Russia's endangered media

Russia's progress toward democracy during the past decade has been uneven. But one crucial factor driving it toward a freer society has been the rise of truly independent newspapers, magazines and television stations.

Now, one by one, these voices are being stilled. Last weekend, new management with economic ties to the government took over the country's only autonomous national television network, NTV. This week the Moscow daily newspaper Sevodnya was shut down and the staff of the political weekly Itogi, a joint venture with Newsweek, was dismissed.

If this trend is not quickly reversed, President Vladimir Putin could regain some of the power his Soviet-era predecessors had to suppress or manipulate unfavorable news.

As Mr. Putin steadily tightens his grip on power, it is important that Russia's citizens be able to hold him accountable through unfiltered sources of information.

For the past few days, NTV's former journalists have been trying to get their newscasts out through a smaller cable station, and have sought financial backers to help them reach a larger audience. But the government is now pressuring the cable station's owners with charges of tax evasion.

Mr. Putin needs to demonstrate that independent television stations, newspapers and magazines can still operate freely in Russia without government harassment.

-- The New York Times