Zvyazda (meaning “star” in Belarusian) is a state-owned daily newspaper in Belarus. Its history dates back to 1917, when Zvyazda was founded as the official newspaper of the Minsk Committee of Russian Bolsheviks.
Media assets
Publishing: Zvyazda
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Zvyazda is published by the Zvyazda Publishing House, a state-owned enterprise created by the merger of the Literature and Art Publishing House and the Zvyazda newspaper. The publishing house is under the Ministry of Information, which appoints its top management.
Source of funding and budget
Zvyazda is largely funded by the government through a state budget subsidy. The station also makes money from advertising, according to local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in May 2024.
Editorial independence
Zvyazda is a key propaganda outlet whose editorial line is under government control. An ad hoc content analysis of its website conducted for this report revealed a markedly biased and propagandistic editorial line that fully supports the government.
There is no evidence that Zvyazda has a national statute or independent evaluation or oversight mechanism in place that would be a check on Zvyazda’s editorial independence.
September 2024