Estonian journalist: fewer young people share opinions in street interviews, Russian-speakers grow bolder
Estonian journalist Rein Sikk says fewer young people are willing to voice opinions during street interviews, while Russian-speaking residents have grown more open in recent years.
Veteran Estonian journalist Rein Sikk shared observations in a Vikerraadio commentary about street interviews, a format he has used for years while writing for Maaleht and, earlier, Eesti Päevaleht. In a recent example, he traveled around Virumaa carrying a portrait of newly elected President Ülle Madise to gather people's reactions, but he has also used the format to cover local government and Riigikogu elections, regional issues and public assessments of new laws.
According to Sikk, rural residents tend to speak more openly and confidently than city dwellers — they have more time and are braver about appearing in the press under their own name and face. He also noted a shift regarding Russian-speaking residents: before the war in Ukraine, many asked to be interviewed in Russian, but now they are more likely to apologize for not speaking Estonian well enough, attempt broken Estonian, or ask permission to answer in Russian.
Sikk described youth indifference, especially among schoolchildren, as a serious problem. Many show no interest in what happens in their own town or municipality, respond to political questions with indifference, and try to avoid the conversation altogether — a pattern he has also seen among students at well-known state gymnasiums. He argued the issue isn't a lack of intelligence but a gap in school curricula, which fail to teach students how to communicate with journalists and why forming a public opinion matters.
Sikk believes knowing the names of the country's president, prime minister, education minister and local elders, along with holding a civic stance, should be a mandatory part of school education. To set an example, he pledged that starting this week, students in his media group at Kadrina Secondary School would begin practicing how to respond when suddenly approached on the street with a microphone.
