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Frankly, I do not like any of the blogs which I visited. All of them look like something the same way and unattractive. No creative thoughts and ideas. It seems that all they have done for the sake of ratings. But, nevertheless, among all these creations, I would like to mention a blog of Anton Zolotych, http://az-opinion.blogspot.com/, where I can see a clear understanding of the material by the author. I know that Anton is a musician, so he clearly understands what happens in the music industry in the media. 

Another blog which I visited, http://stereotypinginmedia.blogspot.com/, is about stereotyping. This blog is interesting, but very vague and not creative. 


The blog of Nathalie Toth, http://nathalie-mediaandviolence.blogspot.com/, looks good. I now she is smart girl and always makes creative things. Media and violence is very important topic nowadays, and she 
described this problem accessibly, supporting arguments with reliable sources.


http://sexinmassmedia.blogspot.com
This blog is really funny, but actually it is about nothing. I think this is a problem that we can not fight with. After all, we are aware to get rid of the problem of the negative impact of media on children, we need to get rid of the children. Paradox.

http://womenportrayals.blogspot.com/ 
The last blog I visited is about women in media. Actually, this is a problem for feminists. I dont care about this in media, I just like to see beautiful women in magazines and on TV.

Afterword

     Any people in any historical time cannot live without myths. During the existence of the Russia, national history overgrew with various legends and myths. Myths have degenerated into stable stereotypes about Russia many centuries ago. With the myths that our entire history is a complete drunkenness, blood and bad roads, we cannot cope already the fifth century. Foreigners have a very peculiar idea of Russian life. For some of them, Russians are aborigines from a faraway land, who only drink vodka and eating caviar, and play the balalaika. For others - Mafiosi, who wear a hat with earflaps, shot from the bears, and again, drink vodka. For someone else, we are enslaved people under the tyranny of the new government of KGB and bandits. Of course, all this ideas - are stupid, far from the truth, stereotypes of foreigners who have already frozen by the thought that in the winter in Russia, temperatures can reach minus forty degrees, who still believe that the polar bears walk down the city-hero of Moscow and scare passers-by; who consider that Russians are drunks and rowdy, but who themselves would be surprised of unprecedented strength and endurance in front of the liquor of Russians, and who would sleep in salads after the first few glasses of vodka. I think we have to deal with this phenomenon and do not give a disgrace the Russian people. After all, Russia has always been famous for its rich cultural and spiritual heritage. The unique secret of the Russian soul at all times was being tried to understand and solve. Russian classical literature is one of the most widely read in the world; Russian classical music is daily played in thousands Philharmonic and concert halls in the world; Russian national cuisine is tasty even for people with the most perverted tastes. And after all of this, how can influential American and European mass media inform people about the Russian disorder, poverty, and drunkenness? Of course, everybody knows that Russia - conditional enemy of many nations of the world, but this is not a reason to diminish the moral one of the cleanest, sober, educated and peace-loving nations.

Spotlight: Bad stereotypes about Russians

...Nothing, but TRUTH!

    Now, I would like to note about some stereotypes which are actually true, but a little bit sophisticated. For instance, many foreigners suppose that there are no roads in Russia – only directions. Of course, it is not true, but, certainly, there are territories in our country where you will not see not only any roads but you won't even see any population. I mean Siberia, the territory, where it is impossible to live normally. But it is possible to live. You can see some links to web-pages below, where you will find more interesting stereotypes about Russians which are not really offensive and even condemning and can be occurred.
JustRussia.ru: On this Web-page you will find information about national Russian features, some national characters, and even national Russian holidays which are well-known all over the world.
Russia.net: It is online guide to everything about Russia. Here you can find the answers on the most popular questions about this country and decide to yourself to believe or not. 
WayToRussia.net: Is one more interesting site, which will help you to know more about the fact how stereotypes can lie. 

Racism is not a problem in Russia.

     On the website of the popular magazine “Time” ( http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1304096,00.html ) , I found an interesting article in which the author writes that racism in Russia is a very important problem. In this article he gives the facts of violence against foreign nationals residing in the territory of the Russian Federation. But you cannot see single case as a trend that extends to the entire country. Yes, it is not a  secret that many foreigners find the truth behind the myth that Russians do not like visitors. It is not difficult to prove the fact that it is not true. Russians are not racists, they live in a multicultural and multi-confessional state. In Russia no more (if not less) racist than in other civilized countries (America, Germany, Ukraine ...). In Russia there is no racism. Among the individual, as a rule, small groups of people, we, of course, see the nationalist sentiments. But ,as a widespread phenomenon, racism in our country does not exist.

Russia is the country of alcoholics. Such a delusion.

     Many people believe that the Russians drink a lot of alcohol. I do not know where this stereotype came from, but in the Internet you can see a lot of articles on this topic. For example, I found the article ” In the Belly of the Bear” on web (http://americaninrussia.com/alcohol.aspx) the author of which explains various facts and figures about Russian alcohol, but at the same time, says: “How would I know? I’m not Russian”. I think that people cannot blame for something the people of any country, not having lived in this country for some time and not knowing their history. The Russian drunkenness is not different from the other countries’ drunkenness too much. And the process of mass soldering started us actually only after the Great Patriotic War. The tremendous stress, the traditional "front 100 grams”, terribly difficult post-war time, and so on. Few people know that, for example, the Russian peasant did not drink. If you look at, for example, birch bark, there simply was no issue of alcoholism. Because alcoholic beverages in Russia did not exist. Traditional Russian drinks to about XV century, were honey, home-brewed beer and beer. Nowadays, for example, speaking about the average number of beer consumption, Russia still is not even in a dozen countries, yielding much of Germany or , for example, the Czech Republic. Russians are one of the most sober people in the world history of the last fifteen hundred years. We did not come up with vodka; it was brought to us from the West, where it was called «aqua vita». 

Democratic country - democratic media!

    Russian media is not free. This is one more stereotype about Russia. A few years ago there was an article in “The Guardian” which said that Putin’s administration had grown uglier, that the media is now – with a few embattled exceptions in print and on the Internet – entirely under state control, and so on. But, actually, it is not truth. First of all, there are more than thousand TV channels, 700 radio stations, more than 45,000 newspapers in Russia. But just 25 percent of people get information from state owned media. Actually, many Russians prefer private programming and entertainment. Western channels, such as CNN, FOX, BBC, are also available. Moreover, there are many media sources which are positioned as opposites to national government ( e.g. radio station “Eho Moskvy” (“The Echo of Moscow”). Thus, I declare that the idea that Russia - is the embodiment of totalitarianism, where the media are under state control – is a stereotype that pollutes the reputation of the country. Moreover, the government of Russia does care about successful future of the country an, that is why, understands well that without freedom of media sources Russia will never become really successful in other countries’ eyes and will have the status of “barbaric country” that will jump from fire to fire, from revolution to war, from war back to revolution.

How can you imagine things like this?Are you OK,people?

    So, in today's society there are many stereotypes about the Russians. Some of them are true, others - total nonsense. To understand all exactly, you have to live in Russia for at least ten years. With regard to political stereotypes, to understand them much more difficult. For example, recently Western media often discuss the problem of the political regime in Russia. It is not a secret that many people in Europe believe that Russians live under Putin’s tyranny. Of course, it's a nonsense. A competent person can immediately recall that the Russian people, proud and inflexible, never lived under the tyranny of any ruler. There was an article “Stand Up to Putin” by Robert Kagan in Washington Post, which said: “Vladimir Putin, the aspiring dictator of Russia, has forced President Bush to reveal how committed he really is to the cause of democracy around the world. Putin's decision...is an unambiguous step toward tyranny in Russia.” But in reality things are not so. 70 percent of the citizens of the country voted for Vladimir Putin in 2004. More than half of citizens wanted to nominate him as a candidate for a third term, but it was impossible for the constitution. What kind of totalitarianism can we talk about, when most loves and appreciates their president? With Putin, Russia's development progressed markedly, legal business began to flourish, citizens’ pay significantly increased (by the way, low workers wage – is another stereotype about Russian), stability in the domestic and foreign policy had occurred. Nowadays, Putin is a Russian prime minister, but he is still the subject of rumours and gossip. For example, many people on the West believe that Medvedev, the current president, only a cover for nefarious plans of Putin .Actually, to summarise, Putin is just a very popular politician in Russia and he acts accordingly. Many people in Russia truly believe that we need centralized government, because the country is too big and loose, because there are too many changes that need to be done. So Putin is just doing what the majority wants – this is pure democracy in action, whether it's good or bad is another question.

The Preface

    I decided to create a blog on the topic of Russian Stereotypes in the mass media, because my patience was at the end. Constantly watching the talking and writing about the Russian in the media, I think that it is shameful for the people who came up with this crap and now disclose it around the world. In this regard, with the help of this blog I would like to dispel some sorts of stereotypes about my nation and provide readers with the arguments that refute all kinds of rumours and speculation. I believe that this topic is very important, because this situation could happen not only to my country and my fellow citizens. After all, stereotypes –are such a thing, which comes unnoticed and creates all sorts of unpleasant consequences, which can become a blot on someone's reputation.