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professionals hold and what the prospects for the future of journalism are. A
central finding is that there are two types of professional roles within
contemporary journalism, representing two types of professional subculture: the old
generation (practitioners of the Soviet era) and the new generation (who have joined
the profession since 1990). Whereas the old generation continues to hold a
cultivated view of journalism as an important societal task in natural collaboration
with those in authority, the new generation is orientated towards the contemporary
role of providing entertainment and perceives journalism rather as a PR role for the
benefit of influential groups and people in politics and business. Despite their
polarities, both generations of journalism accept the political function of
journalism as a propaganda machine for the power elite during elections and other
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