City Research Online

Criminalizing independent journalism: 20th century controls on the 21st century media

Rodgers, J. ORCID: 0000-0002-3365-6909 (2025). Criminalizing independent journalism: 20th century controls on the 21st century media. In: Kremlin Media Wars Censorship and Control Since the Invasion of Ukraine. (pp. 11-21). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003483908-3

Abstract

This chapter starts with an analysis of the televised discussions of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his top security officials shortly before the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. It continues with an overview of the Kremlin’s relations with international correspondents during the 20th century, setting into historical context the consideration of the challenges the challenges facing those correspondents’ successors today. The main one of those challenges was the introduction in Russia of legislation that in effect criminalized much of their legitimate journalistic activity. It includes interviews with two correspondents for British newspapers who felt that they had no option but to flee the country, offering insights into how they were able to continue to report on Russia from outside the country. It gives examples of how some western news organisations have succeeded in reporting on Russia as the war in Ukraine, and Moscow’s increasingly confrontational relations with the West, have continued. It concludes by making the case for the value of journalism in mutual understanding between Russia and the West, even at a time of such heightened tension.

Publication Type: Book Section
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Kremlin Media Wars:Censorship and Control Since the Invasion of Ukraine on 18 Feb 2025, available online: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003483908-3/criminalizing-independent-journalism-james-rodgers
Publisher Keywords: Russian journalism, censorship, military censorship, foreign correspondent
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General)
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General)
Departments: School of Communication & Creativity
School of Communication & Creativity > Journalism
SWORD Depositor:
[thumbnail of Rodgers.pdf] Text - Accepted Version
This document is not freely accessible until 18 August 2026 due to copyright restrictions.

To request a copy, please use the button below.

Request a copy

Export

Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics

Actions (login required)

Admin Login Admin Login