The history of the formation of the “fourth estate” in the USSR on the example of the magazine “Ogonyok” in 1987–1989

This article examines the process of the emergence of the “fourth estate” during the period of perestroika in the USSR. It asserts that prior to this period in the country’s history, all mass media were under the control of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and were unable to independently influence the public consciousness of the state’s population. The beginning of the process of their departure from governmental patronage manifested in the leadership of the Central Committee’s (CC) retreat from total influence over the editorial policies of central mass media, including the editorial board of the “Ogonyok” magazine. As a result of this policy shift, “Ogonyok” effectively became a representative of the liberal agenda within public consciousness, which contradicted the previously prevailing ideological frameworks. This transformation marked a significant step towards the establishment of a more independent media landscape, allowing for a broader discourse that challenged the established norms and ideologies of the time.