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Margarita Simonyan Quotes

Powerful Margarita Simonyan for Daily Growth

About Margarita Simonyan

Margarita Simonyan, born on February 17, 1980, in Moscow, Russia, is a renowned journalist, editor-in-chief, and television host, best known for her work with the Russian state-funded television network RT (Russia Today). Simonyan's passion for journalism was sparked early, influenced by her father who worked as a scriptwriter for the Soviet Union's Central Television. She graduated from the Moscow State University's Faculty of Journalism in 2001. Her first significant role came at NTV, where she served as a newsreader. In 2005, Simonyan joined RT, then newly established, and quickly rose through its ranks. In 2008, she became the editor-in-chief of RT's international news channel. Under her leadership, RT expanded its presence globally, becoming one of the most watched foreign news networks in several countries. Simonyan is known for her outspoken views and critical reporting style. She has been at the forefront of many high-profile interviews, including with Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Her work often focuses on geopolitical issues, particularly those concerning Russia and the United States. Her notable works include "The Truth About Journalism: A Book for Those Who Want to Know How the News is Made" (2017), where she discusses the state of modern journalism, and "I Have a Dream: The Last Words of Julian Assange" (2019), a compilation of her interviews with Assange. Simonyan's influence extends beyond journalism; she is also known for her advocacy for press freedom and her involvement in various cultural and humanitarian projects. Her career continues to be marked by controversy and acclaim, making her one of the most prominent figures in modern Russian journalism.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The truth does not become more true because the government says it is so."

This quote emphasizes that the authenticity or validity of the truth doesn't depend on the assertion or endorsement of a government, institution, or any authority for that matter. The truth exists independently and remains unaltered by declarations of power. It underscores the importance of personal discernment, critical thinking, and independent verification in understanding reality.

"Journalism should not be a tool for serving the interests of those in power but to shed light on their deeds and actions."

Margarita Simonyan's quote emphasizes that journalism should serve as a transparency tool, illuminating the actions and deeds of those in power, rather than being used as an instrument for serving their interests. The underlying principle is accountability, ensuring that the powerful are held responsible to the public and not allowed to operate behind closed doors. This quote underscores the importance of an independent press in a democratic society.

"A good journalist doesn't serve any master except the truth."

This quote by Margarita Simonyan emphasizes that a good journalist prioritizes the pursuit of truth above all else, regardless of external influences or allegiances. The essence of journalism lies in its commitment to objectivity and transparency, ensuring the public receives accurate information necessary for informed decision-making and a well-informed society. This tenet is essential for fostering trust and credibility within the journalistic community and maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions.

"Freedom of speech, freedom of press – it’s all well and good if you can afford it."

This quote by Margarita Simonyan emphasizes the inherent bias in the concept of "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press," suggesting that these liberties only hold value for those who have the means to utilize them effectively. It implies a criticism towards systems where these fundamental rights are not accessible or beneficial to everyone equally, especially to marginalized voices with limited resources. The quote serves as a call to address and rectify inequalities in the dissemination of information and ideas, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their economic status, can participate freely and fairly in public discourse.

"The role of media is not to please its audience but to enlighten them."

This quote by Margarita Simonyan underscores the importance of truth, education, and intellectual growth over entertainment or popular appeal in journalism. It emphasizes that the primary function of media isn't to cater to the audience's preferences but rather to inform, educate, and enlighten them, thereby fostering a more knowledgeable and empowered society.

When you read Western press, you probably get a feeling that all Russian press is censored, there's no freedom at all, we can't say whatever, which is absolutely, absolutely, completely untrue.

- Margarita Simonyan

Russian, Which, Read, Censored

Immigrants are not the real problem. The real problem is much more serious: intolerance and hatred of indigenous ethnic groups. You can prohibit immigration, but what can you do about non-Russian ethnic groups living in their native territories in Russia?

- Margarita Simonyan

Living, Ethnic, Prohibit, Territories

All of the people who work in the Russian government and Russian presidential administration, in this way or another, work for Vladimir Putin.

- Margarita Simonyan

Work, Another, Russian, Putin

We never make editorial decisions with people who are working closely with Vladimir Putin, unless you consider myself a person who is working closely with Vladimir Putin.

- Margarita Simonyan

Myself, Closely, Editorial, Putin

If I saw and if I really sincerely thought that what Putin is doing is harmful for my country and for my people and it needs to be stopped, I wouldn't hesitate to do that.

- Margarita Simonyan

Country, Needs, Sincerely, Putin

It is high time Western establishments stopped blaming Russia for all their problems.

- Margarita Simonyan

High, Establishments, Blaming

One might have thought that Brexit would be a wake-up call for the American media. Yet, just as in the U.K. referendum, 'Russia' became the buzzword in the U.S. election that the political and media establishments thought would scare people into voting for the status quo.

- Margarita Simonyan

Thought, Scare, Became, Status Quo

Apparently, all foreign media organisations have to follow an approved script of acceptable coverage, lest they are accused of interference. And make no mistake: we're not talking about neutrality. The only acceptable approach was, 'Support Clinton, attack Trump'.

- Margarita Simonyan

Trump, About, Acceptable, Organisations

The root cause of xenophobia in Russia is not religious differences between Muslims and Christians. Nor is it crime. The root cause is the terrible education that children acquire on the street, at school, and at home.

- Margarita Simonyan

Religious, Christians, Xenophobia

RT was one of the first channels to cover the Wikileaks story and to interview Julian Assange a long time ago, way before it made headlines around the globe.

- Margarita Simonyan

Made, Before, Long Time Ago, Interview

Somehow it did not occur to us that, in a developed democracy, regular media advertising could turn out to be a suspicious and harmful activity.

- Margarita Simonyan

Activity, Could, Occur, Harmful

There's a huge generational gap between the Soviet-school journalists and the new journalists. We were not brought up working on propaganda; we were brought up in the new Russia, working on the news.

- Margarita Simonyan

News, New, Brought, Generational

Our job is to tell the world about Russia and to report world news from a Russian viewpoint.

- Margarita Simonyan

World, News, Viewpoint, Report

When the world normalizes, everything is going to be fine with RT. When the U.S. and Russia get along again - and I don't see any deep reasons why we shouldn't get along... we are going to work normally like a normal news organization.

- Margarita Simonyan

Deep, Why, Reasons, Normally

The American Justice Department has left us with no choice. Our lawyers say that if we don't register as a foreign agent, the director of our company in America could be arrested, and the accounts of the company could be seized.

- Margarita Simonyan

Lawyers, Agent, Arrested, Accounts

Russian children typically hear racist and ethnic slurs against Caucasus natives at home before hearing it on the streets.

- Margarita Simonyan

Ethnic, Streets, Russian, Natives

I'm so tired of this argument that all we ever do is under Kremlin orders and so and so forth. Tell me, how is it possible? I am not on the air. If you watch RT, you will see that all of our shows are hosted by people to whom it would be impossible to tell them anything.

- Margarita Simonyan

Impossible, Argument, Tell, Orders

If you look at any station, you will see that what people are reporting comes from what they believe in, where they stand, their background, what their countries believe in.

- Margarita Simonyan

Believe, Will, Countries, Reporting

What's obvious is that the U.S. has a very imperfect system, and yet its leaders are obsessed with lecturing the rest of the world on how to organise their affairs.

- Margarita Simonyan

Rest, Obsessed, Very, Affairs

Not too many people out there are interested in Russia so much that they really want to watch things about Russia and only about Russia.

- Margarita Simonyan

Want, About, Many, Too Many People

It worries me that western journalists, especially British ones, call everyone they don't like 'marginal.'

- Margarita Simonyan

Everyone, Call, Worries, Marginal

America had Russia wrapped around it little pinky through the whole '90s. We did everything you told us. And we were eager to do more and more. The whole nation - Russian nation was like, 'Tell us what else we can do to please you. We want to be like you. We love you.' And then in 1999, bam. You bomb Yugoslavia. And that was the end of it.

- Margarita Simonyan

Love, Through, Eager, Yugoslavia

If we do have people appearing on the air live that are later found out to be Holocaust deniers or anything like that, we immediately put them onto a list of people who are forbidden from the air.

- Margarita Simonyan

Like, Forbidden, Them, Appearing

British media supported Hillary. No problem with that. No interference. Nothing. French media supported Hillary. No problem with that. Some Russian media supported Trump: 'Oh my God!'

- Margarita Simonyan

Some, Trump, Oh My God, Interference

There is state-run television in Russia, which is more loyal to the state, as it always is with state television in any country. We have private owned networks; some of them are oppositional. We have thousands of regional networks that, in their regions, are more watched than the so-called federal stations.

- Margarita Simonyan

Country, Some, Private, So-Called

Twitter has revealed some monstrous information in Congress: we spent money on our ad campaigns. Just as all the usual media organizations in the world do.

- Margarita Simonyan

Some, Monstrous, Ad, Revealed

I noticed that mainstream western TV channels, especially CNN and ABC, show the same thing.

- Margarita Simonyan

TV, CNN, ABC, Channels

In the U.S., the country that has always been lecturing the world about the value of freedoms - of freedom of speech, of everyone's right to speak up - the U.S. has now become a beacon, a leader, in this movement to shut everyone up. That's so disappointing.

- Margarita Simonyan

Leader, Country, Shut, Disappointing

We congratulate American freedom of speech and all who still believe in it.

- Margarita Simonyan

Freedom, Speech, Still, Congratulate

Russia has never been very good at explaining itself to foreigners.

- Margarita Simonyan

Never, Been, Very, Explaining

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