Russian arrest footage shows Gershkovich conducting journalism

Evan Gershkovich

The Russian Federal Security Service, FSB, released heavily edited video and audio recordings of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich that it said, “proved” the espionage activities in Russia but show journalism being practiced, reports William Echols of Voice of America.

Echols reports, “The recordings provide no evidence Gershkovich committed any crime or was involved in espionage. The audio and video published by RT attest to Gershkovich’s engagement in normal journalistic activities before his arrest.

“The video montage starts by showing a man who approaches Gershkovich’s table, sits next to him, gives something to the American, and leaves. Immediately after, men in civilian clothes surround Gershkovich using force to arrest him although he does not resist.

“The footage was digitally manipulated to replace its natural sound with dramatic music and blur the ‘source’s’ face.”

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Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.