China and Russia generally adhere to the Leninist concept of the press as being integral to society and therefore subject to regulation. They both also contend with the Communist paradox: the press exists to criticize the system of which it is a part. They reconcile this paradox by directing criticism toward the erring individual rather than toward the Communist Party itself. The major problems hindering freedom of information in the two nations fall into four categories: news standards (by whom is news defined); access to news (who gets what news as decided by the government); censorship; and cultural differences and national biases. (TJ)