Igor Fesunenko: journalist, publicist, writer

The name of Igor Fesunenko is well known to the older generation of people throughout the post-Soviet space. A talented journalist passed away in April 2016 at the age of 83 years. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Igor Sergeyevich disappeared from the television screens, where he conducted the popular programs "International Panorama" and "The Camera Looks Into the World". For the last twenty years of his life, the political observer devoted his pedagogical activity, transferring his knowledge and experience to the beginning 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's childhood was held in Moscow and Zaporozhye, where he moved with his parents. The Great Patriotic War found a family in one of the Urals cities.

At 22, Fesunenko graduated from the Historical and Archival Institute in Moscow and went on to serve in the army. After giving military duty to his homeland, Igor Sergeevich comes to work in the Main Archival Office, begins freelance cooperation with the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, and reports on radio.

The beginning and decline of a television career

In the 1960-1970's. Igor Fesunenko, thanks to the manifested journalistic talent and knowledge of the languages, works in the countries of Latin America as his own correspondent for the State Television and Radio of the USSR, covering political and cultural events taking place in Portugal, Italy, Brazil and Cuba. He was personally acquainted not only with the Soviet leaders, but also with the politicians of many foreign states.

The collapse of the Soviet Union led to a change of power not only in the country, but also in the media. In the 1990s, old-school journalists began to be squeezed out of print publishing houses and television channels. Igor Fesunenko fell under this yoke. In private conversations and in interviews with young colleagues, he repeatedly expressed regret that he could not fully realize himself in his favorite business.

Reporting with a risk to health and life

Igor Fesunenko has repeatedly attracted the anger of the television authorities when he edited the newscasts at his own discretion. For example, in 1964, during a visit to the USSR by Fidel Castro, the journalist shortened the time of the Cuban leader's speech at the Ivanovo weaving factory from 40 minutes to 20. Fesunenko considered that the commandant will only benefit from removing superfluous personnel, but officials had a different opinion .

And in 1974 Igor Sergeevich had to fill in the long 6 minutes of direct airtime with a story about the sights of Havana , awaiting departure to the main square of the Cuban capital of the government motorcade, in one of whose cars was Leonid Brezhnev. Although the journalist's speech was unprepared, the audience did not notice anything, but the resulting overlay turned into a strong nervous overstrain for Fesunenko. At the end of the broadcast, he literally fainted.

There were also episodes in his career that could cost lives. As Igor Sergeyevich recalled, one day he nearly blew up on a mine projectile during coverage of events in Mozambique. And in 1974 Fesunenko, being with a group of Soviet journalists in Lisbon in the days of the coup d'etat 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, his special love was enjoyed by Brazil. Knowing perfect Portuguese and Spanish, the journalist, by his own admission, felt at home there.

In 1968, Fesunenko was the first Soviet journalist to interview an international player, the king of football Pele. Igor Sergeyevich not only managed to overcome numerous bureaucratic obstacles separating the athlete from communicating with the press, but also to talk with him heart to heart, and even to write down to the recorder two songs played by the attacker "Santos".

At the same time, the friendly relations between Fesunenko and Pele began. When a great football player came to the Soviet Union, he always asked the journalist to accompany him during his visits and press conferences as an interpreter. Fesunenko himself was a passionate football fan, giving preference to the Moscow CSKA and the Brazilian club Botafogo.

Regalia and awards

Igor Fesunenko (photo of covers of some books can be seen below) excelled in literary activity. His pen belongs to eleven journalistic publications, most of which are devoted to Brazil and football.

He also wrote textbooks on journalism, filmed documentary films, even in Soviet times was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor and the medal For Labor Distinction.

Igor Fesunenko, a journalist with a capital letter, died on April 28, 2016, his grave is located at the Troekurovsky cemetery in Moscow.