 C00175453
 Page: 1     of 13
 CLAS UNCLASSIFIED
 CLAS UNCLASSIFIED
 AFSN PM1801120193
 DRAT 930114
 SLIN Moscow KRASNAYA ZVEZDA in Russian 14 Jan 93 pp 1, 3
 SUBS [Roman Zadunayskiy report: "Market Dictates Tough Conditions for Military
 Press.  Expert Commission Has Formulated Proposals To Improve Mass Media
 System in the Armed Forces"
 SUBJ Military Papers' Circulation Declines
 Full Text Superzone of Message
 1    ]
 2    [Text] The optimization of the military mass media system -- this was how
 Lieutenant General Konstantin Bogdanov, expert commission chairman and
 chief of the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense Main Directorate for
 Work With Personnel, defined the main task of the work of the expert
 commission on the military mass media system.
 3    Despite the fact that the military press is subsidized by the Russian
 Ministry of Defense, he said in an interview with an ITAR-TASS
 correspondent, the print runs of military newspapers and magazines, like
 those of most other publications, are decreasing.  Thus the total print
 run per issue of all military magazines in the first half of 1993 will be
 412,000 copies, and of all military newspapers 400,000.  Compared with the
 first half of 1992, these indicators constitute 45 and 42 percent
 respectively of the former print runs of military mass media.
 4     The former military mass media system collapsed with the formation of
 national armies, and a Russian Federation Ministry of Defense mass media
 system was rapidly formed, Gen. Bogdanov went on to say.  Right now the
 following are published in the Russian Armed Forces: Two central
 newspapers KRASNAYA ZVEZDA and SYN OTECHESTVA, the central journal ARMIYA,
 14 journals issued by the Russian Federation Armed Forces General Staff,
 the branches of the Armed Forces, and the main and central directorates,
 17 newspapers issued by military districts and army and fleet groups, as
 well as approximately 100 army, flotilla, and regional newspapers, and the
 printed publications of large strategic formations, naval bases, ships,
 military training institutions, district construction directorates, and
 road construction brigades.  The Russian Federation Ministry of Defense
 television and radio broadcasting studio "Slavyanka" and a number of
 regional military television and radio centers are also in operation.
 5     According to Lt. Gen. Bogdanov, most district and grouping newspapers are
 switching to weekly publication, except for publications in regions where
 information is particularly necessary.
 6     At the moment, unfortunately, we have no soldier's or sailor's journal,
 Konstantin Bogdanov went on.  Therefore the expert commission has proposed
 to publish a journal entitled SOBESEDNIK VOINA [Serviceman's Interlocutor]
 based on the magazine AGITATOR ARMII I FLOTA [Army and Navy Agitation
 Worker].  This will be a soldier's and sailor's journal similar to an Army
 version of ARGUMENTY I FAKTY.  It will be aimed at those wishing to serve
 on a contract basis.  It is planned to publish a journal for military
 sociologists, psychologists, lawyers, and teachers.
 X29
 Approved f pr Release
 M10
 C00175453
 Page: 2     of 13
 However, the market is dictating tough conditions to military journalists,
 just as it is to "civilian" journalists, for the survival of their
 publications.  Therefore the editorial offices of military newspapers and
 magazines are looking for new topics and changing the way in which they
 present their material.  It is true that some military publications, in
 trying to attract readers, are filling their pages with light fiction,
 detective stories, and yarns about UFO's.  By doing this they are moving
 away from their principal tasks -- informing servicemen about the life of
 the Armed Forces, Gen. Bogdanov said in conclusion.  (endall) 14 Jan
 18/1301z Jan BT #9898 NNNN

