KOMMERSANT

KOMMERSANT
Name	Kommersant
Native name	Коммерсантъ
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet
Founded	1909 (revived 1989)
Political	Liberal-conservative (self-described)
Language	Russian
Headquarters	Moscow
Circulation	(see text)

KOMMERSANT

KOMMERSANT is a major Russian daily newspaper established in its modern form in 1989 with historical roots tracing to 1909. The paper has been influential in coverage of Russian and international affairs, business, finance, and culture, competing with publications such as Izvestia, Pravda, Novaya Gazeta, Vedomosti, and Argumenty i Fakty. Its reporting has intersected with events involving figures like Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, and institutions such as the State Duma, Federation Council of Russia, Central Bank of Russia, and European Commission.

History

The modern newspaper emerged during the perestroika period alongside peers Moskovsky Komsomolets, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and Trud as media liberalization allowed independent titles to report on scandals like the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis and economic reforms led by Yegor Gaidar, Anatoly Chubais, and Viktor Chernomyrdin. Editorial decisions reflected post-Soviet debates involving entities such as Gazprom, LUKoil, Rosneft, and Yukos while covering political campaigns of Gennady Zyuganov, Grigory Yavlinsky, and Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The paper’s investigative pieces engaged with the legacies of the KGB, the rise of oligarchs like Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich, and conflicts such as the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War. International reporting connected to crises and summits including the Kosovo War, Iraq War, G8 summit, and NATO-Russia Council.

Ownership and Management

Ownership transitions involved business figures and media groups alongside organizations such as Alfa Group, Interros, Sistema PJSFC, and media conglomerates like National Media Group and Hearst Corporation-affiliated interests. Management changes often paralleled political shifts involving actors like Alexander Vedyakhin and executives who navigated regulations from bodies such as the Federal Antimonopoly Service (Russia) and legal frameworks tied to the Constitution of Russia and presidential administrations. Board-level interactions linked to shareholders from finance circles including representatives of Sberbank, VTB Bank, Rosbank, and international investors from Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Deutsche Bank. Editors-in-chief and directors at various times engaged with journalists who formerly worked at The Moscow Times, Bloomberg News, Reuters, Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse.

Editorial Stance and Content

The newspaper’s editorial line has balanced reporting on markets, policy, and culture, situating stories about corporations such as Microsoft, Apple Inc., Google, Samsung, and Siemens alongside coverage of legislative processes in the State Duma and executive decisions by Presidential Administration of Russia. Cultural pages reviewed works by creators like Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, contemporary directors including Andrei Tarkovsky and Nikita Mikhalkov, and exhibitions at institutions such as the Hermitage Museum, Tretyakov Gallery, and Bolshoi Theatre. Business reporting examined mergers involving Sberbank, privatizations exemplified by Yukos affair, and market trends in commodities like oil linked to OPEC and natural gas supplied to entities including Gazprom Neft.

Circulation and Digital Presence

Print circulation trends mirrored shifts seen at titles like Vedomosti and The Moscow Times as audiences migrated to online platforms including a newspaper website, mobile apps, and social channels similar to outlets such as Meduza and RBK. Digital strategy involved partnerships with services like Yandex, Google News, and content distribution through aggregators and platforms operated by VK (company), Telegram Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter. International syndication and licensing connected to news agencies such as Interfax, TASS, RIA Novosti, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and Bloomberg.

Notable Reporting and Influence

Investigative pieces touched on high-profile episodes including the Yukos proceedings, the arrest and trials of figures like Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and reporting related to conflicts involving Ukraine crisis, Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and international sanctions coordinated by the European Union and United States Department of the Treasury. Coverage influenced debates in institutions such as the Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and at diplomatic missions including the Embassy of the United States in Moscow and Embassy of the United Kingdom in Moscow. The paper's economic analysis was cited in discussions with multilateral organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Controversies and Legal Challenges

Controversies involved defamation suits, regulatory scrutiny under laws administered by the Ministry of Justice (Russia), and compliance issues tied to statutes like the Russian Federation media law. Legal challenges paralleled cases involving other outlets such as Novaya Gazeta and Echo of Moscow and intersected with prosecutions connected to high-profile episodes like the Anna Politkovskaya investigations and parliamentary inquiries by State Duma Committee on Information Policy. International watchdogs including Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, and Human Rights Watch have commented on pressures facing the Russian press, citing actions by security services such as the Federal Security Service (FSB) and law enforcement agencies.

Category:Russian newspapers Category:Publications established in 1989