The problem of liquidation of state mass media

The greater part of the “serf” editions (recently the journalist call so the communal and state mass media) categorically protest against the privatization: they want to continue to have the budget subsidies and the privileges concerning the subscription. Frequently such editions do not care about the readers’ demands: they mostly attend to the publication of reports or obscure references passed to them from higher instances. The “administrative resource” (that is some coersive measures) is often used to make people to subscribe to these editions. It is obvious that the civilized competition cannot exist under such conditions. Suffice it to say that private mass media pay taxes to the budget, from which their competitors are financed.

At the same time, the collectives of many great newspapers, which are patronized by the power structures, want to get free of this “care” and to work independently. If the competent state newspapers would obtain the independence and the freedom of speech, some of them would be able to become serious competitors for many private editions.

 («Delovaya Odessa», No. 19, 12 September 2003)