Print Mass Media as a Government Tool in Strategic Communications: A Study Based on Content Analysis of Publications in Russia

GENNADII G. SOROKIN¹, ANNA I. RYBAKOVA², IRINA N. POPOVA³
¹Tyumen Industrial University, Russian Federation
²Russian State Social University, Russian Federation
³Ural State University of Economics, Russian Federation

Abstract
The article examines the socio-demographic characteristics of Russian print media readership along with a content analysis of press publications with a view of understanding the role of media in shaping public opinion from the perspective of theory and practice of strategic communication. A timely example of a resonant social process is considered in retrospect, showing the insufficient effectiveness of strategic government communications in Russia and the problems of information interaction in society. Several hypotheses were defined on the ways to improve the effectiveness of government strategic communications. Based on the research results, the authors suggest ways to optimize this practice, aimed at achieving more holistic and desired results in terms of stability and sustainability of socio-economic processes. The study determined that the use of complex tools and one-way communication methods through print media is not enough for effective “implementation” of the state’s position on the solution of the problem situation.

Keywords: Strategic communications, public opinion, media, portrait of an audience, content analysis

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Gennadii G. Sorokin (Ph.D., Tyumen State University, 2006) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business Informatics and Mathematics at Tyumen Industrial University (Tyumen, Russian Federation). His research interests are: algorithms for solving non-standard problems, theoretical Informatics, sociology of education, and information technology.
Anna I. Rybakova (Ph.D., Russian State Social University, 2008) is an Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Additional Vocational Education of the Russian State Social University. Her research interests are: education, social psychology, complementary education, poverty, social work, labor relations, and social and economic development.

Irina N. Popova (Ph.D., Ural Academy of Public Service, 2006) is an Assistant professor in the Department of Business Economics at Ural State University of Economics (Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation). Her research interests are: organization of entrepreneurial activity, economy of small and medium businesses, and social problems of society.