Our new blog was launched in mid-May. The name says it all: Russia: Other Points of View (ROPV), www.russiaotherpointsofview.com.

ROPV's mission is to provide a forum where points of view on Russia other than those written by key journalists and pundits, can be found. We do this by analyzing current articles in the major mainstream media, for their adherence to professional standards of objective journalism including omission of key facts and 16 other criteria. We aren't argumentative but feel that all who watch Russia assiduously deserve to have a voice.

ROPV was initiated originally to give a broader perspective to the tens of thousands of CCI's volunteers - American business people and Rotarians across the U.S. who are frustrated with major media outlets' interpretations of Russia. They train Russians in their companies and communities and from them get a different slant on Russia today - quite a few then go to Russia to visit their new friends and find a completely different country than is portrayed in their U.S. newspapers.

I have hired Gordon Hahn, PhD, to lead ROPVs analysis of media articles. He's great for this position because he's a natural sleuth with details, has a photographic memory, and is a confirmed "democracy" guy. The combination is what I'd hoped to find. We will soon add VIP interviews and panels on specific topics and at present have begun carrying articles by heavy weights like Kissinger, Nunn-Lugar, etc., who back up other points of view - and who may not have been read on the rare occasions when their articles appear in major U.S. publications.

Sharon Tennison, President
Center for Citizen Initiatives
Presidio of San Francisco
1008 General Kennedy Avenue, First Floor
PO Box 29912
San Francisco, CA 94129
Phone: (415) 561-7777 ext. 217
Fax: (415) 561-7778
sharon@ccisf.org
http://www.ccisf.org.