'''Nizhny Novgorod Media Figures Rating''' — a monthly snapshot of who is being read in the city: bloggers, Telegram channel authors, hosts, and editors. Measurement taken on September 2, 2026: 100 entries, of which 37 are individuals and 63 are feeds. Rankings are determined by a media influence index — audience size, reach of the latest post, position in the media landscape, and whether content is being published today. A full breakdown of the list's composition is in the article Media Figures of Nizhny Novgorod.
Top Ten
The top of the list is held not by editorial offices but by Telegram channels and bloggers. The largest city audience belongs to the "My Nizhny Novgorod" feed: 216,000 subscribers. No Nizhny Novgorod editorial outlet has a channel of that size.
| № | Name or channel | Who | Audience | Views | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masha Stories | blogger | 1,400,000 | 24,700 | 83.0 |
| 2 | Lenkovets Ilya | blogger | 216,074 | 19,100 | 74.9 |
| 3 | Mashtakov Yury) | YouTuber | 9,000,000 | — | 70.6 |
| 4 | "Nizhny Novgorod Without Censorship" | channel | 102,765 | 10,300 | 69.0 |
| 5 | "Emergency Nizhny Novgorod and Region" | channel | 62,179 | 7,210 | 65.9 |
| 6 | Zinovieva Polina) | YouTuber | 1,300,000 | — | 63.0 |
| 7 | Zakhar Prilepin | writer/journalist | 225,793 | — | 57.2 |
| 8 | Molev Alexey | blogger | 19,918 | 784 | 55.7 |
| 9 | Vovk Andrei | journalist | 10,365 | 3,010 | 55.2 |
| 10 | "Urban Expeditions" | channel | 6,613 | 1,500 | 52.4 |
Views Are More Honest Than Subscribers
Subscriptions are a cumulative figure: people subscribe once and forget about it. Views show how many people actually read the feed. The spread is enormous: for some, every third subscriber sees the latest post; for others, it is every eleventh.
A signed commentary is read more readily than an anonymous stream: the authored channel "Nizhny Novgorod Urbanist" gets more views than it has subscribers — posts are forwarded far beyond its own audience.
| Name or channel | Subscribers | Post views | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masha Stories | 1,400,000 | 24,700 | 2% |
| Lenkovets Ilya | 216,074 | 19,100 | 9% |
| "Nizhny Novgorod Without Censorship" | 102,765 | 10,300 | 10% |
| "Emergency Nizhny Novgorod and Region" | 62,179 | 7,210 | 12% |
| Vovk Andrei | 10,365 | 3,010 | 29% |
| "Urban Expeditions" | 6,613 | 1,500 | 23% |
| Molev Alexey | 19,918 | 784 | 4% |
| Nemirov Grigory) | 232 | 613 | 264% |
Named and Anonymous
Public discourse in Nizhny Novgorod takes place largely without a byline: 57 of the 100 entries on the list are feeds whose authors are not publicly identified. There are 37 named individuals.
The owner of an anonymous feed typically surfaces not in the feed itself but in court and antitrust news: that is how the identity of the person behind the "My Nizhny Novgorod" channel became known. Details are in the article Cases Involving Nizhny Novgorod Telegram Channels.
The Region Beyond the City Limits
District centers have their own feeds, and Dzerzhinsk has several: the largest attracts more subscribers than many a Nizhny Novgorod city editorial outlet.
| Channel | Audience | About |
|---|---|---|
| "Kstovo" | 29,078 | Kstovo |
| "Arzamas" | 21,100 | Arzamas |
| "Dzerzhinsk News" | 16,642 | largest feed in Dzerzhinsk |
| "Sarov" | 10,359 | Sarov |
| "Pavlovo" | 9,931 | Pavlovo |
| "Balakhna Live — Accidents and Emergencies" | 6,860 | incidents in Balakhna and Zavolzhye |
| Mikhail Klinkov | 5,126 | head of Dzerzhinsk; runs a personal channel |
| "Balakhna.RU" | 3,187 | everyday life and events in Balakhna District |
| "Zavolzhye | Gorodets LIVE" | 2,909 | official portal of the Gorodetsky District on Telegram |
| "Arzamas | News | Incidents" | 2,640 | Arzamas incidents; registered in the Roskomnadzor registry |
| "DZERZHINSK Today" | 2,159 | city feed for Dzerzhinsk |
| "Dzerzhinsk | News | Incidents" | 2,139 | Dzerzhinsk incidents; registered in the Roskomnadzor registry |
Who Is Not on the List
The rating counts those who are active now. Well-known figures of Nizhny Novgorod journalism whose media work lies in the past are not included.
- Lapyrin Vladimir Viktorovich — headed Birzha until 2011; the Nizhny Novgorod Expert Club he coordinated has not held any public sessions in recent years[2].
- Olga Noskova — longtime host and director of NNTV; she moved into regional politics and left television work behind[3].
- Irina Yenikeeva — Koza.Press, where she served as acting editor-in-chief, closed in February 2021[4].
- Sergey Bishletov — headed the NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" news agency; the agency's current masthead lists A. V. Nazarova as editor-in-chief[5].
- Roman Skudnyakov — hosted programs on Nizhny Novgorod television; from 2010 to 2017 headed the regional government's press service, and has been working in Moscow since 2018[6].
- Stas Mashtakov (Snake) — the JustSnake channel is unavailable; his videos survive only through fan re-uploads; no active platform was found.
Full List
100 entries in descending order by index. Measurement taken on September 2, 2026; the figures are live and change constantly, and the list is recalculated every month. The index is based on Telegram audience, so those who work primarily on websites or on air rank lower than their actual standing in the city would suggest.
| № | Name or Channel | Who | Activity | Audience | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masha Stories | blogger | food blogger, video recipes | 1,400,000 | 83.0 |
| 2 | Lenkovets Ilya | blogger | owner of the "My Nizhny Novgorod" channel and a network of Nizhny Novgorod channels | 216,074 | 74.9 |
| 3 | Mashtakov Yury) | YouTuber | one of the largest Russian-language YouTubers, originally from Nizhny Novgorod; game reviews and humor | 9,000,000 | 70.6 |
| 4 | "Nizhny Novgorod Without Censorship" | channel | urban news channel, one of the largest in the city | 102,765 | 69.0 |
| 5 | "Emergencies Nizhny Novgorod and Region" | channel | incident reports | 62,179 | 65.9 |
| 6 | Zinovieva Polina) | YouTuber | travel and lifestyle blogger, author-led tour of Nizhny Novgorod Region | 1,300,000 | 63.0 |
| 7 | Zakhar Prilepin | writer/journalist | writer, chairman of the board of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Union of Writers of Russia | 225,793 | 57.2 |
| 8 | Molev Alexey | blogger | "ambassador of love for Nizhny Novgorod," city places and events | 19,918 | 55.7 |
| 9 | Vovk Andrei | journalist | political commentator, personal channel "VOVK" | 10,365 | 55.2 |
| 10 | "Urban Expeditions" | channel | research project about Nizhny Novgorod and the urban environment | 6,613 | 52.4 |
| 11 | "ALERT 52" | channel | ALERT 52 | 128,934 | 52.0 |
| 12 | "AYDEN" | channel | city channel | 95,913 | 50.8 |
| 13 | "Nizhny Novgorod | NN_TODAY" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod | NN_TODAY | 83,099 | 50.3 |
| 14 | "News of Nizhny Novgorod and Region" | channel | News of Nizhny Novgorod and Region | 76,235 | 49.9 |
| 15 | Gleb Nikitin | blogger | Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region; runs a personal channel | 48,952 | 49.2 |
| 16 | "Hey, Want to Go Somewhere?" | channel | urban media about events | 60,195 | 49.0 |
| 17 | "Brutal Nizhny Novgorod 18+" | channel | Brutal Nizhny Novgorod 18+ | 56,847 | 48.8 |
| 18 | "Incident Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Incident Nizhny Novgorod | 55,059 | 48.7 |
| 19 | "Overheard Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | city public channel | 48,923 | 48.2 |
| 20 | "Nizhny Novgorod with a Spark" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod with a Spark | 47,596 | 48.1 |
| 21 | "Not-Gorky | Positive News and Events" | channel | Not-Gorky | Positive News and Events | 44,949 | 47.9 |
| 22 | "Ni Mash" | channel | Ni Mash | 42,452 | 47.7 |
| 23 | "Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod | 41,130 | 47.5 |
| 24 | "By the Way… News of Nizhny Novgorod." | channel | By the Way… News of Nizhny Novgorod. | 39,595 | 47.4 |
| 25 | "Nizhny No. 1" | channel | Nizhny No. 1 | 36,622 | 47.1 |
| 26 | "Lights of Nizhny" | channel | Lights of Nizhny | 33,990 | 46.8 |
| 27 | Mikhail Tilnikov | blogger | author of the channel "Mish, Where Should We Go?!" — reviews of city places | 26,434 | 46.8 |
| 28 | "Pervyi Nizhegorodsky | News of Nizhny N" | channel | Pervyi Nizhegorodsky | News of Nizhny N | 32,950 | 46.7 |
| 29 | "Together Around Nizhny — Places, Locations, Events" | channel | Together Around Nizhny — Places, Locations, Events | 29,760 | 46.3 |
| 30 | "Kstovo" | channel | Kstovo | 29,078 | 46.2 |
| 31 | "Nizhny Novgorod | Events | News" | channel | city news and listings | 27,505 | 46.0 |
| 32 | "Avtozavodets ️️" | channel | Avtozavodets ️️ | 25,566 | 45.7 |
| 33 | "Listings Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | cultural and entertainment listings | 22,807 | 45.2 |
| 34 | "Arzamas" | channel | Arzamas | 21,100 | 44.9 |
| 35 | "Fact | Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | news and analysis of events in Nizhny Novgorod Region | 19,969 | 44.7 |
| 36 | "Listings Nizhny Novgorod • Deals" | channel | Listings Nizhny Novgorod • Deals | 18,265 | 44.4 |
| 37 | "News of Nizhny Novgorod Region | OKA24 |" | channel | News of Nizhny Novgorod Region | OKA24 | | 18,691 | 44.4 |
| 38 | Nizhny Novgorod Guillotine" | channel | political channel covering Nizhny Novgorod affairs | 18,089 | 44.3 |
| 39 | "Dzerzhinsk News" | channel | the largest feed for Dzerzhinsk | 16,642 | 44.0 |
| 40 | "Nizhny Novgorod • News" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod • News | 15,912 | 43.8 |
| 41 | "Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod | 15,934 | 43.8 |
| 42 | "Listings | Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Listings | Nizhny Novgorod | 14,739 | 43.5 |
| 43 | "Benzin Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Benzin Nizhny Novgorod | 14,522 | 43.5 |
| 44 | "MDK Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | MDK Nizhny Novgorod | 14,231 | 43.4 |
| 45 | "Nizhny Novgorod News" (podslushano) | channel | city feed with the tagline "submit a news tip" | 14,013 | 43.3 |
| 46 | "Events Nizhny Novgorod. I'm a Local &#" | channel | Events Nizhny Novgorod. I'm a Local &# | 13,710 | 43.2 |
| 47 | "Nizhny Novgorod Auto News | Emergencies Accidents" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod Auto News | Emergencies Accidents | 13,527 | 43.2 |
| 48 | Shalabayev Yuri | blogger | head of Nizhny Novgorod; runs a personal channel | 10,317 | 43.1 |
| 49 | "Nizhny Novgorod | Listings | Events | " | channel | Nizhny Novgorod | Listings | Events | | 12,738 | 42.9 |
| 50 | Yuliya Zvereva | blogger | channel "Restosnob" about restaurants and wine | 9,829 | 42.9 |
| 51 | "ProNN | About Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | ProNN | About Nizhny Novgorod | 12,421 | 42.8 |
| 52 | "Angry Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Angry Nizhny Novgorod | 11,643 | 42.6 |
| 53 | "Family Nizhny Novgorod | Listings" | channel | Family Nizhny Novgorod | Listings | 11,741 | 42.6 |
| 54 | Skugarevskaya Yulia Vladimirovna | blogger | TV journalist, art director of Shveytsariya Park, "Speech Design" course | 8,600 | 42.4 |
| 55 | Dmitry Lane | journalist | Nizhny Novgorod journalist living in Serbia; opinion column on the Balkanist portal | 13,659 | 42.2 |
| 56 | "Traffic Accidents Nizhny Novgorod News" | channel | Traffic Accidents Nizhny Novgorod News | 10,238 | 42.1 |
| 57 | "Sarov" | channel | Sarov | 10,359 | 42.1 |
| 58 | "Stroll, Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | Stroll, Nizhny Novgorod | 9,887 | 42.0 |
| 59 | "Pavlovo" | channel | Pavlovo | 9,931 | 42.0 |
| 60 | "Village People (Деревенские люди🫠)" | channel | Village People (Деревенские люди🫠) | 9,780 | 41.9 |
| 61 | "Gorky Sport" | channel | Gorky Sport | 9,639 | 41.9 |
| 62 | "Meet Nizhny" | channel | channel about the city for newcomers and locals alike | 9,644 | 41.9 |
| 63 | "Nizhny Novgorod LIFE" | channel | Nizhny Novgorod LIFE | 9,485 | 41.8 |
| 64 | Mityagina Elena | blogger | tour guide, bespoke city tours and blog TRAVELBLOGNN | 7,400 | 41.8 |
| 65 | "Lightning Nizhny Novgorod • News" | channel | Lightning Nizhny Novgorod • News | 7,627 | 40.9 |
| 66 | "🦌"Black Hole" — Nizhegorodskaya" | channel | 🦌"Black Hole" — Nizhegorodskaya | 6,909 | 40.6 |
| 67 | "Balakhna Live — Accidents and Emergencies" | channel | incidents in Balakhna and Zavolzhye | 6,860 | 40.5 |
| 68 | "Typical Semyonov" | channel | city feed for Semyonov | 6,888 | 40.5 |
| 69 | Mikhail Klinkov | blogger | head of Dzerzhinsk; runs a personal channel | 5,126 | 40.4 |
| 70 | Yuliya Neyaglova | blogger | channel "Nizhny Through My Eyes" | 3,561 | 39.0 |
| 71 | "Gone Again" | channel | personal travel channel about Russia, author based in Nizhny Novgorod | 4,050 | 38.5 |
| 72 | "LYSKOVO | NEWS" | channel | news and conversations from the Lyskovo district | 3,250 | 37.6 |
| 73 | "Events Nizhny Novgorod" | channel | events listings | 3,241 | 37.6 |
| 74 | "Balakhna.RU" | channel | Balakhna everyday life and district events | 3,187 | 37.5 |
| 75 | "Zavolzhye | Gorodets LIVE" | channel | official Telegram channel of the Gorodetsky District | 2,909 | 37.2 |
| 76 | "Arzamas | News | Incidents" | channel | incident reports from Arzamas, registered in the Roskomnadzor registry | 2,640 | 36.8 |
| 77 | "DZERZHINSK Today" | channel | city feed for Dzerzhinsk | 2,159 | 36.0 |
| 78 | "Dzerzhinsk | News | Incidents" | channel | incident reports from Dzerzhinsk, registered in the Roskomnadzor registry | 2,139 | 36.0 |
| 79 | Alexander Mudrov | blogger | head of the Gorodetsky District; runs a personal channel | 1,551 | 35.7 |
| 80 | "InNizhnyThereIs" | channel | blog about events and places in Nizhny Novgorod | 1,886 | 35.5 |
| 81 | Nemirov Grigory) | urbanist | channel "Grigory Works — Nizhny Novgorod Urbanist" | 232 | 34.5 |
| 82 | Zhakova Tatiana | media | editor-in-chief of the NNStories project, channel about storytelling | 988 | 34.0 |
| 83 | Natalya Garzha | blogger | a mother's diary and channel about leisure in Nizhny Novgorod | 234 | 28.3 |
| 84 | Barinov Pavel) | local historian | bespoke city tours, street art, memorial plaques; contributor to Sobaka.ru NN | 416 | 27.6 |
| 85 | Pichugin Alexander Vladimirovich (listed as a foreign agent) | editor | editor-in-chief of the publication Reporter-NN | — | 24.0 |
| 86 | Savelyev Alexander Mikhailovich | editor | editor-in-chief of the news agency Vremya N | — | 24.0 |
| 87 | Anastasiya Nazarova | editor | editor-in-chief of niann.ru | — | 24.0 |
| 88 | Andrey Kleshchyov | editor | editor-in-chief of Nizhegorodskiye Novosti, chairman of the Union of Journalists of Nizhny Novgorod Region | — | 24.0 |
| 89 | Bulgakova Marina | editor | editor-in-chief of the portal NN.RU since May 2024 | — | 24.0 |
| 90 | Oksana Kolotushkina | editor | editor-in-chief of NTA-Privolzhye | — | 24.0 |
| 91 | Emiliya Tkachenko | editor | editor-in-chief of Newsroom24 | — | 24.0 |
| 92 | Rezontov Alexander Evgenyevich | TV presenter | executive editor of NNTV, author and host of "Poslesloviye" on the Volga TV channel | — | 22.0 |
| 93 | Nikolai Svechin | writer | Nizhny Novgorod writer, historical detective novels set in Nizhny Novgorod | — | 20.0 |
| 94 | Buzmakova Valentina Petrovna | political analyst/media | political analyst, regular commentator for Nizhny Novgorod media | — | 19.0 |
| 95 | Povelikin Vlad | blogger | travel blogger: on foot around Lake Baikal, by bicycle to Vladivostok | — | 19.0 |
| 96 | Tatyana Starikova | blogger | vlogs, family; channel Starikova T.V., show "Podrugi" | — | 19.0 |
| 97 | Alexander Rylov | journalist | sports correspondent for Nizhegorodskaya Pravda | — | 17.0 |
| 98 | Vadim Andryukhin | journalist | editor-in-chief of the newspaper Novoe Delo, columnist and commentator | — | 17.0 |
| 99 | Oksana Snegireva | journalist | contributor to Nizhegorodskaya Pravda, covering architecture and the urban environment | — | 17.0 |
| 100 | Zvereva Nina Vitalyevna | TV journalist | journalist originally from Gorky, one of the founders of Nizhny Novgorod television; runs a school of public speaking | — | 16.0 |
Mandatory notice
Alexander Pichugin was listed as a foreign agent on 07.11.2025; basis — decision of the Russian Ministry of Justice dated 7 November 2025, Federal Law No. 255-FZ of 14.07.2022.
This study was conducted by the Nizhny Novgorod Encyclopedia on 2 September 2026. Every claim is verifiable from the publications listed in the sources.
Sources
- names52.ru — Names of Nizhny Novgorod residents — Lapyrin Vladimir Viktorovich (archive)
- nn.dk.ru — Delovoy Kvartal — Olga Noskova steps down as general director of the NNTV broadcasting company
- nn.rbc.ru — RBC Nizhny Novgorod — Irina Slavina's daughter announces the closure of Koza.Press (archive)
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Agency details (archive)
- Govorit Nizhny — Roman Skudnyakov leaves the Mayak Academy at Rosatom