The article considers a position of Russian journalism theory in international context and professional cooperation in this connection. Publications of Russian media scholars are practically unknown abroad. At the same time theoretical concepts from the West are poorly suited for adequate understanding of national journalism with its original traditions and professional characteristics. Russian research school should take the place of equal partner in the international community and act according to principles of mutually useful exchange. Global De-Westernization trend in media studies creates good conditions for this. The objective and subjective reasons of such a state of affairs are examined in the article. The main purpose of the paper consists in discovering contradictory relations of isolation / cooperation between Russian and international studies in journalism theory. The author also suggests ways to solution of this problem.