This book explores "news production" in Russia, examining the various agents who "make" the news, and discussing the fierce struggle among the various agents of power involved, including news producers themselves. Drawing on existing theories and scholarship, the book provides a wealth of detail on the actual daily practices of news production in Russia, arguing that power relations in news making are not just external intrusions into the pure process of the reflection of reality, but showing how the interaction of variously motivated agents is an intrinsic part of the news production process. The book will be important for students of media studies, and for students of the politics of Russia, for whom the question of how far politicians continue to control the media in the post-communist era, as in the communist era, is a crucial issue.
'The book is very well written, easy to read, and provides and excellent introduction to the topic. One must admire the thoroughness, and, indeed, also the courage, with which the author has pursued her research. The book is a worthy addition to any important series.' - Polar Record, Vol. 43, 2007