At present there is no state control or censorship of the newspaper and periodical press in Mongolia. A 1998 Law of Freedom of the Media contains many important provisions, including a requirement that "the state shall not impose control over the contents of public information". Following the adoption of the law the government of Mongolia liberalized a few of newspapers controlled by the State. Since 1990 Mongolia has experiencing great upheavals in the economic, political and cultural spheres. Progress in social freedom has come by the great contribution of mass media organs. Mass media has a special role to play, not only by acting as the guardian of the truth, but also by leading the discussion on the main items of the national agenda. Recent years have witnessed an increase in the range of topics taken up in the press and the subjects dealt with are diverse.
The democratic revolution that swept Mongolia in 1990 led to a considerable growth in the press and opened new prospect for press freedom and the journalists' role in society. At the same time a new phenomenon in Mongolia was the appearance of free, independent and pluralistic newspapers and the emergence of new-minded journalists with new political and civil perceptions. 2200 full time employees work in the Mongolian media sector. At present there are 12 educational organizations in Mongolia, including the Mongolian National University, Humanitarian University, State Pedagogical University, Institute of Radio and Television, as well as the private Otgontenger University, Bers institute etc., which play an important role in the training of journalists for higher education and Bachelor degrees. "Free press", "Freelance journalists", "Investigative journalists", "Fourth estate" and "Watch-dog" .., quite new terms, new notions for Mongolian people, are rapidly becoming part and parcel of daily life in the news room.
Various associations, public organizations, government institutions, parties, companies, etc. have their own press services, which keep links and contact with the mass media. These relations are exercised by means of press conferences, press releases, mailings and briefings for journalists. Government agencies in Mongolia are required to provide journalists with information within the framework of the legislation, according to the principles on conduct of journalists every "journalist shall use only fair methods to obtain news, photographs and documents". During the communist regime there was only one journalist organization, the Mongolian Journalists Union. It was established in 1951 and had over 900 members. The national renaissance brought by 1990's democratic revolution paved the way for the emergence of new organizations and democratic institutions. In 1991, the Mongolian Free Democratic Journalists Association (MFDJA) was established and is credited as being the foundation of free and independent press in Mongolia.
Its main aims were:
- To establish a national free press;
- To advocate for journalist's professional independence;
- To protect and support working journalists (with freelance journalists as a priority);
- To secure editorial independence and abolish all forms of censorship
