cultural reports were an integral part of the International Panorama program.

Ideological and political directions of the International Panorama program

First of all, it should be noted that during the Soviet period, the presenters could not openly voice their position on the air. For a reason, V. Zorin told E. To Primakov that it is impossible to create an absolute "clone" of the International Panorama program, since the presenters are in other time frames: "You cannot create a clone, at least because you are not in the iron framework in which we were. In our time, it was quite difficult. For example, the same Alexander Sergeyevich Bovin was excommunicated from the air three times," the outstanding international journalist repeatedly said in an interview ^[14].

Yevgeny Primakov's "International Review" is an author's program, so he openly, in a very sarcastic and ironic form, expressed his position on the politics of Europe and the United States.

In the program "International Panorama", the main ideological and political direction was anti-American policy. For example, almost the entire broadcast from 06.11. 1983 is permeated with anti-American sentiment: "Our class enemies still do not accept October (the October Revolution of 1917). For example, Ronald Reagan – he considers communism an aberration of history, that is, a deviation that would not hurt to correct ..." ^[31]. Despite the fact that the United States is not directly called an enemy, anti-American propaganda runs through the entire program. The concept of "enemy" is constantly implanted and exaggerated in the program's liner notes: "For our enemies to recognize the objective course of history means to recognize that their time has expired. This will not happen, and the enemies are busy distorting history from the very beginning ..." ^[31].

"Reagan claims that the Soviet Union is a troublemaker... And, finally, as reported, a favorite expression in the White House is: "We do not intend to allow the Communists to steal our countries from under our noses..." ^[31], such ideological statements were broadcast in the program "International Panorama".

"Washington is trying to remove the main obstacle that prevents solving the Middle East problem according to the American-Israeli recipe – either with a stick or with a carrot to eliminate the Syrian opposition to the aggressor ... Attempts to make Syria more pliable with the help of false promises do not stop – hints began to be heard from Washington that in the event of the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, it would be possible, they say, to discuss the issue of the return of the Dutch heights, which Israel captured from Syria in '67..." ^[34], - the ideological and political nature of the program is clearly traced in such information leads.

Research of the topics and issues of the program "International Review"

After analyzing more than forty programs of "International Review", we identified the following patterns: the transmission is based on three plots (among 20 issues of programs, only two have 4 plots). All reports are exclusively political in nature, covering events in Europe and the United States, as well as political conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

For example, reports: "Oil fairy tale: who rules in Saudi Arabia?" ^[16] on the air from 05.06.2015, "Boko Haram" – ISIS franchise: the group recruits supporters in Africa" ^[17] in the program from 20.11.15, "Right turn in Latin America: the Socialists were defeated in the elections"^[18] from 11.12.2015.

This is the first difference between the programs – in the "International Review" there are fewer stories – 3 political reports, in the "International Panorama" – 5.

The United States of America is under close attention in the International Review program – in each issue there are reports on US policy towards other countries, visits of the country's first leaders, election races (first Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump – 2015, Joe Biden – 2020).

For example, reports of this kind: "Why Barack Obama did not even think to apologize to the Japanese for the bombing of Hiroshima" ^[19] aired on 05/27/2016, "Family row: Hillary Clinton enters the presidential race in the United States" ^[20] aired on 04/17/2015, "Half a century without communication: Cuba opens an embassy in the United States. What do Cubans themselves think?" ^[21] aired on 07/25/2015.

In some issues of the International Review program, two of the three stories covered events in the United States: "The New Cold War. Recently, this term was applied to US–Russia relations, but the pandemic has changed everything, and now they are talking about the China-US axis of confrontation," "The election race is developing in Washington, and Barack Obama has almost fit into Joe Biden's election campaign" ^[22] in the issue of 05/15/2020.

Yevgeny Primakov pays special attention to political events in France and the UK: "Big Brother is watching us: a conference of whistleblowers in London" ^[16] aired on 05.06.2015, "The Royal family is expecting an heir: how does the British aristocracy live?" ^[20] in the issue of 17.04.2015.

Two reports on events in Europe are covered at once in the issue of 20.11.2015: "Paris is shocked by terrorist attacks, total war has been declared on terror", "Modern gangs of London: crime on the streets of the city" ^[17].

Thus, we came to the conclusion that in the airwaves of 2019 and 2020, there are two main vectors of the topics and issues of the program – the policy of the EU and the USA.

Another difference of the program "International Review" is that it is a political program in which there are practically no reports on cultural events. With rare exceptions, you can see such reports as "The Case of the Independent Dervishes: a unique festival in Turkey" ^[18] and "Cyprus – the island of Orthodoxy" ^[21].

However, even these plots are permeated with a political background. For example, a report on Cyprus begins with the eyeliner E. Primakova: "Abandoned temples and rural cattle that graze in the churchyard in Cyprus. The church has been a hostage of politics since 1074 – the island is divided between the Greeks and Turks. We have already told about this long-standing conflict in our program, the question "whose will you be?" is asked not only to people, but also to temples. A report from the island of Cyprus by Yulia Ponamareva..." ^[21].

As you can see, Yevgeny Primakov makes quite bold and open leads to the plots, bluntly expressing his political position. So, despite the fact that on the air of 11.12.2015, the program ends with a report about a beautiful cultural festival of dervishes in Turkey, E. Primakov concludes it with a bold political call to action, thus summarizing the previous stories in which the defeat of the Socialists in the elections in Latin America was highlighted: "We just want to recall one of the thoughts the Wise Rumi (an outstanding Persian Sufi poet): "when troubles pile on you one after another, when they bring you to an unbearable state, just don't give up, because this is the point where the course of events will change" ^[18].

Primakov also boldly and openly expresses his position on any political conflict in the world, criticizes the hypocrisy of the political actions of Europe and the United States. This is due to the fact that the program is authored and the presenter has much more freedom to express his position and opinion than in Soviet times, as V. Zorin said earlier.

For example: "Screening, which the special services are engaged in and are still hunting Edward Snowden because of this, is a fairly effective way of processing large amounts of information. Keywords can be used to identify an Internet user, for example, who is interested in ISIS, Iran's nuclear dossier or President Obama. For the NSA (the National Security Agency – a division of the US Department of Defense), these words are quite enough for your mail to be carefully read, and the broadcast to be carefully watched. We are for the growth of the rating of the "International Review". More viewers! Therefore, we repeat: ISIS, Obama, Iran, Qatar, nuclear weapons – everything is for you!" ^[16], – this is how Yevgeny Primakov ironically ridicules the US security service, designating it with a common name "Big Brother" from George Orwell's novel "1984".Of course, such liberties in statements could not afford the presenters during the Soviet Union.

Yevgeny Primakov also expresses his position without a hidden share of cynicism regarding the hypocritical actions of Europe regarding the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the procedure for accepting refugees from Turkey: "The procedures for accepting refugees are being worked out in the course of the play – the EU agreement with Turkey, meanwhile, is starting to work – the first batches of migrants were deported to Turkey, from where they mainly get to the European Union. In return, Europe promises to take on the resettlement of those refugees who are registered in camps in Turkey. At the same time, everyone understands that this does not fundamentally change the situation in any way. The UN Commissioner for Refugees, and it is he who should deal with this whole issue under an international mandate, even stated that he is not part of or a party to the EU agreement with Turkey, but will somehow adjust to it ... " ^[23]. Of course, E. Primakov is an outstanding international analyst, which allows him to competently and easily analyze and decompose current political conflicts around the world for the viewer. 

E. Primakov also speaks boldly and straightforwardly about the terrorist attacks in Europe: "The terrorist attack in Brussels is a tragic event!  Again, he divided the lives of Europe into "before" and "after". You have heard this banality again from European politicians – just as it happened last year after the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, when 130 people were killed. They also spoke after the terrorist attacks in London in 2005 (52 dead) or after the terrible explosions in Madrid in 2004 (191 victims). And life has always been divided into "before" and "after", every time and every time time passes and, unfortunately, until the next terrorist attack, so that everything is not forgotten, but quieted down to open the same account again....  »^[23].

It is possible to express your position so boldly only in the current realities in the author's program, which is an absolute plus in the transformation of the profession of an international journalist. However, there is only one condition – an international journalist must have outstanding analytical thinking and, above all, perform the main tasks of journalism.

Nevertheless, today the opportunity to freely express one's position and the creation of author's projects have become on the verge of permissiveness – in pursuit of ratings and entertainment content, the quality of the work of international experts has significantly decreased.

This is a negative aspect of the transformation of the profession due to information progress and lack of censorship, as in Soviet times.

Therefore, nowadays it is extremely necessary to maintain a balance in the international relations profession – to be relevant and interesting to the viewer, to keep up with the times and at the same time provide a high-quality journalistic product, that is, to conduct competent analytical work, which is what E. Primakov in the program "International Review".

Concluding the analysis of the topics and issues in the analyzed programs, it should be noted that the common feature of the ideological component is the anti-American position, but Yevgeny Primakov expresses his opinion more boldly and openly. In addition, the International Review program, unlike the International Panorama, pays special attention to events in the Middle East, in particular, in Iraq and Syria, as well as the actions of ISIS.

Comparative analysis of the construction of the programs "International Panorama" and "International Review"

Despite the fact that the program "International Review" is an author's project, Yevgeny Primakov originally conceived it as a continuation of the "International Panorama", so the screensaver, music and slogan remained unchanged.

The music in the screensaver of both TV programs is the composition "Vibrations" by the group "The Ventures" (1967), which became a kind of call sign for the viewer, followed by a voice–over: "Today in the program "International Panorama" – the events of the week: chronicle, facts, comments" ^[20] – this unchangeable The motto has been heard by Soviet viewers for almost 20 years. Now it continues to sound in the program "International Review" with an amendment to the name.

The studio in which E. Primakov conducts the program is designed in the same style as the "International Panorama" – austerity and minimalism, a blue background in the background and a microphone to the right of the presenter. Since this is a serious analytical program, no bright details should distract the viewer from the subsequent information.

However, one of the distinguishing features is that Yevgeny Primakov himself goes into the studio and announces himself as a presenter. This is due to the fact that the program, first of all, is an author's project. In Soviet times, presenters and announcers could not present themselves.

Another distinctive feature of the program "International Review" is that E. Primakov often prepares reports and takes interviews on his own, which the presenters of the International Panorama did not do before – they made leads to the reports and analytical conclusions after the plot.

For example, in the issue of the program dated 10.07.2015: "Afghanistan after the war, or the difficulties of peaceful life"^[24], which begins with a report by Yevgeny Primakov in the courtyard of the Red Cross clinic in Kabul.

"International Review" this week in Afghanistan… There is one thing, literal, practical, that brought us here – this is an incredible experience of assistance, interaction, dialogue with all groups, parties, communities, nonviolent experience that could become a model for a peaceful Afghanistan, an alternative to a military solution is the work of the international Red Cross in the country"^[24], such an eyeliner Yevgeny Primakov opens the program in a strict suit and tie near a car with the emblems of the "Red Cross".

Yevgeny Primakov interviews the head of the Orthopedic Center, Dr. Najmudin Hilal, patients of the clinic (these are the fathers of the affected families), the Head of the Red Cross delegation in Afghanistan, a representative of the Red Cross – 19–year-old Zarlasht Sarmast.

And here before us Yevgeny Primakov reveals new facets of the work of an international journalist - not only a competent analyst working in the studio, but also a journalist who must prepare materials himself.

"Today we don't have guests, but we are guests. This is Alberto Cairo, the head of the rehabilitation program of the Red Cross orthocenter in Kabul..." ^[24], Yevgeny Primakov begins the second report of the program with an interview.

Another indicator of the skill of an international journalist is the ability to competently interview both ordinary residents and top officials of the country.

For example, in the above-mentioned issue of the program dated 10.07.2015, Yevgeny Primakov interviews the President of Afghanistan (2004-2014) Hamid Karzai, before boldly criticizing the US policy towards this country in the plot summary.: "We talked about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with former President Hamid Karzai back in Moscow. Mr. Karzai may have left his formal post, but he still retains influence in Afghan politics. Moreover, President Karzai is less and less bound by obligations to the United States, which supported him in Kabul, and more and more allows himself to criticize the United States. The United States has not coped with the security problem in Afghanistan, and they have not been able to solve the humanitarian problem either. Afghanistan only looks good against the background of the war in Syria – depending on what to compare it with" ^[24].

Another distinctive feature of the "International Review" is the presence of experts in the studio, whom Yevgeny Primakov often invites for a more detailed analysis of the plots of the program.

A frequent guest of the program was Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Russia in Global Politics", whom E. Primakov considers today one of the most authoritative and competent analysts in the field of international politics.

"Hello, Fedor! Here is the G7 – the "Big Seven" in its current format has once again put us on a par with such wonderful people as ISIS, with such a wonderful disease as Ebola. Actually, Merkel quoted President Obama – exactly what I have already said… Here we are in this form in general, in principle, the "Big Seven" and why do we need it?"^[16], – in such a sarcastic form, E. Primakov appeals to Fyodor Lukyanov to analyze the reportage "Eight minus One": Western leaders did not invite Russia to discuss its policy."

In some issues of the International Review, several experts are present to analyze each plot. For example, on the air from 05.06.2015, there were four experts in the studio:

- Vitaly Naumkin – Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, correspondent of the Russian Academy of Sciences (analysis of the plot "Oil Fairy Tale: Who rules in Saudi Arabia?" ^[16]);

- Vladimir Sazhin – Iran expert, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (analysis of the situation in Iran after the anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini);

- Vladimir Stognienko – sports columnist of VGTRK (discussion of the issue of holding the World Cup in Qatar);

- Fyodor Lukyanov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, editor-in-chief of the journal "Russia in Global Politics" (analysis of the political actions of the Western leaders of the "Big Seven").

Sometimes, E. Primakov invites two experts at once, then the program proceeds in the format of a "round table". For example, on the air from 10.06.2016: "In the studio of the International Review, two guests at once are Vladislav Belyaev, a researcher at the laboratory of Neural Systems and deep Learning at MIPT, and Oleg Divov, a science fiction writer. Hello, gentlemen! Let's try to agree on the terms right away – what is "artificial intelligence"?" – E. Primakov begins the conversation ^[25].

Such an innovation in the program is certainly a positive aspect of the transformation, since each invited guest is a highly qualified specialist in this field. Therefore, the analysis of the plots turns out to be detailed, detailed and at a high professional level, which improves the quality of the program as a whole, the conversation becomes more lively and interesting for the viewer.

Information technologies have also made their own adjustments to the technical structure of the International Review program – in the issue dated 20.11.2015 E. Primakov invites an expert to a large monitor with an electronic map for a detailed analysis of the situation in Africa: "You started talking about the capital of the so–called Boko Haram, and we have a map showing the provinces of the main operations of Boko Haram - military operations, terrorist attacks. I would suggest that you go through and discuss this map..." ^[26], – E. suggests. Primakov to the program expert – Deputy Director of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leonid Fetun.

During the analysis of Boko Haram's military operations, the shooting point and angle change – the operator removes E. Primakov and L. Fetun from above, against the background of a huge screen with a map.

Any information and analytical program is initially quite difficult to perceive, and such technical innovations make the analysis more understandable and visual for the viewer.

In the latest issues of the International Review program, the author's heading "Towards the Elections" with Anton Chermensky appeared, which was not previously in the International Panorama – this is another distinctive feature of the program.

For example, on the air from 11/20/2020: "And then we have the author's column of our international columnist Anton Chermensky about our beloved, post-election American campaign. Elections have a beginning – like a revolution, but there is no end in sight. Stay with us!" ^[27], – so, in his corporate style, with a bit of sarcasm, E. Primakov makes an eyeliner for the next heading.

Further, Anton Chermensky takes over the baton from Yevgeny Primakov at all and leads first part of the program, as on the Air from 06.11.2020, and then completely "replaces" in some broadcasts, for example, on the air from 30.10.2020.

In the latest issues of the International Review (airs 2021), Fyodor Lukyanov, who has previously been an expert of the program, acts as a columnist and presenter. Of course, he perfectly copes with the tasks set and fits very organically into the overall image of the program, which should meet the general expectations and needs of the audience formed over the years.

Conclusions

As a result of comparing the ideological and political components in the programs "International Panorama" and "International Review", we found that the common aspect in them is anti-American politics. However, in the "International Review" Yevgeny Primakov openly, in an extremely sarcastic form, expressed his position on the fake policy of the United States. This is due to the fact that the program is an author's project, as well as the fact that in our time there are no strict censorship frameworks in which the observers of the "International Panorama" were.

We also revealed a trend of constant transformation in the technical structure of the International Review program, the information vector of the plots (the absence of reports on cultural events, emphasis on events in the Middle East), the appearance of experts in the studio and the author's heading "Towards the Elections" with Anton Chermensky.

 This has led to the fact that the latest issues of 2021 already vaguely resemble the original, which once again confirms the words of the great meter V. Zorin that it is impossible to "create" a clone of the transmission.

Despite this, in the case of the program "International Review" by Yevgeny Primakov, the transformation has a positive aspect, since the author's projects give freedom to build the analysis of the program in more detail, to reveal the full potential of the analytical abilities of a journalist.

At the same time, the methodology of Yevgeny Primakov's work is still based on the Soviet school of international journalists, the content of his program performs the main tasks of an information and analytical, not an entertainment program.

Thus, the evolution of the program is a consequence of the evolution of the profession of an international journalist as a whole, it is inevitable and will continue to occur due to information and technological progress, the absence of censorship frameworks, changing needs and orientations of viewers.