United Russia Deputy Sergei Zheleznyak proposed making amendments to the current legislation on media to protect journalists from custom-ordered publications, a news report said Friday.
"The [State Duma's media] committee should discuss the necessary amendments to legislation that would prevent the order of custom-made publications that are humiliating for journalists and only discredit the media," Interfax quoted Zheleznyak as saying.
His comment appeared to be aimed at Moskovsky Komsomolets, which last Friday published an article accusing certain Duma deputies and United Russia members of being ready to "go to bed" with any political party to please the Kremlin.
The publication caused a flustered reaction by the Duma, which the next day passed a resolution calling on journalists not to abuse the right to freedom of speech.
On Wednesday, the state-owned NTV channel showed a video purportedly showing someone paying a large sum of money to a Moskovsky Komsomolets employee for writing and publishing custom-ordered articles.
In the wake of that report, Duma deputies initiated an inquiry into the newspaper's finances and taxes.
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