On April 3 2002 the State Duma adopted at second reading a draft law on additions and amendments to the law "On the Mass Media" by 251 votes (against a required minimum of 226 votes).

The new version of the law prohibits registration of the mass media with the same titles or titles "with similarities that may cause confusion" on the whole territory of the Russian Federation. The YABLOKO faction did not support the draft law.

"Such a law provides the authorities at all levels with a new pretext for a reprisal against disagreeable mass media under the pretext of their "incorrect name," noted deputy from the YABLOKO faction Sergei Mitrokhin, stressing: "The prospects of many regional and municipal mass media are a cause for concern."

Agreeing that there is a problem for owners of the title in terms of protection of intellectual property, Mitrokhin said that the adoption of such amendments to the law "On the Mass Media" is inopportune in conditions where the problem of persecution of the mass media by the federal and local authorities is so acute.

"After the adoption of a new version of the law, hundreds of mass media with the same names and thousands of media with similar names will have virtually no right to exist, and in the event of mandatory re-registration will be unable to continue functioning under previous or similar titles," said Mitrokhin.

"If one adheres to the logic of the law, noted Mitrokhin, - then such well-known publications at the St. Petersburg literary journal "Zvyezda" (Star) and the Perm newspaper "Zvyezda", radio station "Yunost" (Youth) and the magazine "Yunost", Evgeni Kiselyov's "Itogi" (Results) TV programme and Gazprom's Itogi magazine will have to be combined under a single owner."

"And we know who will appoint him [such an owner], said Mitrokhin.

See also:

Freedom of Speech and the Media Law in Russia

Roll-call Voting in the State Duma
for adoption of the federal law "On Addenda and Amendments to the Law of the RF "On the Mass Media" (regarding the regulations of the names of the media). Second reading.

Roll-call Voting in the State Duma
for adoption of the federal law "On Addenda and Amendments to the Law of the RF "On the Mass Media" (regarding the regulations of the names of the media). Third reading.