MPs seek more censorship for Belarus television

Lawmakers propose to set up a commission that would check the morality level of the would-be entertainment shows, MP Halina Mazurkevich said in an interview with the European Radio for Belarus. When debating the new media law draft, she poured criticism on the moral standards of the Belarusian television.

Halina Mazurkevich: “This is not the source of cultural values which should be demonstrated to the whole nation, brining those off-beaten, filthy and disgusting jokes. I don’t think this is most acute issue for our society to laugh at how someone can defecate. Cultural and intelligent people do not talk it loud to the whole country”.

The lawmaker suggests that Roman Trachtenberg’s show “Nasha Belarussia” and other entertainment projects with obscene jokes be removed from air.

Halina Mazurkevich: “I would actually begin with the authors of the programs. I guess if someone wants to host a certain show, moral and ethical standards should be judged. I would set up a commission with a psychologist and other people familiar with ethics and esthetics on the board”.

We are well aware how quickly such proposals can be put into reality. Therefore, we asked the hosts of entertainment shows if they welcomed this idea. Zhenya Bulka, the host of the Belarusian version of Comedy Club, says this idea is stupid.

“In my view, it is very surprising. It is the same as if the staff at tobacco factory is appointed. It is the same as if to compare Tolstoy’s War and Peace with anecdotes”, says Zhenya Bulka.

At any rate, even if such a commission was set up, Zhenya Bulka wished to see the representatives of every age and gender on the board. Vasil Antsipau from Nasha Belarussia would like to see only young journalists in this commission. However, the comedian is confident his show has no obscene jokes. There is internal censorship in Nasha Belarussia, so more external censorship would be unnecessary.

“We have a very good editorial censorship. Our chief editor is Mikhail Marfin, formerly an editor with Maslyakov’s KVN. We also realize that people, even kids, watch this show. That’s why we do not afford any obscenities”, Antsipau said.

Zhenya Bulka insists there is the easiest way out of this situation. He says any obscene joke can be beeped. Ordinary viewers should not worry. Any show can be easily found in the internet.