Leonid Parfyonov, the former editor of Newsweek in Russia made a speech last week publicly accusing federal television stations of failing to provide real information, and replacing it instead with ‘PR‘; and called attention to the attack on Oleg Kashin.  The head of the Center for Political Information believes that Parfyonov’s statements must have been sanctioned by the Kremlin.  The Other Russia has a full English translation here.  The speech was followed by a new bill submitted to the Duma on tougher punishments for those who attack journalists, although many critics would prefer more stringent attention to actually catching the criminals.  ‘The understanding that journalists fulfill a vital function beneficial to the state has yet to take root in Russian society,‘ says a Vedomosti editorial.