Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has launched a video blog, in which he appears in shirt and jeans (none of Gordon Brown’s ill-fitting jackets and terrifying grins) and expounds the virtues of the internet to Russia’s yoof. Apparently, it’s a good tool for governments to interact with their citizens, and for the latter to suggest “interesting ideas,” although Medvedev admits that state provision of online services is weak. Videos so far cover such gripping issues as the World Policy Conference in Evian, his preparations for the Annual Federal Assembly address, and “recreation and the development of popular sports in Russia.”
Perhaps more surprisingly, the blog allows for comments. Young Russians are understandably wary of this – several of those who have left comments so far are worried about being locked up if they say what they really think. According to the Atlantic Monthly, however, some of the suggestions have already been acted on – the president’s staff looked into a complaint about a local children’s hospital and the hospital called a press conference to discuss the problem.
Other comments have been less serious – one asked if the prez is going to an Alice Cooper concert in Moscow in June (no reply yet). Another wondered why he’s filmed sitting in front of a load of ancient monitors when he’s trying to look like a funky netizen. Thousands of people have remarked on various issues, and there are signs that the blog is lightening up – one vid shows Medvedev in a plane on his way back from Latin America, telling viewers his impressions of Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba.
Update: Actually, I’ve just read the transcript and that clip is not as exciting as it sounds – far from telling us about Havana nightlife, encounters with Rio transssexuals or doing drugs in the Andes, Medvedev limits himself to explaining what an important trading partner South America is and how great Castro was. Oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.
