Editor's Introduction

Abstract

This issue opens with two articles on freedom of information in the Soviet Union. In making the case for expanding the scope of glasnost' in the context of the new law on the press and information (long rumored to be forthcoming), M. A. Fedotov argues that, among other changes, the number of military and state secrets should be reduced and the press given more access to sessions of soviets of people's deputies. He also makes mention of Glavlit, the Soviet censorship organ that itself has been a censorable item until recently. Although the importance of the direction of change proposed by Fedotov is indisputable, the author is far from advocating freedom of the press. On the contrary, Fedotov insists that "the basic functions of all mass media in socialist society are uniform" and that Soviet journalists should be mobilized to promote General Secretary Gorbachev's policy of restructuring.