Genius and Self-Demanding Journalist - Vladimir Pozner

Vladimir Pozner is a popular Russian journalist. Since recently his name was not so much known as he was working as a radio news caster for the Soviet Overseas Broadcasting. He appeared on a television screen for the first time only in 1986 and immediately stepped out of the crowd as a high class professional.

Vladimir Pozner has got a rather unusual for Russia biography. He was born in Paris where his father was living at that time as he had emigrated from Russia in 1922. Vladimir Pozner – Senior gradually changed his believes and started publishing his works at the Soviet Overseas issues as a publicist, a poet and a prosaic.

His family moved to the United States in 1934 where they remained up to the end of the Second World War. Then Vladimir Pozner-Senior was working for some years in Eastern Berlin and returned back to Russia in 1952. Residing in Moscow, Vladimir Pozner-Junior enrolled at the Geology Faculty of the Moscow State University that he graduated from later. Upon graduating the university, Vladimir Pozner – Junior was serving as a Literature Secretary for a famous Russian poet Samuil Marshak. And afterwards he joined the Soviet Overseas Broadcasting due to his excellent command of English and French.

Then the Television Executives chose him as a leading caster for the first of series of the Soviet-American Television Bridge. Doing this job, Vladimir Pozner met for the first time with his American opponent Phil Donahue. Then the second bridge succeeded and Vladimir Pozner-Junior was promoted to a political Analysis of the Central Television.

Critical views of Vladimir Pozner-Junior as well as his independency in views worried his chiefs and he was offered to resign. In some month’s time, he became a Live-Caster in a company of Phil Donahue. Working on American Television, Vladimir Pozner-Junior was using every chance to address to a Soviet spectator. Later he edited and directed his new program “America of Vladimir Pozner”.

The situation changed dramatically when the journalist started co-operating with ‘The Authors Television” as he began a new series of programs titled “We”. Doing this program Vladimir Pozner was frequently visiting the United States where he also participating in number of projects. Intensive activity at the Russian Television forced him to quit the American Television. But being extremely popular among the American audience, Vladimir Pozner was periodically offered a new news talk show.

His way of conducting a program attracted viewers as he never pushed spectators to any point of view but was searching the answer simultaneously with them. Vladimir Pozner became the President of the Russian Television entitled for awarding an annual Russian trophy “TEPHY”.

He is extremely erudite and energetic journalist who is keeping constant interest within the audience. Besides the television he is doing his program on radio on Sundays.

Discussion

1. Do you know and watch television Talk shows directed by Vladimir Pozner?

2. What makes you watch his talk shows?

3. What do you like and dislike in his programs?

4. Why are his programs so popular among viewers?

Stylistics

Figurative Language

Professional people, journalists and writers rather often use figurative language to help readers to see what they are describing. Figurative languages employ various devices of speech – such as similes, metaphors or personifications.

A simile is a comparison that uses like or as. Let’s study some examples of simile.

1. He eats like a pig.

2. Her look penetrated him like an X ray.

3. The Dean walked the classroom proudly like a swan.

A metaphor is a comparison that likens two things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’.

1. He is a pig.

2. Her life if a real pig sty.

3. The USSR is a history.

Personification is a phenomenon of giving human characteristics to something nonhuman.

1. Money talks loudly.

2. Her dream kissed her goodbye.