ABSTRACT
Since the eighteenth century, Russia has always played a significant role in European and global politics. On the contrary, the powerful role of federal/national television in public communication, together with that of distributing mass entertainment, is vital in the post-Soviet transitional period, in political mobilization and identity building. As a Eurasian Empire, it has had a strong economic and cultural influence over a vast territory, stretching from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Far East, which is responsible for the rise of Russia as a key actor in regional and global politics, especially in the twentieth century. The development of the Russian Imperial press reflects trends in political, economic and cultural life. The general picture of the Russian media, at least in quantitative terms, is highly diverse. In print media, the total number of registered newspaper and magazine titles is 59,000, of which around a third are published.
