The Press: New Man at Izvestia

The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of Soviet journalism—Izvestia (Information), the official daily of the government, and Pravda (Truth), the official daily of the Communist Party—are so packed with pap and propaganda that a few editors have discreetly hinted recently that the two dailies are incredible bores (TIME, June 1). Last week brought a sign that the government had at last decided to print some news that is fit to be read. Named as the new managing editor of Izvestia: round-cheeked Aleksei I. Adzhubei, garrulous and gregarious as his father-in-law, who happens to be Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev.

Adzhubei’s appointment is no nepotistic caper. At 34 he is one of Russia’s most talented journalists; as editor, he pumped readability into Komsomolskaya Pravda, the Communist youth organ, by ordering firsthand factual reporting on the Russian scene, crusading against erring officials (e.g., a garage manager who had wrongly fired a worker). He helped to push Komsomolskaya Pravda’s circulation from 1.500,000 five years ago to 3.500,000.

During a tour of the U.S. in 1955, Adzhubei refused to answer tough questions from American newsmen about Russia, but generally radiated good will, quipped as he made a small wager at a Reno gambling table: “I probably shouldn’t do this—I might make a million.” (He didn’t.) As editorial boss of Izvestia (circ. 1,800,000). Adzhubei may some day give the monolithic Pravda (5,560,000) a run for its kopecks.