The opening of media through the policy of glasnost helped facilitate a democratic transformation in the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the structure of Russian television changed from one of central government control of media outlets to a hybrid system of government and corporate ownership which some thought would promote democratization. Today the Russian public clearly has more access to information than under Soviet rule. Government control, however, has tightened under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, and many now question the ability of media to promote or safeguard democratization in Russia.

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union controlled television from above, and the structure of the Soviet television system reflected the understanding of television as a socialization force. ...