"To arrange dictatorial censorship is not for us"

Chief editor TJournal Sergey Star - On the closure of the publication, emigration and the possibility of resuming the work of independent media in Russia

The editors of the TJournal on August 22 announced the termination of the publication from September 10. As a reason, she called financial problems: in particular, the company “Committee” owning TJ since the beginning of the war in Ukraine has lost a significant part of the advertising revenue. On the territory of Russia, TJournal has been blocked from March 14. “New newspaper. Europe ”talked with the chief of the publication by Sergey Star.

-Why right now it was decided to close TJournal and were there any other ways?

-The trigger did not happen at a particular moment. Of course, this is a long process. It seems strange if such an publication as ours would be closed because of some little thing or one specific thing. Of course, this is a process. The company, which owns Tjournal, at some point realized that the publication should be closed due to economic reasons that were piled up after February 24th. Of course, even before that, we were like the publication in the not better financial condition, but the blocking greatly crushed our possibilities to earn money on the advertising market. Advertising and special projects are our main source of income as publication, we have no grants, the donates did not bring us any significant income.

- Were there any other way out? Remove politics from the site and just continue to work further, go to some compromise, wait for some time?

- This, in my opinion, would be the most terrible compromise possible. Of course, we tried to observe all the dragon laws that we adopted in Russia, but to a minimum. We had a lawyer who remains in the “committee” and who advised us on various issues.

But to remove the policy with TJ is how to tear out some very important body, because we positioned and position TJ as a platform for a free exchange of views.

Our site is unique that here it was possible to calmly postpone with people who, perhaps, do not agree with you in everything, but at least they will send you away in a civilized manner, and will argue with you humanly. Therefore, to remove policy and arrange some dictatorial censorship is not about us.

- How has TJ work changed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine?

- After blocking, we have forced and very significantly reduced our expenses. If earlier almost 20 people worked in the editorial office, then only five have been left since April. In addition, we had to abandon the authors' league. This is a large community of regular authors who made various materials for TJ. In other words, these are users who have some basic job, but they very much burn the idea of ​​TJ and often did exclusive texts for us, which could no longer be found anywhere in the rune.

-Some of the employees of TJ supported the war?

“I cannot speak for other people.”

- Was blocking for you a surprise?

- No, of course. On the contrary, at some point we even very actively joked inside the working chats about why we are still not recognized as prohibited, why we do not find anything. Of course, we absolutely did not want to rush this process. But we, of course, surprised us, because by March 14 a large number of independent media were already blocked.

- You decided to leave Russia. Was the decision to emigrate hard? Where did it work?

“I can’t reveal my location yet.” This (emigration - ed.), Of course, is in no way connected with TJ and the Committee, this is my personal decision. My situation is completely unique: a huge number of people leave Russia, it is difficult for everyone now. A large number of relocation chats and instructions helps greatly, where it is described how to prepare yourself physically and, most importantly, psychologically. The number of friends and acquaintances in one or another place where you are heading play a very large role. If you make yourself such a more or less convenient psychological pillow, then the first time will not be as scary as expected.

-Do you have any concerns, even despite the emigration that the Russian authorities will apply any measures towards you?

- If you constantly think about it, then you can become completely paranoid. I don't think about it. Even if it happens, then I will look with a lawyer, together with my colleagues to specific accusations or claims, notifications, and so on

-What do you think, is it possible to ever resume the work of independent media in Russia?

- Certainly. In Russia, for some reason, it is so accepted that during large crises, whatever they are connected, a large number of lower-scale public, charitable, and any non-profit projects arise. But I think that not only in Russia. We see a huge number of different media and different public projects. Someone will not live until next month, but someone will survive and will form the basis for the civil future in Russia. Along with this, the media will ever return. It cannot all that is happening now forever, it is physically impossible.