The article characterizes current changes in the media space of modern Russia and population’s attitude to domestic mass media. Globalization and informatization of social life have led to significant changes in the media sphere of modern Russia where tendencies of digitalization (moving to digital formats) and convergence of traditional and new media become apparent. In recent years political role of mass media increases and information influencing of mass media on public consciousness grows. In 2014-2015 under the conditions of foreign policy aggravation concerning Russia and escalation of negative economic trends, mass media performance in the formation of public opinion and sustaining of the country’s image intensified. The results of the public opinion monitoring in the Vologda Oblast, conducted by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS, have revealed that along with the television’s leading role in providing information, Internet and radio become popular. TV viewers still prefer main federal channels that play a pivotal role in the agenda formation. Inequality with regard to access of city and rural population to computer equipment and TV sets (“digital divide”) makes television the most popular for rural and less financially successful people. Despite the extensive data on foreign policy concerning Russia, consumers record incompleteness of information about economic situation in the country and the region. At the same time, challenging socio-economic situation the majority of people experience does not reflect properly in traditional mass media. Media war against Russia and contradictions in the reflection of international events have led to the deterioration of the objective assessment concerning the reflection of the situation in the world, country and region. The dependence of the mass media on backers’ funding restricts possibilities for media’s main function realization – objective reporting of population on current events. Internet audience gain reflects people’s need in independent sources publishing full and diversified information. It is important that the mass media do not lead consumers from pressing issues, develop civic activity, improve their content and presentation quality
Keywords
public opinion, state, society, mass media, internet, functions of mass media, media space, traditional mass media