"This film is the first attempt to analyze the history of television in the USSR`and Russian Federation in the format of a documentary.
It is a common knowledge that television in the Soviet Union was an ideological instrument in the hands of communist authorities. But is the current situation very different from the one we had under the Soviet Union? It is considered to be inconvenient to speak badly of Russian television now. If we believe the officials, our television can only be good or very good.
Our film is the first attempt to understand what is television for us and what it was for us a few
years ago. One thing is certain: television in the Soviet Union and in the new Russia was always more than just TV.
In this film certain dramatic turns in the development of television in the USSR are reflected: death of prominent journalists, the coming of advertising to the previously commercially “sterile” TV, the unholy union of the small screen and big money, information wars, expulsion of the best journalists from the big channels.
Not a single federal channel on Russian TV dared to show this film. The reasons were ideological. Only the Top Secret, a satellite channel, aired it. This is highly symbolic: despite its peaceful character, the subject of “All This Television” proved to be too secret for the bosses.
Famous television anchors of the USSR and Russia agreed to be interviewed for this film. Special thanks to them for not letting themselves be scared and agreeing to speak before a camera.