Vladimir Danchev (Russian: Владимир Данчев, born 1948) is a former Russian newscaster at the foreign broadcasting service of Soviet radio in Moscow, who changed the English texts he was given to read in 1983, to express support for the Afghan people in their resistance to Soviet armed forces in their country.[1][2] His activities, which began in February 1983, were not uncovered until the BBC and other Western media reported his actions in May that year.
His case was then followed throughout 1983 by the fortnightly USSR News Brief bulletin.[3]
Of mixed Russian-Bulgarian descent, Danchev refused to repent his actions and was subsequently sent to a psychiatric hospital in Tashkent,[4] the city where he had grown up.[5] He was released from the hospital that autumn, according to his employers at Radio Moscow, and returned to work in December 1983 by which time all broadcasts were pre-recorded.[6][7]
According to Noam Chomsky and other commentators, Danchev's principal transgression was to embarrass the Soviet government by describing the presence of Soviet forces in Afghanistan as an "invasion".[8] According to official ideology, the USSR had not invaded Afghanistan in December 1979. It was defending the Afghan people against "terrorists funded by foreign sources": this was how the USSR referred to the Mujahedin and their backers in the CIA and Saudi Arabia.
Danchev was praised at the time in the U.S. media as a hero of free speech and free thought and in 1991 the International Federation of Human Rights inaugurated an award for journalists in his name.
^Stephen Ennis, "Vladimir Danchev, the broadcaster who defied Moscow", BBC News, 8 March 2014.
^"Afghan Blunder Is Attributed To Radio Moscow Announcer". The New York Times. 25 May 1983.
^"An Incident at Radio Moscow", USSR News Brief, 10-4, 31 May 1983 (in Russian).
^USSR News Brief, 12-7, 30 June 1983 (in Russian).
^Ennis, Stephen (8 March 2014). "Vladimir Danchev: The broadcaster who defied Moscow". BBC News Magazine.
^USSR News Brief, 23/24-18, 31 December 1983 (in Russian).
^"Moscow Broadcaster Who Altered Scripts Is Returned To Work". The New York Times. 14 December 1983.
^Noam Chomsky, "Invasion NewSpeak", Fair, December 1989.
The New York Times, 6 August 1983
Henrik Jøker Bjerre, University of Aarhus, "Everything Politics is, Chomsky is not", (2005). Paper published at www.wittgenstein-network.dk. Presented at the conference “The Grammar of Politics: Wittgenstein and Political Philosophy” held in November 2005 and arranged by The Wittgenstein Network.
Edward S. Herman. (2000) "IngSoc and NewSpeak to AmCap, AmeriGood, and MarketSpeak", published at World-Information.Org: Digital Ecology. Abridged version of a more extensive and footnoted paper, delivered at the "1984: Orwell and Our Future" conference, University of Chicago Law School, 12 November 1999.
Neilson Voyne Smith, Chomsky: Ideas and Ideals, CUP, 1999 (1st edition), p. 192.
August 29, 2023
vladimir, danchev, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, june, 2022, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, r. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Vladimir Danchev Russian Vladimir Danchev born 1948 is a former Russian newscaster at the foreign broadcasting service of Soviet radio in Moscow who changed the English texts he was given to read in 1983 to express support for the Afghan people in their resistance to Soviet armed forces in their country 1 2 His activities which began in February 1983 were not uncovered until the BBC and other Western media reported his actions in May that year His case was then followed throughout 1983 by the fortnightly USSR News Brief bulletin 3 Of mixed Russian Bulgarian descent Danchev refused to repent his actions and was subsequently sent to a psychiatric hospital in Tashkent 4 the city where he had grown up 5 He was released from the hospital that autumn according to his employers at Radio Moscow and returned to work in December 1983 by which time all broadcasts were pre recorded 6 7 According to Noam Chomsky and other commentators Danchev s principal transgression was to embarrass the Soviet government by describing the presence of Soviet forces in Afghanistan as an invasion 8 According to official ideology the USSR had not invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 It was defending the Afghan people against terrorists funded by foreign sources this was how the USSR referred to the Mujahedin and their backers in the CIA and Saudi Arabia Danchev was praised at the time in the U S media as a hero of free speech and free thought and in 1991 the International Federation of Human Rights inaugurated an award for journalists in his name See also EditLiz Wahl Marina OvsyannikovaReferences Edit Stephen Ennis Vladimir Danchev the broadcaster who defied Moscow BBC News 8 March 2014 Afghan Blunder Is Attributed To Radio Moscow Announcer The New York Times 25 May 1983 An Incident at Radio Moscow USSR News Brief 10 4 31 May 1983 in Russian USSR News Brief 12 7 30 June 1983 in Russian Ennis Stephen 8 March 2014 Vladimir Danchev The broadcaster who defied Moscow BBC News Magazine USSR News Brief 23 24 18 31 December 1983 in Russian Moscow Broadcaster Who Altered Scripts Is Returned To Work The New York Times 14 December 1983 Noam Chomsky Invasion NewSpeak Fair December 1989 The New York Times 6 August 1983 Henrik Joker Bjerre University of Aarhus Everything Politics is Chomsky is not 2005 Paper published at www wittgenstein network dk Presented at the conference The Grammar of Politics Wittgenstein and Political Philosophy held in November 2005 and arranged by The Wittgenstein Network Edward S Herman 2000 IngSoc and NewSpeak to AmCap AmeriGood and MarketSpeak published at World Information Org Digital Ecology Abridged version of a more extensive and footnoted paper delivered at the 1984 Orwell and Our Future conference University of Chicago Law School 12 November 1999 Neilson Voyne Smith Chomsky Ideas and Ideals CUP 1999 1st edition p 192 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vladimir Danchev amp oldid 1154897980, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
