In journalism, which appeared in the late 80s, there were many interesting people, but few of them were able to maintain their handwriting and position in life until today. Politkovsky Alexander Vladimirovich is a rare example of preserving his creative personality on the difficult journalistic path.
Ordinary childhood
In September 1953, a boy was born in an ordinary family in Moscow. Alexander Politkovsky about his childhood says that it was the most common, with football in the yard, with school absenteeism, with books and movies. After the school of working youth, Alexander joined the army, postponing the choice of profession for two years.
Gaining a profession
Returning from the army, Alexander Politkovsky enters the television department of the faculty of journalism at Moscow State University. During the training period, a novice TV player gets acquainted with the basics of the profession, makes acquaintances, gets his first skills in practice.
Start
Journalist Alexander Politkovsky, after distribution, comes to the main editorial office of sports programs on Central Television. For four years he has to carry out the most diverse work, often go on business trips, shoot a large number of stories. The routine work, which gave a good hardening and taught skill, took a lot of time and effort, but there was no return from it, there were no prospects. Therefore, Alexander Politkovsky, whose biography (creative, of course) slowed down its development, our hero began to think about leaving television. He wanted to enter the higher directing courses: he had a dream to make his own movie. But he was offered to go to the editorial office of youth programs, which released the popular programs “Up to 16 and older”, “12th floor” and “Peace and youth”. Politkovsky moved to the latter. Here he meets people who will play a significant role in his life: E. Sagalaev, V. Mukusev, I. Kononov. The program came out weekly, for it was necessary to shoot a large number of plots.
During this period, Politkovsky traveled almost half the world, visited exotic places, for example, he became the first journalist to visit Pyongyang. He forms an individual style: the famous cap, stories in the form of a journalistic story, he becomes a prominent reporter, learns to work in a new format of “problem journalism”, develops communications, and this will allow him to achieve significant success in the future.
"Sight"
In 1987, Eduard Sagalaev came up with a new program “Look”, which invited Alexander Politkovsky. The program was a completely new format for the then television, its presenters instantly became celebrities, including Alexander Politkovsky. Photos of the heroes appeared in the media, they were recognized on the streets. It was, according to the journalist, "a time of faith in something bright." The creators of Vzglyad tried to create a free and honest program in which any topic was raised. Politkovsky first worked as a reporter, and then became one of the leaders, who over the 10 years of the program’s existence have become symbols of the era of change.
In 1990, a change of leadership and ownership of the channel took place, Alexander Politkovsky is one of the shareholders of the new television company VID, headed by Alexander Lyubimov. When in 1991 the leadership decided to suspend the release of programs, Politkovsky and Lyubimov took it as an act of encroachment on freedom of speech and began to release “A Look from the Underground” on video tapes. The project was not successful, but after a while the program returned to the air.
Since 1992, Politkovsky has his own program Politburo, he has to work hard and hard, he is constantly on the road and enjoys his work. His credo is honesty and credibility. He finds sharp and unexpected topics, for example, he examines the sarcophagus of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, talks about what he saw with his own eyes. In this program, Politkovsky finds himself in investigative journalism, but the program lasted only until 1995. After the murder of Vlad Listyev, a desperate struggle for power begins in the television company, Politkovsky is pushed out and squeezed out of the company, he parted with the shares and leaves.
Life without the "Look"
In parallel with his work in Vzglyad, Politkovsky is doing what he loves - making documentaries. The most famous are “Behind the windows of August” and “Behind the windows of August - 2”. Already in the last years of his work at VIDA, Alexander Politkovsky, at the invitation of E. Sagalaev, begins to make his own broadcast on TV-6, it is called “Territory TV-6”. The journalist continues to work in his own style, giving out only reliable and honest information. He could not and did not want to fit into the new commercial television and therefore preferred to go free swimming than to cover profitable events for which someone could pay. In the "Territory" Politkovsky finally gains the image of a fighter for justice, he caustically indicates social injustice, is not shy in expressions and does not recognize authorities. In this format, he quickly ceased to be needed TV-6, which positioned itself as an entertainment channel for young people. Later, Politkovsky with the program goes to the channel "Ugra", he focuses on shooting documentaries on topical issues.
Further, for several years, the journalist works for TV Center, releasing the Local Time program, and also hosts the Prison and Freedom talk show, but all these programs have a low rating and leave the broadcast quite quickly.
In 2000, he created the Politkovsky Studio television company, which directed programs and films for various channels. At the same time, he works in various companies, for example, on the Nostalgia TV channel, Politkovsky is conducting a program “Back to the USSR”. For three years he tried not to talk about politics and the situation in the country, but it was not at all organic for him, and he left the program of his own free will. On the channel "Hunting and Fishing" he leads the program "Cherry Pit."
Life position
Politkovsky Alexander Vladimirovich is an independent journalist, this is his most important achievement. He believes that journalism does not tolerate commercialization and that journalists should always strive for objectivity and honesty. After Vzglyad, he tried for a long time to find a place for himself in Russian television, but his sharp statements and intransigence did not allow him to linger somewhere for a long time.
Working on his own programs and films, he does not accept the inclusion of advertising blocks in them, does not recognize the creation of custom-made materials, and such a position does not fit into modern television.
Social activity
From 1989 to 1993 in the Supreme Council of the RSFSR there was such a deputy - Alexander Politkovsky. The reviews of colleagues about his activities at that time were the most positive. The deputy Politkovsky defended justice and achieved, for example, the closure of the Perm zone for political prisoners. He was a member of the Human Rights Committee and tried to help people assert their rights.
Today
Today Politkovsky considers himself an independent journalist, in his own studio he makes films and programs on various topics. He says it's impossible to remain a free journalist today, but he is committed to it. He makes films on sensitive topics: “Brother” - about internal troops in Chechnya, “Fanged Mountains” - about small people - Soyots - who are on the verge of extinction, he travels a lot around the province, communicates with people, acts as an expert on political issues. He is a rare guest on federal channels, as he is not ready to soften his statements about their leaders. Politkovsky says he is pleased with his current situation and is proud that he is able to maintain relative independence.
