Russians have traditionally been avid newspaper readers. This is reflected in the number of titles. In 1990, there were 4,808 daily newspapers with a total circulation of 166 million copies compared to a population of 149 million. Since then, however, the number of titles has fallen dramatically, largely due to a rise in the cost of paper. The old state daily, "Pravda," is barely surviving and is partly dependent on subsidies from the Greek Communist Party. After the October 1993 right-wing coup attempt many newspapers were banned. Most are now reappearing although often under new names. The regional and local press is also growing in importance. State TV is now the most important news source and less biased than under communism. It remains under the control of supporters of President Yeltsin. Many Russians now have satellite dishes and tune in to CNN and other Western channels.
