There are so many ongoing discussions in regards to the media in Russia. By far, the most important would be "how can we bring tabloid culture to the tightly controlled country?" Have no fear, Jann Wenner and Janice Min are here, ready to bring the answer to our global prayers. Us Weekly goes to Russia.

Wenner Media is "piggybacking" (sound familiar?) Us Weekly on the arrangement to distribute Rolling Stone across the former Soviet Union. And why not?

“Russia has had a huge influx of Western celebrity culture, Wenner already had a relationship because of Rolling Stone, and the Russian publishing company wanted it,’’ said Janice Min, the editor of Us Weekly. “The celebrity magazine industry is in its infancy there, so it was a great opportunity,’’ she said.

See, celebrity tabloids really do help people. Now the children of the Azerbaijan countryside can take the 20 manat they had left for bread and milk and spend it on shiny, glossy pictures of Hollywood billionaires. Some days, it must just feel so good to be Jann.

The Post-Soviet World Needs to Know About TomKat [Katherine Q. Seelye, New York Times]