News Media and Power in Russia [Paperback]

Part 1: Theories, Methods, and Historical Context  1. Catching the Wind: Theoretical Approach to the Study  2. Russian Media System: Historical Background  Part 2: Agents of Power  3. State Agents  4. State and Non-State Agents of Violence  5. Owners  6. Advertisers  7. Sources of Information  8. Rank-and-File Journalists  9. Center and Periphery of Power: From Media Executives to Audiences  Part 3: Special Studies  10. Regional Media Landscapes: Diversity of Power Configurations  11. The Story of Peterburg - 5 Kanal  12. The Story of NTV  13. Change in the Coverage of the Chechen Wars

The end of communist rule in the Soviet Union brought with it a brave new world of media and commerce. Formerly state-owned enterprises were transformed, often through private ownership, and new corporations sprung up overnight to take advantage of the new atmosphere of freedom.

Until now, most research on media and news production in Russia has focused on the scope of government control and comparisons with the communist era. However, extra-governmental controls and the challenges of operating in a newly capitalist environment have been just as important  if not more so  in the formation of the new media climate. Filling the gap in the literature, this book examines the various agents who make the news, and discusses the fierce struggle among the various agents of power involved. Drawing on existing theories and scholarship, the book provides a wealth of detail on the actual daily practices of news production in Russia. Original research is combined with compelling first-hand accounts of news production and dissemination to provide an incisive look at the issues and power structures Russian journalists face on a dailylã)