Preparing Independent Russian Media for the 21'' Century:

Frnal Report on Cooperatlve Agreement 1 18-A-00-97-00274-00, December 2000
Newspapers Confront the Challenge" is attached as Appendix 4; the second, "Russia's
Media in the Crisis Period (August 1998 - February 1999)" is attached as Appendix 5 .)
Etipowerment: The Natzonal Press Iizstztute recognzzes that
Russian journalzsts have a long and unfortunate Izlstoly of
dependence on outszde forces for information, jnancing, support,
and legitimation. Because of this history, NPI seeks to create
and zmplenzent only programs that truly empowerjournalists and
media managers, and that build tlzeir conJicence tlzat they can
and must help themselves and one another
Independence: State szibszdzes, state ownerslzzp, and state
znterference wzth the press on the local 01- natzonal level stymze
the developnzent of independent non-state newspapers. The
prevalence of government newspapers undernzines the publzc 's
confidence in the press as a whole, saps journalistic talent, and
dzfutes the newspaper ~ndustiy's aheady weak advertising base.
The only role for government in media u the creation of
condztiorzs that encoul-age true financial and polztical
zndependence of the rneha
Financial Viability: In order to be editorially zndeperzdent and
resporzsible to tlzeir readers, newspapers must be financially
viable. Efforts to assist the media should not include mechanical
subszdies tlzat merely shift dependence from one source to
another and that undermine the progress made to date in
zmproving journafzstic ethzcs and responszbzlzty. Medra
asszstance efforts should continue to develop the market- and
reader-onented management skills necessaiy for tlze medza's
long-tern survzval
Responsibility: The National Press Institute believes that
journalists must be both fiee and responszble. NPI seeks to raise
ethical standards among journafists and strengthen mechanisms
for self-regulation within the zndustiy at tlze same time that zt
seeks to eliminate formal and illformal government control
mechanisms NPI believes that journalzsts have a responsibzlity
to cover ethnic, minority, social, pohtical, and economic issues
wzth seizsitzvzty and sophistication.
Professionalism: In order to play the key role that the media
must zn a democracy, the Russian media not only must become
independent arzd financially viable, but must also raise tlzeir level
of professzonalism. NPI is committed to promotazg, directly and
rndirectly, the lzlglzest levels of professionalism among tlze media
wzth whrch zt works Professionalism entails the understanding
of the media's role in soczety, high ethical standards, and
rnasteiy of the jourizalzsm skzlls and practices necessaly to inform
arzd znvolve Russzan citizens on the full range of issues that now
lie before them
-From NPI's "Newspaper Crisis Recovery Program"
Center for War, Peace, and the News Media - N W
page 32
At the same time,
NpI developed its
~ T \ crisis J ~ ~ ~ ~
Recovery Program"
(attached as 6,
based on its intense,
business-level ties with
non-state newspaper
publishers thoughout the
country. U.S. publishing
consultant William
Dunkerley, and
independent consultant on
media in the region noted
in a published analysis of
Russian media assistance
in December, 1 998
"Recently I had a chance
to read a document
Russian
Newspaper Cvzsls
Recovery Pyogyanz,
authored by the National
Press Institute in Moscow.
This plan is brilliant. It
explains clearly why the
media's problems must be
solved at a sectoral level,
and it proposes a
collection of initiatives
that could make a real
difference. With little
modification, the plan
could serve as the basis
for making considerable
headway toward press
freedom in Russia, and
can be a blueprint for
what to do elsewhere, as
Although neither
NPI nor any other
Chapter 4: Media Business Development Service