Information space of society is characterized by mass communication, including the mass media, publishing, film, multimedia communications, the Internet.
Journalism is a community of professional multidisciplinary activity of collection, processing and regular dissemination of relevant political, economic and social information through print, radio and television.
Since the public has been interested in reliable information, journalists tend by any means to obtain it, that ultimately leads to misunderstandings, conflicts with the authorities and legislative bodies. Journalists tend to strive to achieve pluralism, development of democratic principles, forms and methods of work with the audience.
Journalists always have responsibility to the readers, listeners and viewers, as well as to society as a whole for the content of messages for informing the audience about the current issues of interest to society. Implementation of citizens rights to information is the primary responsibility of journalists. It is not allowed to use media as the detriment of the moral interests and rights (personality, interests of the state, society, promoting war, violence, ethnic and religious intolerance, manipulation of public opinion).
Mass media is the independent industry, aimed at shaping public opinion, using organizational and technical systems that ensure the quick transfer and mass reproduction of words, imagery and music information. [49]
Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. People are united into one global community with the help of mass media. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media. The mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio and television.
Mass media denotes a section of the media specifically designed to reach a large audience. The term was coined in the 1920s with the advent of nationwide radio networks, mass-circulation newspapers and magazines. However, some forms of mass media such as books and manuscripts had already been in use for centuries.
Mass media includes Internet media (like blogs, message boards, podcasts, and video sharing) because individuals now have a means to exposure that is comparable in scale to that previously restricted to a select group of mass media producers. The communications audience has been viewed by some commentators as forming a mass society with special characteristics, notably atomization or lack of social connections, which render it especially susceptible to the influence of modern mass-media techniques such as advertising and propaganda.
Mass media can be used for various purposes: [49]
· Advocacy, both for business and social concerns. This can include advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication.
· Entertainment, traditionally through performances of acting, music, and sports, along with light reading; since the late 20th century also through video and computer games.
· Public service announcements.
The major institutions of media industry information included press, radio and television. The media of Russia refers to print, broadcast and online media in Russia. [34, p.82] A selection of different medias is wide and diverse. According to the Russian Ministry of Press, the country has almost 37 thousand media outlets, including over 22 thousand newspapers and 12 thousand magazines. In audiovisual media, there are over three thousand television channels and two thousand radio channels registed. According to Freedom House, the Russian government owns two of the 14 national newspapers, 60 percent of newspapers, and in whole or in part, all six national television stations.
The press
Russia has very wide range of newspapers, over 400 daily, for every field. However, the consumption of serious newspapers is declining. A newspaper is a publication containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. Newspaper is a publication issued periodically, usually daily or weekly, to present information about current events. The newspaper articles give much more information about events. That is the main advantage of newspapers.
Newspapers cover more stories than any other news media does. They also cover stories in great detail. However, the newspapers present information later then radio or TV. The great advantage of newspapers over radio and TV is that they can report stories in depth. Readers can skip items that don’t interest them. Newspapers also can print certain material that appeals to only a small percentage of readers.
Newspapers differ according to: • frequency - daily, weekly, monthly, there are also morning and evening. Daily newspapers provide operational news material information, whereas weekly and monthly magazines and newspapers provide the material for analytical assessments; • scale - central, national (federal), regional, national, local, regional, municipal, district, departmental; • special purpose-oriented - sectoral, departmental, corporate, professional
A magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising and/or purchase by readers. Magazines are typically published weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly or quarterly, with a date on the cover that is in advance of the date it is actually published. Magazines fall into two broad categories: consumer magazines and business magazines.
Radio
Radio has a complex of unique properties that make it publicly available. People listen to radio, doing other work while constantly receive comprehensive information about all events, it is - and news, and entertainment, and theater, and the market. Clarity, simplicity, and at the same time, the emotion of the living word allows the radio to enjoy continued appreciation of the audience.
Radio is generally the first of news media to report a local story or a news service bulletin. Most stations present regular news bulletins every half-hour or hour. The national radio broadcast major news events. However, most radio news bulletins do not report the news in detail. Radio also provide weather forecasts and traffic information.
Unlike newspapers and magazines radio comes to our house, living in a human voice, able to transmit news, state prices and market conditions in the markets of the world, the problems of commerce and business in the country. Radio allows you to preserve information on magnetic tape in order to be able to return to the true facts liking the program. Radio is able to transmit information simultaneously from the field events. With the development of telecommunications radio not only did not lose the audience, but also increased its due to the rapid use of information and popularity of many programs that are loyal audience of listeners.
Radio broadcast formats of materials are determined by largely technical factors, among which there are the following elements: [34] I. Type of broadcasting (radio):
a) Broadcasting network;
b) the range of long-wave broadcasting, and) the range of medium of broadcasting;
c) range VHF broadcasting;
d) the range of FM-broadcasting; II. Type of radio receiver:
a) normal unsteady;
b) stationary single-program
c) stationary multiprogram;
d) Automobile.
Due to the absence of the spectacular images it provides the opportunity for every radio listener analytically interpret and weigh each thought pronounced that concerns the world community anywhere on the planet.
State radio in Russia:
· Radio Russia - national network
· Echo of Moscow
· Radio Mayak - state-run national network
· Voice of Russia - state-run external service, broadcasts in English and other languages
Television
Television is the main source of news for many households around the world. TV does what none of the other media can: it brings the sight and sounds of some important news events by means of filmed, taped or live reports. Like regular radio news bulletins, daily TV news programmes provide only brief accounts of relatively new stories. But the visual aspect of TV news story can often help viewers understand the story. In addition to daily news reports, television covers special news events. Coverage of such an event may replace many hours of regular TV shows.
Television and the people - is one of the most intimate and close communication in society. On the one hand, television divides society - forgotten meetings, theaters, cinemas, on the other - it brings together around pressing issues of national interests. Television creates the background of our everyday life, leisure, business activity throughout our lives. The images, voices, music, included in our flat-screen, do not give a closed, expanding our horizons, forming \ tastes are changing habits and stimulate to the evaluation of emerging and traditional qualities of products and services.
Television attracts the discussion of social problems, fosters attitudes, ethics, forms a vital position of each member of society and creates a rapid feedback from the audience of millions. All television and radio company, operating in Russia, can be divided into four groups: government, intergovernmental, public and private. All television in the Russian Federation, independently of their type and ownership enjoy equal rights and bear equal responsibility in accordance with the law.
Russian television is state-owned, directly or by companies with close ties with the Russian government. Television for most Russians is the main source of news. • Russia - a national network
• 1 Channel - national network
• NTV - national network
• TV Center - belongs to the Government of Moscow
• Ren TV - Moscow's commercial station with strong regional network
• In Russia today - government funding, the international English language news channel, via satellite
Modern TV can be classified by the following features. 1. By method of translation:
• on-air broadcasting
• Satellite
• Cable
2. By type of activity:
• broadcasting companies, which broadcast of program.
• software-producing company in the form of producer companies;
• Distributors, who furthered TV-product with the requirements of the supplier and user requests.
3. By reaching the audience: all-Russian, regional, local.
4. The form of ownership
• state channels
• Commercial,
• mixed with the presence of foreign capital.
5. By source of funding:
• State-financed channels;
• Pay TV channels, which operate solely through subscription fees viewers;
• Public television stations, existing as a result of contributions of funds of public organizations, voluntary donations from businesses and individuals;
• commercial channels, which operate under very return, primarily through advertising;
• lease channels as a result of lease airtime from political parties, public organizations, individuals, production house.
Internet
The Internet (also known simply as "the Net" or less precisely as "the Web") is a more interactive medium of mass media, and can be briefly described as "a network of networks". Specifically, it is the worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and governmental networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web.
The invention of the Internet has also allowed breaking news stories to reach around the globe within minutes. This rapid growth of instantaneous, decentralized communication is often deemed likely to change mass media and its relationship to society.
The internet is quickly becoming the center of mass media. Everything is becoming accessible via the internet. Instead of picking up a newspaper, or watching the 10 o'clock news, people will log onto the internet to get the news they want, when they want it. Many workers listen to the radio through the internet while sitting at their desk.
Mass media plays a crucial role in forming and reflecting public opinion, connecting the world to individuals and reproducing the self-image of society. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon society. It is through the persuasiveness of media such as television, radio and print media that messages reach their target audiences. Television broadcasting has a large amount of control over the content society watches and the times in which it is viewed. This is a distinguishing feature of traditional media which New media have challenged by altering the participation habits of the public. The internet creates a space for more diverse political opinions, social and cultural viewpoints and a heightened level of consumer participation.
Trying to briefly formulate the main directions of PR-specialist with various types of media, we define them as follows - the highest PR-effect is achieved in the case when working with: [50]
- Print media, our focus on the identification and logical aspects,
- Radio - to sound,
- TV - on the visual imagery.
The importance of mass media and journalism has greatly increased in recent years. In democratic countries, people depend on the news media for the fair and truthful reporting of current events. Freedom of the press encourages the exchange of ideas among citizens. In government-controlled countries, however, the news media serve as an instrument of the state. Media forms public opinion now. A lot of politicians strive to possess mass media. Media carries great possibilities for society, but they are not only good ones. Nobody should forget, that media- is the fourth power. [50]