This proposal explores the transformation of Soviet television from a monolithic propaganda machine to a more diverse and open medium during the late 20th century. It challenges the commonly held belief that the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev were solely responsible for the increased openness and freedom of speech in the USSR. The research suggests that the groundwork for these changes was laid during the Age of Stagnation, as Soviet television gradually shifted from information and propaganda broadcasting to entertainment programming.

The proposal focuses on the role of journalists, editors, and presenters who became active advocates of the Glasnost policy on television. It investigates how these individuals, many of whom had worked in Soviet television for years under strict censorship, played a significant role in the shift towards openness.