The author highlights the main features of the Western tradition of media education that has influenced the development of media and education relationships in the Russian culture of the early XXIst century. Today, we have the three key directions in theoretical understanding and practical implementation. The first is media education for professional work in journalism and mass media. The second is media education as the practice of media literacy. The third is media education as a component/tool for professional pedagogical work in education. Each of these trends occupies a special position in the history and perspectives of mediacultural development in the context of Russian education.