BREAKING DOWN DEMOCRACY: Goals, Strategies, and Methods of Modern Authoritarians Furthermore, because the population now has greater remained lightly regulated in comparison with access to foreign sources of news and entertain- the Kremlin's tight control over television and ment, regimes must grapple with the complex task of other mass media. However, Freedom House monopolizing the political discourse in ways that are has noted growing restrictions over the past far more convincing and compelling than the robotic several years, with a series of new laws, prosecu- pronouncements that played such a crucial part in tions, and ownership changes that have reduced communism's loss of credibility. the Russian internet's freedom and diversity in practice.’ As is the case with so much of modern authoritarian practice, Russia has taken the lead in developing strat- 4. Asmall stable of independent outlets: A token egies and methods of media domination. The system number of media outlets are allowed to remain built under Vladimir Putin is defined by the following independent at the sufferance of the Kremlin. characteristics: These include the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, the indirectly state-owned radio station Ekho 1. Control over the commanding heights of the Moskvy, and a handful of internet-based news media: Among Putin's first goals as president services, some of which are forced to operate was securing domination of the most influential from neighboring countries. Coerced owner- media—the national television stations. They ship changes and other forms of pressure have had been controlled by various oligarchs, who gradually reduced the already tiny independent used the outlets to promote their personal and media sector in recent years. And the remaining political interests. While the resulting journalism independent outlets have little reach, small audi- was hardly objective and independent, Russian ences, and at best modest impact on domestic television and Russian media gen