The Russian Press Day was founded by the Decree of the President of Russia in 1992 in memory of the first publication of the first Russian printing newspaper established by Peter I. For the first time the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of RSFSR declared January, 13th The Russian Press Day in 1991 instead of The Soviet Press Day which was celebrated on May, 5th. The Soviet Press Day was celebrated in connection with publication of the first issues of the newspaper "Pravda" signed by V.Lenin.
On January, 13th (on January, 2nd under old style) of 1703 the first Russian newspaper which name can be translated as "Report on military and other matters worthy of knowledge and memory happened in Moscow State and other neighboring countries". Edition was issued under the nominal decree of Peter I which was formulated as: "About printing of newspapers for notification about foreign and internal incidents".
It’s easy to understand Yeltsin's logic denying all Soviet and trying to found the Russian state on his own behalf anew. But the first dictator is already in tomb and inheritance left by him doesn't cause inspiration even in those who came to power thanks to him. It’s especially visible in the field of police literature - the great Russian literature for 20 years of non-censorial existence has died out almost completely. It’s not so visible in mass-media, now it is possible to prosper being semiliterate.
However the press died as industry - circulation of the same newspaper "Pravda" in the Soviet period reached 12 million copies, publishing house "Pravda” (present "Press") was created for such huge circulation, it was not the state grant but economy: production costs made approximately 50 percent from 3 copecks of newspaper price, the rest went to the budget of the CPSU - official owner of the edition - in the form of profit. It’s necessary to say that “Pravda” was not mass-market media - "Trud", for example, in its best years was published in circulation of 32 million copies.
Today circulation in 100 thousand is considered to be very big and million circulation - unique. Newspaper with such circulation becomes completely dependent, there’s no talking about independent economy (and consequently policy). Already at Yeltsin simultaneously with mortgaging auctions almost all Russian mass-media were handed around as doggies "in good hands" - each oligarchic group close to the Kremlin formed own media holding. Few remained independent mass-media drags out miserable existence with scanty circulations, from sponsor to sponsor. All the same newspaper "Pravda" turned to a party leaf of one of fictitious bourgeois parties of fictitious Russian parliament – disappearing small circulation, practically total absence in information field, nonprofessional management and absolutely "none” journalism.
All these are possible to tell also about "new" editions which normally should prosper. But they exist as "spongers" of close to the Kremlin oligarchs to whom content of media resources is imposed in the form of some kind of "social work". There they periodically lit stars of local value each of which has its hanging price. Not for nothing such profession as “journalist” in mass consciousness is steadily associated with definition "the second most ancient".
That is what we celebrate.
