How did the end of socialist rule in 1990 affect freedom of the press and literary publishing in Mongolia?

The end of socialist rule in 1990 brought transformative changes to freedom of the press and literary publishing in Mongolia by dismantling the state monopoly on information and ending government censorship.12

Prior to 1990, Mongolian authorities exercised strict control over all spheres of culture, requiring literature to serve the ruling party’s interests. The government even mandated the registration of typewriters, duplicators, and photocopiers to suppress the dissemination of unauthorized information.134

Following the 1990 transition, these restrictions were lifted, leading to several significant developments:

• Literary Expansion: Numerous previously suppressed works were published, and the literary landscape became significantly more diverse as writers explored a wider array of genres.1
• Publishing Progress: The end of the state monopoly allowed for the importation of higher-quality printing machinery and paper, facilitating a surge in book production. Today, a vast range of materials—including encyclopedias, textbooks, scientific works, novels, and poetry—are published in Mongolia.2
• Press Freedom: The media environment shifted from a state-run propaganda arm to a more open system, enabling the growth of commercial media and a variety of newspapers and periodicals in multiple languages.2