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American Morning

Tear This Wall Down!

Aired October 06, 2003 - 08:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Russia has a new hit for its fall lineup. The TV reality show, "While You Were Out," on TLC has inspired an unlikely version over there.
Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, takes a peek for us today. Here's Jill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Katya Sorin's kitchen may be a little cramped, but this graphic artist loves her apartment, and so does her photographer-husband, Sasha (ph). It's got a yard where their kids, Yeesha (ph) and Mosher (ph), can play.

Sure, Katya does have to hang her laundry up to dry in the hallway, but the building is 150 years old.

KATYA SORIN, HOMEOWNER (through translator): You really have to renovate everything here. It's a really old place, and you could do a gorgeous rehab, but we're just concentrating on the living room.

DOUGHERTY: So, Katya and Sasha (ph) wrote to Russian TV show, "The Housing Problem," for help. It was a long shot, but in a few months, a TV crew was at their door, ready to do a free one-room makeover.

Just a few years ago, shows like this didn't exist on Russian TV.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The Soviet Union really cultivated scorn for values like having a nice house and nice things. It was considered (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DOUGHERTY (on camera): Even today, this is where most Russians live, in buildings with rundown entrances, burned-out lights, broken mailboxes, and peeling paint.

(voice-over): But now, there is a renovation revolution in Russia, fueled by a burgeoning consumer society, at least in big cities like Moscow. Russians call it remott (ph), rehab. They're flocking to stores like Crocus City (ph), where they can buy lighting fixtures, wallpaper, even whirlpool baths.

The Sorins couldn't be happier with their TV remott (ph). They're eager to do the rest of the apartment, but for now, they've got a lot to celebrate.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow. (END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 6, 2003 - 08:54   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Russia has a new hit for its fall lineup. The TV reality show, "While You Were Out," on TLC has inspired an unlikely version over there.
Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, takes a peek for us today. Here's Jill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Katya Sorin's kitchen may be a little cramped, but this graphic artist loves her apartment, and so does her photographer-husband, Sasha (ph). It's got a yard where their kids, Yeesha (ph) and Mosher (ph), can play.

Sure, Katya does have to hang her laundry up to dry in the hallway, but the building is 150 years old.

KATYA SORIN, HOMEOWNER (through translator): You really have to renovate everything here. It's a really old place, and you could do a gorgeous rehab, but we're just concentrating on the living room.

DOUGHERTY: So, Katya and Sasha (ph) wrote to Russian TV show, "The Housing Problem," for help. It was a long shot, but in a few months, a TV crew was at their door, ready to do a free one-room makeover.

Just a few years ago, shows like this didn't exist on Russian TV.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The Soviet Union really cultivated scorn for values like having a nice house and nice things. It was considered (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DOUGHERTY (on camera): Even today, this is where most Russians live, in buildings with rundown entrances, burned-out lights, broken mailboxes, and peeling paint.

(voice-over): But now, there is a renovation revolution in Russia, fueled by a burgeoning consumer society, at least in big cities like Moscow. Russians call it remott (ph), rehab. They're flocking to stores like Crocus City (ph), where they can buy lighting fixtures, wallpaper, even whirlpool baths.

The Sorins couldn't be happier with their TV remott (ph). They're eager to do the rest of the apartment, but for now, they've got a lot to celebrate.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow. (END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.