The name of Igor Fesunenko is well known to the older generation of people throughout the post-Soviet space. The talented journalist passed away in April 2016 at the age of 83. After the collapse of the USSR, Igor Sergeevich disappeared from television screens, where he hosted the popular programs “International Panorama” and “The Camera Looks at the World”. The political observer devoted the last twenty years of his life to teaching, passing on his knowledge and experience to novice masters of the word at the Department of Journalism of MGIMO.
Igor Fesunenko: biography and stages of creative development
The future journalist was born in Orenburg on January 28, 1933. Igor Sergeevich spent his childhood in Moscow and Zaporozhye, where he moved with his parents. The Great Patriotic War found the family in one of the Ural cities.
At 22, Fesunenko graduated from the Historical and Archival Institute in Moscow and went to military service. After repaying the military debt to the Motherland, Igor Sergeevich goes to work in the Main Archive Department, begins freelancecooperation with the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, reports on the radio.
The beginning and end of a television career
In 1960–1970 Igor Fesunenko, thanks to his journalistic talent and knowledge of languages, as his own correspondent for the USSR State Radio and Television works in Latin America, covering political and cultural events taking place in Portugal, Italy, Brazil and Cuba. He was personally acquainted not only with Soviet leaders, but also with politicians from many foreign countries.
The collapse of the Soviet Union led to a change of power not only in the country, but also in the media. In the 90s, journalists of the old school began to be forced out of print publishing houses and television channels. Igor Fesunenko also fell under this oppression. In private conversations and in interviews with young colleagues, he repeatedly expressed regret that he could not fully realize himself in his beloved business.
Reporting at risk to he alth and life
Igor Fesunenko more than once incurred the wrath of the television authorities when he edited news releases at his own discretion. For example, in 1964, during a visit to the USSR by Fidel Castro, the journalist reduced the speech time of the Cuban leader at the Ivanovo Weaving Factory from 40 minutes to 20. Fesunenko considered that by removing unnecessary frames, the Comandante's speech would only benefit, but officials had a different opinion.
And in 1974, Igor Sergeevich had to fill the time of a live television broadcast with a story about the sights for 6 long minutesHavana, waiting for the departure of the government motorcade to the main square of the Cuban capital, in one of the cars of which was Leonid Brezhnev. Although the journalist's speech was unprepared, the audience did not notice anything, but the overlap that occurred turned into a strong nervous strain for Fesunenko. At the end of the broadcast, he literally fainted.
There were episodes in his career that could cost his life. As Igor Sergeevich recalled, once he almost got blown up by a mine shell while covering events in Mozambique. And in 1974, Fesunenko, being with a group of Soviet journalists in Lisbon during the days of the coup d'état taking place there, hardly managed to negotiate with the rebels and thereby avoid execution.
Brazil, football, Pele
Of all the countries where Igor Fesunenko had to work, Brazil enjoyed his special love. Knowing fluent Portuguese and Spanish, the journalist, by his own admission, felt at home there.
In 1968, Fesunenko was the first Soviet reporter to interview the world-famous player, King of Football Pele. Igor Sergeevich not only managed to overcome numerous bureaucratic obstacles that separated the athlete from communication with the press, but also had a heart-to-heart talk with him, and even recorded two songs performed by the Santos striker on the recorder.
Then friendly relations began between Fesunenko and Pele. When the great football player cameto the Soviet Union, he always asked a journalist to accompany him during visits and press conferences as an interpreter. Fesunenko himself was an avid football fan, favoring CSKA Moscow and the Brazilian club Botafogo.
Regalia and awards
Igor Fesunenko (photos of covers of some books can be seen below) also succeeded in literary activity. He is the author of eleven publicistic publications, most of which are devoted to Brazil and football.
He also wrote textbooks on journalism, made documentaries, and was awarded the Badge of Honor Order and the Medal for Labor Distinction back in Soviet times.
Igor Fesunenko, a journalist with a capital letter, died on April 28, 2016, his grave is located at the Troekurovsky cemetery in Moscow.
