Media Regulation in Russia - A Landscape Analysis of Laws and Trends

September 13 2016

This new report is a study of laws regulating online and print media in Russia. The legal framework governing Russian media has undergone substantial development in recent years – developments which have a significant impact on the way that journalists and media players in Russia are able to operate.

This report was developed as a resource to support the Perspektivy programme (a collaboration between Thomson Reuters Foundation, Fritt Ord Foundation and Robert Bosch Stiftung) that aims to strengthen professional standards and ethics in journalism and to promote collaboration between journalists in Russia and Russian speaking countries. It is also available as a resource for all journalists to better understand the legal framework in which they operate.

The research was conducted and the report written by DLA Piper Rus Limited on pro bono basis and facilitated by TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global legal pro bono programme. The report is based on a review of the evolution media legislation in Russia over the past five years and includes an overview of key trends, recent legislative developments and their implications for journalists, bloggers and media players.

Download the report here:
Media Regulation in Russia – A Landscape Analysis of Laws and Trends (pdf)

News

Mykhailo Tkach

Ukrainian, Georgian, Armenian, Russian and Belarusian journalists and media to receive five Free Media Awards for 2026

September 3 2026

This year’s prize laureates for the Free Media Awards from the Fritt Ord Foundation and Zeit Stiftung Bucerius are:
The investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach from Ukraine
The investigative media outlet iFact from Georgia
The online media Factor TV from Armenia
The online media Verstka from Russia (in exile)
The journalist and media director Andrei Aliaksandrau from Belarus (imprisoned)

Fritt Ord's grants for master’s degrees

August 30 2026

Is your master’s project about freedom of expression, social debate or journalism? If so, you can apply for a student grant from the Fritt Ord Foundation.

The Freedom of Expression Foundation Tribute 2026

August 18 2026

The rap duo Karpe has been awarded the Freedom of Expression Foundation Tribute for giving voice to the experiences of many young people from minority backgrounds. Through the language of rap, they are expanding the space for the expression of identity and belonging.

The 2025/26 Monitor survey

June 17 2026

The Fritt Ord Foundation and the Institute for Social Research (ISF) invite you to the launch of a report and a subsequent discussion on Monday, 8 June 2026, from 9.00 to 11.00 am, at Fritt Ord’s premises at Uranienborgveien 2 in Oslo.

Where do people draw the line when it comes to freedom of expression, and what do they believe to be the greatest threats to an informed debate at a time characterised by unrest, crises and international conflicts? Do they feel there is sufficient diversity of opinion and enough room for divergent viewpoints? And how do people assess access to truthful and relevant information in a media landscape featuring new formats, new voices and artificial intelligence?