GW Expert Available to Discuss Western Media's Pullout From Russia

WASHINGTON (March 9, 2022) — Tuesday The New York Times joined other media outlets including the BBC and Bloomberg, in temporarily removing its journalists from Russia in the wake of harsh new legislation that effectively outlaws independent reporting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Babak Bahador is an Associate Research Professor at School of Media and Public Affairs where he researches media and communication in relation to politics/ international relations with a special focus on peace and conflict. He is the author of The CNN Effect in Action: How the News Media Pushed the West Toward War in Kosovo.

In response to the news of The New York Times removing journalists under threat of violating Russian law, Bahador said this:

The absence of Western media on the ground in Russia means that Western audiences are losing some of their direct access to everyday Russians, which could lead to a narrowing range of views about the Ukrainian conflict in the West. This will likely mean that Russian views will be defined by others and a more limited understanding of public opinion in Russia will be available. Additionally, it means that Russians have one less way to express their views to Western audiences. This shift reduces opportunities to empathize with each other and find common ground.

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