State media: features and characteristics

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

All over the world, the media (state and public) play a big role in shaping collective views and opinions on certain issues. They are able to promote certain ideas and ideologies, influencing the mass consciousness and the dominant point of view. In our country, the media and government work together, being in mutually beneficial coexistence. Indeed, in countries with an authoritarian and totalitarian system of government, they are usually regulated by the state. In democratic countries, the role of independent and private companies is more significant, which can also distribute certain, selective information content. However, each of them has its own point of view, which may differ from the state one. As a result, the population of such countries has more opportunities to assess the situation objectively.

The role of the state in state media

In Russia, the democratic nature of the media dominated onlyin the 90s of the 20th century, while in other periods the state media played a decisive role. In recent years, there has been a tendency to strengthen the role of state propaganda in the federal media. However, the degree of democracy is still higher than in the Soviet period. State policy in the field of media now resembles tightening the screws. In recent years, the Internet has played an important role in educating the population, where state regulation is not so strong. However, state control of the media on the Internet is also increasing.

Feature of the Russian media

According to researchers, in modern Russia there are no completely independent publications that would defend the interests of the public, and not the private interests of companies or the state. Perhaps the exception is Public Russian Television (state-public media) and some online publications. Various private media defend their personal interests above all. And therefore they have a certain bias in covering certain events, obviously not showing those that do not correspond to their interests.

State media, whose influence is growing, defend the interests of the federal or regional authorities and are directly controlled by the relevant authorities. Officials also take an active part in this process, directing media funding in a certain direction. Before being aired, a report may undergo preliminary censorship. It leadsto the one-sided coverage of events taking place in the world, from politics to ecology.

As many researchers note, modern media in Russia have become a kind of tool for managing public opinion. However, society does not control them. Therefore, many people form a negative opinion about them. Being under strict control by officials, the federal media are turning into an instrument of influencing the mass consciousness, instead of defending the interests of the people. This hinders the development of democracy in the country and negatively affects the socio-economic situation.

At the same time, the researchers note that strict government regulation is a traditional feature of Russian information publications. This is something that has yet to be eradicated. The state nature of the federal and regional media in our country is fixed, one might say, at the genetic level. And in the foreseeable future, it is unlikely to get rid of it.

Main state and government media of the Russian Federation

Despite the development of the Internet, print media and television remain the main source of information for most Russian citizens. The advantages of such information channels are the supply of more verified and accurate information about the events taking place in the country and the world. Since the main purpose of the federal media is the formation of a certain public opinion, it is natural that not all events in such media will be covered. In contrastfederal media, private online publications provide more comprehensive information, however, the accuracy and reliability of coverage may be at a lower level.

VGTRK

Is the largest state television and radio company in Russia. She appeared back in 1990. She settled on the TV channels "Russia 1", "Russia 2" and "Russia K". Moreover, the first is the leading Russian channel. She heads the Rossiya 24 TV channel, 89 regional TV channels, as well as 5 radio stations: Radio Rossii, Vesti FM, Yunost, Kultura, Mayak. Broadcasts on the Internet on the channel "Russia".

RIA Novosti

The Russian Agency for International Information is one of the largest news agencies in the country. Its main office is located in Moscow. In terms of the number of references, RIA Novosti is even in first place in the country. Moreover, links to this information publication are typical for the Internet. This resource is actively used in Europe. Thus, the official website of RIA Novosti is one of the ten most popular online media in Europe.

The information provided on the pages of this site is reliable. Representative offices of the company are also located in a number of CIS and B altic countries. The site also has 12 mobile applications and is actively represented in popular social networks.

Representatives of RIA Novosti declare that the information they provide is objective, operational and independent of the political situation in the country and the world.

The company's services are also used by the highest officials of Russia: the presidential administration, the Russian government, parliament, various ministries and departments, regional authorities, public organizations, business circles.

ITAR-TASS

This company is called the "Information Telegraph Agency of Russia" and is one of the most active. The event stream is covered in 6 languages: English, Russian, German, French, Spanish and Arabic. More than 500 correspondents are involved in the work. The emphasis is on news coverage of politics, economics, culture, sports and social life in Russia and around the world.

This company has a long history. It was established in 1902 as a trade and telegraph agency.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta

Is the printing center of the government of the Russian Federation. However, it is also suitable for an ordinary citizen of the country. On its pages there are news, reports, interviews of statesmen, competent comments. The circulation is estimated in hundreds of thousands of copies.

Large attention is paid to the topic of laws, decrees, orders and resolutions, regulations, court decisions, etc. The first issue of this publication dates back to 1990. She has a lot of followers.

Voice of Russia

Voice of Russia is a state broadcasting company. It receives funding from the government of the Russian Federation, and broadcasts abroad. Exists since 1929.

Parliamentary newspaper

Published by the Federal AssemblyRussian Federation. Was established in 1997. Basically, it publishes materials of a legal nature: federal laws, regulations, acts and other documents. Available to readers by subscription and retail. Has his own website.

Dynamics of Russians' trust in different types of media

Recently there has been a decline in Russian citizens' confidence in the state media. And a simultaneous shift in preferences towards the Internet. So, at the beginning of 2016, 65% of the country's residents trusted the state media, and already in November 2018 - only 47%. At the same time, trust in non-state media almost doubled during this period. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by FOM sociologists. A total of 1.5 thousand people were interviewed.

In 2018, the confidence of Russians in such services as YouTube and Telegram has noticeably increased. True, the figures are still low: from 4 to 12%. 62 percent of respondents prefer to use different sources of information.

Almost half of the respondents use the Internet to obtain information. However, TV is still in a priority place: it is still watched by the majority of Russian citizens. For many, it is the main or only source of information.

All this suggests that people are increasingly going to the World Wide Web. Obviously, this explains the desire of the Russian authorities to restore order there, and to block a number of sites altogether.

Conclusion

Thus, we have answered the question of which media are state-owned. And also gave thembrief description. State media policy has become tougher in recent years.