In the shadows of a Russian propaganda war, the tense relationship between raison d'état and freedom of the press becomes evident, when a society such as the one in Ukraine struggles for its existence. Ever since the Ukraine crisis, media democratic promises of salvation for more participation of the civil society are on trial. Yet Western as well as Eastern voices dub the digital reinterpretation of a once promising and prolonged media transition by the Leviathan as the 'fourth insult to humanity'. What, however, will be the significance of quality journalism within the media democracy of the future, if the state, oligarchs and transnational corporations re-assess the value system of state and economic interests versus freedom of the press? These first-hand insights reveal the status quo of media systems in transition countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and Romania - in English as well as the original language versions. It also focuses on a media reality coined by Putin.

Ralf Hohlfeld PhD, is professsor and chair of communication of the University of Passau, Germany since 2008. He also acts as spokes person of the Centre for Media and Communication. His main research interests are the emerging of public sphere, media change, political communication, mobile communication and research on quality journalism. Ralph Kendlbacher, Dipl.-Journ. univ., is senior research associate to the chair for communication of the University of Passau, Germany. He is initiator and project manager of the EU-funded project "Crossmedia and QualityJournalism". His main research interests are topics of norms and democratic values within the context of media change, research on quality journalism and change management. Before, he had worked as media consultant and as a foreign news reporter in various countries. Oliver Hahn PhD, is professor of journalism at the Centre for Media and Communication of the University of Passau, Germany. His main research areas include: international and cross-cultural comparative research on journalism cultures, media in transition, media in the Arabworld, Social Media protest communication, conflict, crisis and war reporting, risk and science communication, EU journalism, data-driven journalism.