Preparing Independent Russian Media for the 21'' Century:

Final Report on Cooperative Agreement 1 18-A-00-97-00274-00, December 2000 page 10
1. Ultimately there is no role for state subsidies, state ownership, or state interference
with the press on either the local or national levels. Government newspapers
undermine the public's confidence in the press, sap journalistic talent, and dilute the
country's already weak advertising base. The only role for government in media is
the creation of economic and social conditions that encourage financially viable
independent media outlets and the flourishing small-business-based economies
upon which they depend and which they in turn foster.
The National Press Institute opposes direct subsidies of any kind to the media. In
order to be editorially independent and responsible to their readers, newspapers
must be financially viable and self-sustaining. Efforts to assist the media should not
include mechanical subsidies that merely shift dependence from one source to
another and undermine the progress made to date in improving journalistic ethics
and responsibility. Media assistance efforts should continue to develop the market-
and reader-oriented management skills necessary for the media's long-term
survival.
3. The National Press Institute recognizes that Russian journalists have a long history
and tradition of dependence on outside factors for information, financing, support,
etc. NPI seeks to create and implement only programs that empower journalists and
media managers and build their confidence that they can and must help themselves
and one another.
4. The National Press Institute believes that journalists must be both free and
responsible. NPI seeks to raise ethical standards among journalists and strengthen
mechanisms for self-regulation within the industry at the same time that it seeks to
eliminate formal and informal government control mechanisms. NPI believes that
journalists must responsibly cover ethnic, minority, social, political, and economic
issues so as to promote the peaceful resolution of conflict.
As a result of these principles, many of NPI's programs discussed below not only
directly assisted newspapers, but also facilitated the development of civic society and
public participation generally. NPI sought to work specifically at those areas where
newspapers interact with society at large in order to stimulate Russia's overall transition
to an open society. For instance, its Press Centers program not only assisted journalists
by improving their access to information, it also assisted non-governmental organizations
by increasing their access to the media and, hrther, it encouraged citizens to participate
in public life by encouraging coverage of citizen activists. Likewise, NPIys Media
Business Development Service fostered programs that not only increase newspaper
advertising revenues, but also made newspapers a more effective and accessible platform
for local small-business advertising, helping newspapers serve as a catalyst for local
small-business development. (When Viktor Yermakov, director of Russia's Small
Business Support Agency, learned of NPIys work with newspapers, he said simply, "It is
obvious that you are one of us.")
Center for War, Peace, and the News Media -New York University Chapter 2: Introduction