ENCOUNTERS
Perspectives on Belarus
Katja Artsiomenka
dw.com/by
4
Weltzeit 2 | 2021
©©DW
Olga Kapustina
Olga Kapustina was born and raised in Belarus. A truly global citizen, she studied journalism and German studies in Russia and Germany and has been working in the Russian department at DW for almost ten years. Her counterpart Katja Artsiomenka was also born in Belarus where she studied journalism before moving to Germany. She is a professor of journalism in Cologne and has been passionate about radio broadcasting for years. The two journalists are the hosts of the new Russian-language edition of DW’s show To the point. The show is part of DW’s expansion of its news and information offerings for its target audience in Belarus — in Russian and Belarusian. “Social networks play a big role in Belarus,” shares Kapustina, who is looking forward to direct exchanges with viewers. In the first broadcasts, “we want to look at the ongoing protests and ways out of the political crisis in Belarus, in addition to topics that are also important for Belarus, such as nuclear power, memory culture, flight and migration,” she says. For Artsiomenka, it is crucial that the show presents the “diversity of perspectives and background information for discussion and thus to support the free formation of public opinion and will in Belarus.” The journalists welcome cons tructive criticism on the show. Due to the pandemic, it is challenging to have lively conversations with guests virtually, but nonetheless, they are looking forward to meeting more people from all over the world — even if only virtually.
