Russia: Putin speaks on press freedom at Moscow journalism forum

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the second day of the international media forum, 'New era of journalism: farewell to mainstream' in Moscow, Tuesday.
Speaking on the modern journalism and media market trends, Putin stated that "information should be objective and the freedom of speech should not be oppressed or limited."
The Russian president stressed the necessity and importance for authorities in all countries to ensure the freedom of speech and media. "One should avoid such situations when authorities prefer some sort of information, defend it alongside the freedom of information and press, but when they don't like something they immediately call it propaganda which is acting in the interests of several political groups or specific states," explained the president.
Moreover, Putin congratulated journalists and the participants of the forum on the 75-year anniversary of the establishment of the Soviet Information Bureau, which later evolved into the international news agency Rossiya Segodnya.