President Putin’s Russia has been hard on the media. Numerous journalists disappear every year as the airwaves become more restricted. But perhaps the most surprising part of modern trends for us is that the Russian people don’t seem bothered by it. NPR’s “On the Media” went to Russia to hear Russians talk about it themselves. They interview high up editors and publishers, a musician, politicians, and others closely tied to the Russian journalism world.

Check out their site and mp3s free to download. You’ll hear a bouquet of ideas, ranging from idealistic, to dark, to calculating, to exasperation. You’ll also hear two cultures staring each other in the face.