Reporter-NN is a Nizhny Novgorod online publication that has been operating since June 2017. It was founded and is edited by Alexander Pichugin (listed in the foreign agents registry). The publication deliberately rejects the role of a news agency and promises to follow its chosen stories through to the end; in its very first year it received the Probuzhdenie ("Awakening") award in the category "Professional Journalism Project"[1][2].
How the mission is formulated
The "About the Project" section on the website is written in the first person and reads, in its editorial voice, as a manifesto: Reporter-NN is not a news agency, it does not aim to cover everything, but it promises that any story it initiates or picks up will be taken to its logical conclusion. "Our journalism sorely lacks the ability to put a full stop — and that is not just a problem in Nizhny Novgorod," the section states[1].
The second declared characteristic is openness to tips from readers: the publication describes itself as a platform willing to write about "what others consider taboo or trivial"[1].
We will never whine about a poor "news agenda" in Nizhny Novgorod and the Region. Something is always happening!
What it publishes
The publication's section structure is unusual for a city website: alongside news it features reportages, interviews, analysis, blogs, a "What People Are Talking About" section, and photo and video content. A dedicated line is the special project Rasserzhennyye Nizhegorodtsy ("Angry Nizhny Novgorod Residents")[1].
A particular strength is photo reportages documenting how the city is changing. The series "Nizhny Novgorod, Sovetsky District: a Vanishing Scene" shows the area around Sennaya Square cleared of its historic buildings; separate photo shoots are devoted to the flooding of the city in July 2023[1].
Among urban topics, the publication followed the story of Shveytsariya Park: in May 2020, more than 1,700 people took part in its survey about the park's fate. In 2021, the editorial team examined professionals' criticism of the "plywood art" on Chkalovskaya Lestnitsa during the "Khor 800" concert[1].
Court Chronicles and Disputes
A significant portion of 2018–2019 was devoted to coverage of the criminal case against former Nizhny Novgorod city head Oleg Sorokin: the publication reported from hearings, published statements from both the defense and the prosecution, and ran separate pieces on the progress of the trial[1].
The editorial team had its own legal battles as well. In November 2019, a lawsuit against Reporter-NN was dismissed by the court without consideration, and in January 2020, the court again rejected the claims of an erotic salon owner[1].
Recognition and Money
In December 2017, Reporter-NN received the "Probuzhdeniye" (Awakening) award in the category "Professional Journalism Project" — the publication was then just six months old. At the same ceremony, the editorial team was represented in a second category as well: correspondent Alexander Sedov was nominated for the award "For Integrity and Civic Journalism"[2]. In 2018, the publication again made it onto the nominees list.
The editorial team discusses its finances publicly: the website has a "Support the Site" section, and in December 2022 the editor released a video blog titled "the whole truth about the money behind Reporter-NN"[1]. Also notable among its video formats is the analysis "Media in the City of NN: The Life and Death of Regional Journalism," published in October 2023.
Today
The publication continues to operate: the most recent interviews and news items are dated 2025–2026, and reader comments appear beneath the articles[1].
In the Nizhny Novgorod media outlet rankings, Reporter-NN does not feature in the top ten by agenda coverage — nor does it aim for the role of a news feed, remaining a one-story-at-a-time publication.
Sources
- reporter-nn.ru — Reporter-NN — About the Project (archive)
- reporter-nn.ru — Reporter-NN — "Reporter-NN" Awarded the "Awakening-2017" Prize (archive)