How a silent Russian letter became a symbol of journalistic defiance
In short: In an era of heavy censorship, one Russian business daily uses wordplay and a forgotten letter to navigate the line between truth and state control. Discover the history of Kommersant, a publication that survived revolution and rebirth to become a pillar of the nation's business press.
The history of Kommersant is a tale of two eras. The original publication emerged in Moscow in 1909, but its first life was cut short when the Bolsheviks shuttered the paper following the 1917 October Revolution. It would take decades for the title to return, finally relaunching in January 1990 under the leadership of Vladimir Yakovlev. Modeled after Western business journalism, the paper initially functioned as a weekly before transitioning to a daily format in 1992.
The publication's identity is deeply tied to a linguistic relic. Its name is spelled with a terminal hard sign (ъ), a character that is silent in modern Russian and was largely removed during post-revolutionary spelling reforms. By retaining this 'ъ' in its logo and even referring to its editorial team as 'Ъ', the paper maintains a stylistic link to its pre-revolutionary origins.
Ownership of the paper has shifted through several influential figures. After its 1989 relaunch, it was held by Boris Berezovsky until 2006, when ownership passed to Badri Patarkatsishvili, and subsequently to Alisher Usmanov in September 2006. Despite these shifts in power, the paper has maintained a reputation as a leading liberal business broadsheet, as noted by BBC News in 2008.
To survive periods of intense state pressure, Kommersant has developed a unique editorial strategy. Observers note the use of an ironic tone, utilizing metaphors, wordplay, and creative neologisms. This linguistic dexterity, along with the use of legally required euphemisms, allows the publication to communicate nuanced information even when facing severe censorship or court-ordered denials, such as its 2005 protest regarding a story about Alfa-Bank.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kommersant
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-kommersant.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Journalism and mass media · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
