The Work of the Regional Tass “Press-Cliché” Network of Photo Correspondents in the Russian Soviet Republic (1926–1931)

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Maria A. Romakina

Senior Lecturer at the Chair of Photojournalism and Media Technologies, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia; ORCID 0009-0009-3695-3878

e-mail: romakina@mail.ru

Section: History of Journalism

The year 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Bureau of Literary and Illustration Services for the Press “Press-cliché” TASS, the organization that launched the oldest photo agency operating in Russia today, Photo ITAR-TASS (also – TASS Photo Agency). Since its early years Press-cliché established a network of photo correspondents from across the young Russian Republic, enabling domestic and international periodicals to obtain locally relevant photo information promptly. The article reconstructs and analyzes the regime of cooperation with regional photographers: the terms of collaboration, the process of developing the thematic plan and providing instruction on technical and artistic issues, as well as the conditions of supplying photographic equipment and materials. The activities of Press-cliché’s photo correspondent network were investigated based on a corpus of documents from the collections of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (F. R-391, F. R-4459).

Keywords: TASS Press-сliché, Soyuzfoto, photo correspondent, photo agency, photojournalism, photographic education, RSFSR
DOI: 10.55959/msu.vestnik.journ.1.2026.103129

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To cite this article: Romakina M. A. (2026) Rabota regional'noy seti fotokorrespondentov “Press-klishe” TASS v RSFSR (1926–1931 gg.) [The Work of the Regional Tass “Press-Cliché” Network of Photo Correspondents in the Russian Soviet Republic (1926–1931)]. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seriya 10. Zhurnalistika 1: 103–129. DOI: 10.55959/msu.vestnik.journ.1.2026.103129