The Video Sphere during Perestroika (1985–1988): State Control and Its Limitations

Abstract. Perestroika became a time of significant transformations in many areas of the Soviet state’s life. The existing structures of the management system were undergoing changes that predetermined shifts in the socio-economic conjuncture. It was reflected in the new ideological rhetoric and consumption practices. All these contexts have found their objectivation in the field of video distribution throughout the country. State institutions have changed the approach to the new technology, which was supposed to turn from “underground” into mass. Developing the video sphere raised questions about which ways to implement the program of mass involvement of citizens in the video phenomenon are considered legal and which are not. The article is devoted to the formulation of problems within the framework of the institutional aspect of video development. The main part of the study is a brief review of the main actors involved in this process. The work differentiates the methods of supply and distribution of the “old” and “new” types, draws a line between public and private initiatives, and analyzes the types of connection of socio-economic agents of different nature. A special place in the text is given to the introductory problematization of the issue of video piracy, which was the result of conflicts and contradictions between departments, as well as newly formed gaps in the development of video technology.

Keywords: video, video room, perestroika, cinema, Goskino, cooperatives, video piracy.