MOSCOW, January 31 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the Russian government would not impose any restrictions on free speech, but urged the media to develop a feeling of responsibility to society.
"The government has no intention of raising the media's social awareness by curbing free speech," Putin said at his annual news conference in the Kremlin, which brought together more than 1,000 Russian and foreign journalists. "But I would like members of the journalistic community to define what is appropriate and what is not in their profession themselves."
The president said he was glad to see progress in Russian journalism and that Russian society was maturing.
"I am witnessing extremely qualified journalists appear in Russia who are specializing in certain issues. It is both a pleasure and a challenge to talk to them as you can feel their profound knowledge of the subject being discussed," the president said.
Putin said Russians traditionally had had great trust in the media and said he hoped that all members of the journalistic community would feel personally responsible for the material they publish.
