Mass media in modern Russia

The mass media is the most important mechanism of socio-political interaction. Having emerged in the political market as the organs of the party press and increasingly gaining the interest of the audience, the media have taught ordinary citizens to feel like participants in political processes, to realize their own belonging to the affairs of the state. Constant and direct communication with citizens has made the media as important an institution of political socialization as the family, the church, and the education system [2].

The main reason why the media has gained such a significant place in political life is that with their help, the state can not only inform the population about its policies, but also model relations with the public in the formation of representative authorities, maintaining the authority of the ruling elites, the dominance of certain traditions and stereotypes. In other words, the mass media has become a powerful tool for constructing political orders, a means of establishing relations and relations with the public.

In post-Soviet Russia, the mass media were privatized by large financial and industrial groups. The regional press has become one of the tools of local government influence. Some private media outlets, which did not find any patrons in the face of "regional oligarchs", went bankrupt [4].

Along with the increased importance of the media for the political ruling class and official institutions of power, they have also become one of the most attractive mechanisms for political participation for ordinary citizens. In fact, the media has become one of the most effective intermediaries in the relations between the government and the population.

From a political point of view, the most important differentiation of the media is their division into government, opposition and independent. The selection of these categories shows the presence of different, including opposite, tasks that are constantly present in the information market [1].

A significant part of the Russian information market today is occupied by foreign concerns. In particular, more than half of the magazines for women and young people are invested by foreign publishers. In addition, many enterprises that produce the main means of production for the printing industry are fully or partially in the hands of foreign entrepreneurs.

The natural state of the media is to be independent of the authorities and free to cover reality and express opinions [4].

Speaking about the moral and psychological influence of the media, it should be noted that it has a dual character. On the one hand, the media have a positive impact on the population, on the other hand, they often become a kind of agent of confrontation, including on an interethnic and personal basis.

The mass media can seriously influence the dissemination of knowledge about the history and culture of the peoples inhabiting the Russian Federation, the preservation of historical heritage and the further development of national identity and traditions, and the creation of an atmosphere of respect, trust, and mutual assistance in society.

Television is undoubtedly the most powerful medium of the information and communication system in terms of the degree of emotional influence on the audience. Its impact on society today is enormous, television channels attract the widest range of viewers, causing diverse and contradictory judgments about the content and artistic level of their programs. In the course of the Russian reforms, the telecommunications network is also undergoing significant transformations: the forms of ownership have changed, and in accordance with the requirements of the market, a constant search for new ways and forms of work is required to expand the audience and attract advertisers [3].

The Russian radio broadcasting network has undergone no less transformations than television in the last two decades. Along with state — owned companies such as Radio Russia with its 88 regional divisions, Radio 1, Mayak, and Voice of Russia, dozens of private companies operate in Moscow and the regions. The practice of radio activity remains both live broadcasts, and radio calls, and broadcasts at the request of listeners.

The specifics of the preparation of printed and electronic media materials involve certain methods of collecting information. Correspondents of newspapers and news agencies pay more attention to the analysis of documents, their colleagues from television and radio more often use interviews, various elements of live communication with people [1].

Citizens ' preference for a particular media outlet is explained by many reasons, including the previously won popularity, independence of assessments, courage, and sincerity of speeches.

The objectivity and diversity of regional press information directly depends on the socio-economic and political status of a particular publication. Only those media outlets that have a solid economic foundation and the credibility that citizens have earned over the years can express independent opinions [2].

The most acute problem for Russia is the heterogeneous provision of information and the insufficient information and technical equipment of many regions, as a result of which the processes of functioning of the unified information space are disrupted in the state. For a large part of the population, the mass media are becoming inaccessible due to low incomes [4].

Such information disintegration leads to political disintegration in society, national and social disunity of the people, and contributes to the economic lag between Russia and the developed countries of Europe and the United States.