Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A schoolchildren’s drawing depicting the arrival of a little girl and a retired teddy bear may seem like an unlikely source of complaints from MPs.
However, a group of cross-party MPs have written to ministers asking them to consider whether to ban Masha and the Bear from being broadcast in the UK, saying it is Russian propaganda.
The cartoon, loosely based on a Russian folktale, is one of the most popular cartoons of all time. YouTube. One of his seven-minute episodes, The Disaster Secret, has been viewed more than 4.6bn times on the site.
However, the show has been criticized by a Ukrainian government-backed organization and Estonia’s foreign minister as a form of Russian “soft power”.
It is a list of recently recommissioned for Netflix and available on ITV’s digital platform, ITVX, the Liberal Democrat, Labour, Conservative, Green, SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs have written to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, asking her to intervene.
The letter, which was spearheaded by Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon and signed by more than 50 other MPs, said some of four-year-old Masha resembled “propaganda” which was “not hidden”.
MPs show scenes in which Masha is shown wearing what appears to be a tank-crew cap and a Soviet-era uniform, and others that she wears, according to the MPs, appear to be a Soviet army hat, which historically has ties to the NKVD – the secret police organization of the Soviet Union. They said the organization was “responsible for mass deportations, killings and torture of millions of people”.
He said the images were also used on the English X account of the show’s studio, Animaccord, a Russian animation studio based in Cyprus. Content on the website descriptive words: “A real warrior girl with a butterfly net!
The MP said this was “making Soviet war images more understandable to young children around the world”.
The MP wrote: “We are writing to call on the government to take immediate action following Netflix’s announcement that it has acquired two new seasons of the Russian drama Masha and the Bear and is extending its licensing agreement for existing seasons and releases in over 100 countries.
“This is also shown in the United Kingdom on ITVX. British children are being reached through a major international platform and a popular domestic broadcaster and we believe this is unacceptable.
“British parents have a right to expect that content reaching their children through licensed platforms is properly scrutinized, especially when allegations of government misinformation have been raised by their allies.”
He also commented on the Ukrainian Center for Counting Disinformation, which is supported by the Ukrainian government. He said that Masha and the Bear “was not just a cartoon, but a tool of Russian soft power”, arguing that “the mockery of the traditions of other countries through the character of Masha, and the transformation of Soviet symbols and military themes”.
Animaccord has vehemently denied the claims, saying it is a private company that produces a popular children’s show. It said it has never had any government funding.
Animaccord spokeswoman Melanie Bonvicino said: “My client categorically rejects the false and defamatory suggestion that Masha and the Bear are associated with fake news.
after advertising
“For nearly 20 years, Masha and the Bear have been entertaining families in more than 100 countries through universal themes of friendship, kindness and emotion.
“Animaccord operates in accordance with applicable laws. The contentions are false, reckless and unsubstantiated.”
Other governments share the concerns of UK MPs. After the new Netflix deal last month, Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, said: “Masha and the Bear is part of the Kremlin’s soft power, mixing pro-Kremlin and military messages into children’s entertainment.
“For many countries, including Estonia, (Soviet symbols) represent occupation, mass killings, deportations and human rights violations.”
Russian journalists scoffed at the idea that the show contained lies.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport declined to comment. Whitehall sources said it is up to advertisers what they show, as long as it is within the broadcasting rules overseen by the media regulator, Ofcom.
ITV declined to comment. It is understood that his contract to host the show did not include a huge fee.
Netflix has been contacted for comment.
