What would Stalin say?
Pravda is still Pravda - still patriotically Russian, still not a U.S. lover - but certain things have changed. Witness this article:
Dana Borisova is a well-known TV hostess in Russia. When a first-year student of the Moscow State University, the department of journalism, she was hosting "The Army Shop" program on The First Channel of Russian TV.
"The Army Shop" program was devoted to the present-day situation in the Russian army. Aired on weekends, the program hosted by Dana attracted hundreds of thousands of military men. As a result, Dana Borisova became the official sex symbol of the Russian Army.
Dana received an award from the Defense Ministry of Russia for successful propaganda of patriotism.
Actually, I erred. The link above does not go to an article per se, but to a photo essay on Ms. Borisova. The third paragraph above, for example, is a caption for the third picture, in which she is strategically lying topless on a (fake?) beach (strategic because her toplessness is obscured). The photo essay continues (sans captions) through a number of poses of which Stalin probably would not have approved.
Who would have thought that the former propaganda organ of the Communist Party of the USSR would eventually develop a Page 3 girl.
Well, at least Granma (the Cuban news) has remained ideologically pure. Although they do have a picture of one of the Miami 5 (Fernando González Llort) in shorts alone.
And the (North) Korean Central News Agency appears to be text only. And the text is bad hero-worship writing. A sample:
Pyongyang, June 30 (KCNA) -- Meetings, film shows and a photo and book exhibition were held in Ecuador, Laos, Guinea and Thailand from June 15 to 19 on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of Kim Jong Il's start of work at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. On display in the venue of the exhibition were photos and books showing the proud road covered by the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il. And screened at film shows were "Care Shown to Make Their Lives Shine", "February 16, the Greatest Holiday of the Nation" and other Korean films.
Unfortunately, some of these Korean films aren't discussed outside of KCNA. I performed a web search on "care shown to make their lives shine," and ended up right back at the KCNA website:
Pyongyang, September 4 [2003] (KCNA) -- The 8-day film show started to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the DPRK. To be shown this time will be films dealing with immortal feats President Kim Il Sung performed by founding the DPRK and setting a brilliant example in state building and the extraordinary leadership ability and personality of Kim Jong Il as a great man, who has steadfastly carried forward the cause of building a socialist state of Juche with his unique Songun revolutionary leadership.
Among them are documentary films on the great life of the President including "The Leader Is the Great Father of Our People" and "The Fatherly Leader with the Working Class" and other documentary films dealing with the Songun revolutionary exploits of Kim Jong Il including "Having the Great Brilliant Commander," "Care Shown to Make Their Lives Shine" and "Legend of Love Created on the Road of On-site Guidance."
Cinema-goers will see such feature films dealing with the historic days when the DPRK was founded and the heroic struggle of the army and the people for the prosperity of the country as "My Country," "The Birth of a New Government" parts 1 and 2, "The Nation and Destiny" (serials) and "People of Jagang Province" parts 1 and 2.
Scientific films will also be screened.
A national opening ceremony of the show was held at the People's Palace of Culture on Sept. 3. Opening ceremonies of the show also took place in all provincial capitals.
The show that started on Sept. 3 will last till Sept. 10 at cinemas and cultural halls across the country.
And I'm sure that the Korean Ebert and Whoever gave two thumbs up - provided that they still had thumbs.
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