This work focuses on the tumultuous and rapidly evolving environment of Russian media and society, from the era of Gorbachev's reforms of glasnost to just before the 2003 – 2004 electoral cycle. Over this time, there have been three Presidents - Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Three leaders who have a different managerial style, although both Gorbachev and Putin have legal training, which seems to have some impact upon the way they try to manage a transforming society.