The diocese of Moscow said it is "in favour of" the birth of a "Social Council for morality in the Russian Federal TV channels", an idea put forward a few months ago by the Orthodox Press Club, now being developed. The initiative - reads a release from the diocese of Moscow - was discussed last Monday during a round table in Moscow at the Catholic Curia about "Christian morality and Russian media. Together or apart?". The meeting had been organised by the Catholic archdiocese in cooperation with the Orthodox portal "Religion and mass media" (http://www.religare.ru/). "The Social Council - stated Aleksandr Scipkov, president of the Orthodox Press Club - would like to be a body that passes judgements on what happens on TV. Authoritative judgements that can be adhered to» - «We are categorically against any form of censorship - stated Scipkov -, especially preventative censorship. The goal of the Social Council for morality on TV is to offer a moral judgement of the programmes as reported in the viewers' complaints. The directors of the channels may listen to the Council's opinion or not". The initiative is also supported by father Vladimir Vigiljanskij, in charge of the press office of the Patriarchate of Moscow. According to the promoters, the Social Council would be composed of about twenty figures from the world of culture, science, art and politics (except civil servants or people working in TV). The goal would be to speak, for instance once a week, on the Russian TV channels to express its point of view on the programme schedules. Mgr. Paolo Pezzi, Catholic archbishop of the Mother of God in Moscow, stated that "one has to cope somehow" with the violence and lack of ethical principles of TV, "without shirking one's responsibilities". The president of the Russian Press Club, Aleksandr Scipkov, said to those present that the initiative has also been supported by the Lutherans, the Patriarch Alexius II, the Great Mufti of Russia Ravil Gaynutdin and the head rabbi of Russia, Berel Lazar. In addition, Scipkov announced that "the Council of the Federation has prepared a bill of law that will be discussed soon". The morally-negative influence of TV has also been denounced by most of the people interviewed for the survey conducted by the website Religare.ru, who said they are in favour of the bill of law for the Social Council.

News by SIR