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Kommersant

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Kommersant is a major daily newspaper in Russia. It focuses heavily on news regarding politics and business. Many people consider it one of the three most important business dailies in the country. The other two main papers are Vedomosti and RBK Daily.

Because it covers money and power, it is a key source of information. It serves as a primary resource for understanding the Russian economic landscape.

The newspaper has a unique identity tied to its name. In Russian, the title includes a terminal hard sign (ъ). This specific character is a letter that is silent at the end of words in modern Russian. Most of these silent letters were removed during a post-revolution spelling reform.

Kommersant uses this letter to honor its original history. The logo features this hard sign in a formal script. The staff and the redaction even refer to themselves simply as "Ъ".

The history of the publication spans two different eras. The original Kommersant was established in Moscow in 1909. However, the Bolsheviks shut the paper down following the October Revolution in 1917.

The paper was later relaunched during a time of new press freedom in Russia. Businessman Vladimir Yakovlev owned the relaunch in 1989. The first new issue was released in January 1990. It was modeled after the style of Western business journalism.

Kommersant changed its format as it grew in popularity. It began its new life as a weekly newspaper. It quickly became popular among political and business elites. By 1992, it transitioned into a daily newspaper.

Ownership changed hands several times over the following decades. Boris Berezovsky owned the paper from 1999 until 2006. Badri Patarkatsishvili purchased it from Berezovsky. Later, in September 2006, Alisher Usmanov bought the publication.

Measuring the reach of the paper shows its significant influence. According to TNS Media and NRS Russia, the circulation was quite high. In July 2013, the certified daily circulation was between 120,000 and 130,000.

This large audience makes it a powerful voice in Russian media. In 2008, BBC News recognized its importance. They named it one of Russia's leading liberal business broadsheets.

The newspaper has also had to navigate legal and political challenges. In January 2005, the paper published a protest against a court ruling. The ruling had ordered the paper to publish a denial regarding a story. The story concerned a crisis at Alfa-Bank.

These moments show the tension between media and legal authorities. Such events highlight the difficulties of reporting on sensitive financial topics.

To maintain independence, the paper uses a very specific writing style. It often employs an ironic tone in its reporting. This is useful during periods of severe state censorship. The writers use creative neologisms, which are newly created words. They also use wordplay, metaphors, and legally imposed euphemisms.

This strategic style allows them to communicate ideas while navigating strict rules. It connects the field of journalism to the complex world of political science and linguistics.

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