Controvercial Time’s Person of the Year: a Marketing Trick or an Insight?

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was elected Time’s Person of the Year. At first, I was outraged, for the cynicism of the Russian parliamentary elections made many outsiders eyebrows rise to the other side of their heads.

However having looked at the explanation in more details, indeed the choice is commendable. And whilst Tom Casey, the US Government spokesman refused to comment as he didn’t want to help Time sell more magazines, the decision behind such an award is surely not only PR related, though undoubtedly controversial.

Previous winners include Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. After Ayatollah Khomeini won the award in 1979, thousands of readers cancelled their subscriptions but it has certainly created talk in the media. So here is why I think there is more to the award than a PR stunt.

To start with, the award is not an honour, no matter how Kremlin’s Administration is using it to its advantage. It is a mark of a significant achievement or change. Surely, there are both as far as Putin is concerned. The country is an economic power, and its oil and gas not only drive the prosperity,  but also respect from the worlds nations.

 On the other side of the scale are corrupted courts and an intricate legal system, making it easier for the government or other interested parties to shout “Illegal!” and get the victim out of business or action, if the motives are political. Rossneft, British Council and Garry Kassparov, the presidential candidate, are just few examples. Taking Victor Shenderovitch to jail after legally allowed one person’s demonstration took place – using a prop student with a flag to increase the number of demonstators to two - is another simple way how unwanted action can be served under illegal sauce.

Then there is infrastructure, which didn’t see much money also the government is awashed with cash. Education and health system are less than inadequate. Corruption is of staggering proportions. The freedom of speech is extinct, as is any viable political opposition.

The award of Time magazine is perhaps more fascinating, as it allows us readers and viewers to see the free Western press interact with the Russian President, who has not been challenged by journalists for many years.

And finally, this feature on the Time website is a true blend of technologies: read the condensed article, make your own judgement from a full transcript, or watch the facial expressions of the Russian president in this video. And if that’s not enough information, check out the videoblog about the Russian countryside.

I don’t know if the authors have irritated Putin enough to be refused Russian visas during their next visit, but they have certainly made an impact: they let us all see Putin without Russian media’s pink glasses, or political correctness of the oil hungry politicians.

Tags: Russia