Question

Books, movies and other media were mostly permitted in the West. How were these same items treated in the communist bloc?

Books and magazines were only published in English, so many Russians could not read them.
Censors blocked much of the media of the west from reaching the countries of the communist bloc.
The Soviet Bloc encouraged its citizens to compare themselves to the West and see the differences.
People under communism understood that while the West may have its glamour its books and movies were misleading.