Media Control as Source of Political Power: Differentiating Reach and Impact

Abstract

This article analyses the control of business and state actors over mass media in Russia. First, the most important media sources for political news are identified for the last two decades. While constantly increasing state control is clearly visible for these media, the impact on audiences is more complex. Therefore, second, different forms of media impact on political views of the Russian population are discussed based on a review of related academic studies.