Viktor Tsoi’s song banned on Belarusian radio

The administration of Belarusian radio has created a list of songs and expressions which should not be heard on air.

“First of all, it’s a song “Changes!” (“Our hearts demand changes”) by Viktor Tsoi,” Belsat TV channel was informed by an employee of the First Channel of the Belarusian Radio. “Very many people have been requesting this song to be played over the recent month – this didn’t happen before. Songs “Play” and “Belarus Freedom” by Lyapis Trubetskoy are popular as well.”

The worker of the radio notes that these songs were added to the black list in which NRM, Krambambulya, Krama and other bands are banned. “We had a situation once when a listener insisted the song “Changes!” should be played. The host apologized and refused. Then the listener asked: “Do you have censorship from now on?” The radio host did not know what to answer, so simply switched off the voice of the listener.”

Besides, now every radio presenter has on his work table a printed list of words prohibited to be pronounced on air. “After the incident with “Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Shos” at Russian Radio, the administration called a meeting and we were explained that it is prohibited to say “Shos” or simply “Alyaksandr Ryhoravich”. Now all messages from listeners are read several times before they are aired,” the representative of the radio station said.

A coordinator of “Tuzin hitou” (“A dozen of hits”) project Syarhei Budkin says that one cannot find a logical explanation for such a decision of the radio leadership. “I am convinced this ban is to become additional promotion for musicians. Such things happened before. And it was beneficial to Belarusian musicians to have an image of prohibited singers – interest of listeners grew because of that.” As for the prohibited song by Tsoi, the expert believes that it really can become an anthem of changes in Belarus. “It is often heard from cars. Remarkably, there were attempts to ban it in the Soviet times as well. But after so many years it remains relevant,” Budkin believes.