The procedure for registration of the media in Russia: the features of the procedure

Legislation of the Russian Federationprovides strict control over the activities of any type of media, be it radio stations, television or print media (newspapers or magazines), as well as news resources on the Internet.

But in order to operate smoothly, all media must be registered with the Roskomnadzor and have appropriate licenses. Regardless of whether it is necessary registration of print media or broadcasting, documents and applications must be submitted in a complete and unified package.

It should be remembered that mandatoryregistration must be subjected to the media, located on the territory of Russia and all the republics that make up the composition, as well as all populated areas, be it an oblast or a province. But in the latter case an application for registration is submitted to the local department of Roskomnadzor. If it is required to register foreign media, then procedure for registration of the media will not change, but it will be necessary to supplement the list with documents confirming the consent of the owners of the publication or their heirs for the registration.

List of documents to be submitted to registration authorities

To register a mass medium, you will need to provide the following information in writing:

• full name of the media;
• address of the editorial office;
• full information about all the founders and the owner;
• frequency of releases and mode of distribution;
• specialization or subject matter;
• territory of distribution;
• language;
• financing options;
• information on the relationship with other periodicals;
• an extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities issued by each founder and certified by a notary;
• receipt of payment of state fee;
• an extract from the share register;
• copies of constituent documents;
• copies of documents on the availability of domain, hosting, etc.

It is worth noting that the classification of media isformal, so in many cases the publication may not fall into this category. Nevertheless, obtaining a license opens up new opportunities and allows taking advantage of a number of advantages. For example, authors and editors receive the appropriate status and accreditation, their rights are protected by a special association of journalists. The opportunities to protect copyrights in the illegal use of content are also expanding, in particular, it will be possible to apply to the court with an appropriate suit.