Russian Media Coverage of BRICS Issues: Following Survey ResultsMoscow Readings,14 Nov., 2013

Dmitry Strovsky, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg;

V BRICS Summit, Durban, SA, March 2013

V BRICS summit (Durban, SA, 26-27 March, 2012)

‘We have retained the trade surplus 195 billion US dollars in 2012. … The trade turnover between Russia and the BRICS countries reached a record 105 billion US dollars.

Russian President Vladimir Putin:

at a meeting with representatives of

the business community, 27

March, 2012

76 people were interviewed in Ekaterinburg

• 16 pensioners, • 12 university teachers from humanity departments, • 6 medical GPs, • 24 students, • 2 army officers, • 14 students,• 2 non-qualified laborers.

2 people: detailed knowledge on what was discussed at the summit.

9 people: vaguely followed the media informationabout the event.

16 people: heard about the summit from the media but could say nothing definite about it.

24 people: heard something about the summit but thevolume of information was too small.

12 people: admitted their knowledge of the BRICS organization but did not hear anything at all about the summit.

13 people no understanding of what BRICS means.

From 25 to 31 March 2013: six print outlets being studied

Rossiyskaya Gazeta; Kommersant; Komsomolskaya Pravda

Oblastnaya Gazeta; Uralsky Rabochiy; Vecherniy Ekaterinburg

6 news releases being watched in prime-time (9 p.m.) at I Channel

To what extent

do the media

tend to be

covering not

only informative

but also

analytical

perceptions of

the audience?

Is the media audience being involved in the discussions on these matters?

Does the media editorial position look obvious? ?

Print media: 37 publications 31 at the Federal (national) level6 at the regional and local levels

35 informational publications and only 2 analytical

I Channel: 3 reportages (in the days of the Durban summit)

• The analytical level of media perception was clearly reduced; • the editorial position of the same media was blurred;

• Only 5 print materials paid some attention towards the overall complexity of the situation around the BRICS.

• Opinions of the audience were also neglected by the media, and only the Komsomolskaya Pravda

1. It is unlikely to speak about the social nature of the media content related to the BRICS countries in the days when conducting the survey;

2. The proposed approaches neglected the problematic approach and ignored the construing of the relationship with the audience;

3. A lack of content priorities of the BRICS organization.

Intermediate conclusions:

Based on Integrum database: full package of media texts from over 300 Russian national newspapers.

March-May of 2013.

Overall review

presented by Jukka Pietilainen, Aleksanteri Institute, Helsinki

RBK-daily, Kommersant, Vedomosti, Rossiyskaya gazeta.

BRICS: mentioned most often in such outlets as:

China:

Economic priorities (Alternative to EU);

Military contracts;

Highest level of trade turnover compared to other BRICS countries; Situation in the North Korea; China as a supporter.

Drugs exported to Russia.

BRICS countries among 30 most frequently mentioned ones in the Russian print media.

India:

Strategic partner of Russia.

International politics, education, science, culture and tourism. Rapidly growing economics.

One of the most important export partners of Russian arms industry. Banning of foreign financing of civic organizations criticising the state (in May). Sport: chess. Television pages: Indian serials.

Brazil

Economics, foreign policy and culture One of G20 countries; The country where the Russian online dating service is going to expand.

Millions of protesters against spending money for sport events despite the existence of social problems (Komsomolskaya Pravda, 22 June, 2013).

Sports (soccer); Entertainment: Brazilian TV-serial Avenida Brasil (Brazilian Avenue); Same-sex marriage.

South Africa

Economy, post-apartheid development;

One of the new markets for Russia.

The BRICS summit in Durban;

Sport news from SA mainly in soccer and tennis.

1. Despite public statements consistently pronounced by Russian leaders from the mid-2000s onwards that the relationship within the BRICS are a priority for the national economic strategy, the reality suggests otherwise;

2. The BRICS topic as before does not solicit full-fledged coverage in the Russian media, and the level of detailed investigation of the situation is still far from being well-shaped.

Final conclusions:

Thanks for your attention!

Dmitry L. Strovsky,Prof. of the Journalism Faculty Ural Federal University (Ekaterinburg, Russia)e-mail: strovsky@mail.ru