The first shows a few pretty big names in German quality journalism and how they are connected to certain lobbying organizations for the arms industry - not as in "they talk to those people regularly" but as in "they are members and even parts of the committee of those organizations".
For example there is one who write a strategical paper for the Bundesregierung and then went on to write a positive piece about said strategical paper - one that promotes a more "active" role of the Bundeswehr in the world. There are other examples, but I don't feel qualified to translate them all.
Joffe is especially interesting because he actually sued for this particular episode to be taken from the web presence of the ZDF.
[Edit]The first also comments on how the association agreement between the EU and Ukraine contains military cooperation and the like, thus maybe explaining why Putin might become a bit nervous.[/Edit]
The second one showed a few misrepresentations a perpetrated by the German press.
It begins with some headlines which can be taken to be blatant warmongering. Translated:
"Enough of the talk"
"Show some muscles"
"Now or Never"
"End the Cowardice"
The commentary of the comedians: "That's not reporting, that's general mobilization!"
First example they show: 40 people are forced into a building and burned.
First proposal of the general: "That's just dandy, so just write 'Pro-Russian mob burns helpless Ukrainians!"
The problem: The victims "aren't citizens, they're just separatists."
They cannot write that, so they write this instead (and this part is actually quoted from the newspapers, translation boiled down to )
After fighting in Odessa between pro-russian activists and government supporters at least 46 people died.
Of course the whole exchange is exaggerated - it's satire.
Next is the passenger plain shot down above the Ukraine. Basically there is no evidence as to who actually shot the thing down, so it gets blamed on the separatists.
In the dialogue this is made fun of with "No evidence? That's good, this way we can operate independently of the facts."
A cover is shown that says "Stop Putin Now!" in front of the faces of victims (of the plain crash, I guess).
Next message about the plain is "it has been perforated" but without any evidence as to who actually did it. So, the general says, they can freely conclude that it probably were the separatists. Keep in mind that this is about what is called "quality journalism", not some kind of boulevard paper.
Following that is a reprimand by the "Deutscher Presserat" (German Press Council) for exploiting the photos of victims for political propaganda. The reaction of the guy sitting in the background: "Doesn't matter. We don't need to report that. As long as it's not shown on TV in front of an audience of millions..." (Yes, that's smug...)
The next picture - a guy holding a stuffed animal. This is first commentated as "A, look how he's strangling that Teddy! That's really great!"
That picture has been commented on with (by a paper called "Sonntags Blick" which manages to be grammatically wrong so it's probably not "quality journalism", so there's that)
What kind of humans are these? They are trampling the victims dignity!
Next they show the actual videoclip the picture is taken from. You can watch that part for yourself at 3:30.
Given, it might as well be that this is some kind of propaganda. That doesn't change the fact that the quote is as misleading as it can get.
Next: Someone is saying that the pro-russian separatists have done excellent rescue work (I doubt this is the correct translation for "Bergungsarbeit" in this context but it's everything dict.cc is offering) at the site of the plane crash. The one who did that was the leader of the Dutch investigation team. The reaction of the press - well, there was none. "We must all be very brave now. *dramatic pause* Ignore it!"
They then go on to the whole thing with the Russian aid convoy which immediately was called an invasion.
That is followed by footage of Ukrainian fighters actually sporting SS runes and swastikas. If you wanna see that directly jump to 4:35. Reaction: "We'll just go on calling them 'volunteer battalions'."
Because the rumors that there where fascists involved (long before Russia got involved) must clearly be shown to be false.
Next are photos of a convoy leaving/entering the Ukraine/not moving at all, apparently you cannot really tell. But, fortunately, there are satellite photos from the US! Oh noes, ex CIA agents say you can't see anything on those either.
The general panics and suggests finding someone in the CSU (a right-wing party in Bavaria which is maybe comparable to the Tea Party).
When the writer has problems with that strategy, the guy in the background suggests the "old double strategy: The claim goes into the first paragraph, the journalism into the last sentence."
He then goes on to dictate:
"Russian military convoy destroyed - paragraph end - by momentarily unconfirmed reports."
Now firing starts.
"Breach at the home frontier - readers are attacking the newspapers with letters to the editor!"
"Close them!"
"Which letters? It's all on the net!"
"Then close the boards!"
"NO! People are going to Facebook!"
"Then moderate, block, delete, DELETE!"
"But.. but... we're fighting for freedom of speech!"
"But in Russia, not here!"
Next: The ARD advisory board criticizes their own reporting as biased and one-sided. The general is shocked and calls this
"Dolchstoß" ("stab in the back").
They finish with "A satire show on the ZDF is making fun of German journalists
right now"
In memory of the (temporary) censoring of their previous episode the general starts screaming about how they are going to sue them to cease and desist until they won't be able to walk anymore.
The guy in the back finishes with saying they don't have time for that and finally manages to get through the screaming of the general to say that this episode of "Die Anstalt" is over.
Unfortunately I haven't seen "Downfall", but I guess the generals behavior channels Hitler in that film.
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