Watchdog warning about TV in post-Soviet states Eds: APNewsNow.

AP Photo VIE122, VIE121, VIE119 VIENNA (AP) A media watchdog is warning that government-influenced TV in Russia and many post-Soviet states is hampering democracy and could endanger international peace and security if misused as a propaganda tool.

Miklos Haraszti, media freedom representative at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, says "one cannot talk about free elections or true democracies, if most people get most of their information from television that is either quite firmly in governmental hands or, if privatized, then in the hands of cronies or even families of governmental leaders." Haraszti, a former Hungarian dissident, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he is concerned about Russia, Belarus and most post-Soviet countries in Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-26-09 1215CST | save this article / add to your favorites list