Transformation of Socio-Political Television Broadcasting in the Post-Soviet Period: Factors, Parameters and Challenges

Section: Television and Radio

This paper identifies the factors and parameters of the transformation of socio­political television broadcasting in post-Soviet Russia in order to subsequently analyze the changes that have taken place in this thematic segment, as well as its modern condition. Socio-political television broadcasting is a flagship part of modern television airtime. However, it rarely becomes a subject matter for scholars while the press often criticizes it for the drawbacks inherited from the Soviet times. The author believes that regular criticism is a destructive phenomenon. An analysis of factors and parameters of the transformations that have affected socio-political television broadcasting would make it possible to set out a balanced approach and find the ways to examine and improve it. To analyze the possible parameters of the transformation, the author uses in the paper the most well-known communication models, normative theories and comparative studies (Lasswell; Siebert, Schramm, Petersen; McQuail; Hallin & Mancini; Norris). As a result, several groups of parameters are distinguished which are supposed to describe the institutional structure wherein socio-political broadcasting occurs; journalists’ professional qualities; the content of this thematic segment; forces and ways of influence on it; feasible media effects. In the author’s opinion, the audience should be viewed as an active subject, which not only perceives information but also influences content.

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