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Maria Stepanova
Between Self-Censorship and Propaganda:! The Russian Media in the Putin Era
Maria Stepanova is a poet, essayist, and journalist. She is the author of ten poetry collections and two books of essays, and a recipient of several Russian and international literary awards, including the prestigious Andrei Bely Prize and Joseph Brodsky Foundation Fellowship. Her poems have been translated into many languages, including English, Italian, German, French, and Hebrew. Her opinion pieces on the current political and media landscape in Russia have been published in Russian, English and German. In 2012 she launched a new online resource, COLTA.RU, the only independent crowd-funded media project that exists in Russia today.
Summary
Vladimir Putin’s war on independent media began soon after his ascent to power in 2000. However, the last phase of this war, in the aftermath of street protests of 2011-2012, led not only to closure or reconfiguration of existing media projects, but to a complete repurposing of media outlets as tools in the destruction of the field of public discussion. What is alive in the Russian media after 15 years of systematic demolition? What has happened to the TV channels, periodicals, and major publishing holdings of the 1990s, and what has come to replace them? How is the state splurging on propaganda, and what does it get in return? What choices are available to the independent media? The founder and editor-in-chief of COLTA.RU, one of the most visible independent media resources in today’s Russia, will present her perspective on these issues.
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