Putin tightens grip on the press Jeremy Page, Moscow June 04, 2005
RUSSIA'S state-controlled gas giant Gazprom is to buy the respected daily newspaper Izvestia, in what is seen as a move by the Kremlin to extend its media controls.
The gas monopoly's media arm, Gazprom-Media, said it was in talks with Russian metals tycoon Vladimir Potanin on purchasing his 50per cent stake in Izvestia.
Human rights groups and liberal politicians decried the move, which would give the Kremlin control over a relatively independent national newspaper with a circulation of more than 200,000.
Since Vladimir Putin became President in 2000, the Kremlin has steadily re-introduced central control over the national media, often through Gazprom.
Until now, it has largely ignored the print media, whose readership is small and mostly urban, to focus on television -- by far the most powerful means of reaching 140million people across 11 time zones.
But analysts say the Kremlin is increasingly anxious to manipulate public opinion in the run-up to a presidential election in 2008, when Mr Putin is due to step down.
Raf Shakirov, a former Izvestia editor who was forced to resign last year after the Kremlin criticised his coverage of the Beslan school siege, said the move was "a purchase with a political character".
"A complete takeover of television has already happened," he said. "Now they are going after the newspapers so that the picture is finished."
Political analysts suggested that Mr Potanin, one of Russia's richest men, was ditching the newspaper to avoid getting on the wrong side of the Kremlin.
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