ABSTRACT

During the period of glasnost; Russia enjoyed unprecedented freedom of the press. A large number of new newspapers appeared, censorship ceased and journalists were free to publish what they wanted. New independent publications played an important role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the war in Chechnya, and especially after the election of President Putin, the situation has changed somewhat. The government is less ready to tolerate criticism of its policies. Conscious of the power of the media to influence public opinion, the government is re-exerting its control over press and television. The independent channel NTV, the radio station |xo Moskvy and the newspaper Novaq Gazeta were the first victims. There is now less freedom of expression in Russia than there was at the time of the fall of the Soviet Union.