Coronavirus in the Russian Mass Media

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2020-50-2/206-224

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of socio-cultural problems covered by the Russian mass media in the initial period of development of the coronavirus epidemic in the country and in the world (April 2020). Emphasizing the important role of the media in the life of any modern society, and especially in the period of global socio-political instability, the author examines various aspects and painful nodes of this not only medical problem, identified in the information space. The article shows some innovations which this epidemic has brought to Russians, causing not only fears for people's lives, but also noticeable changes in the way of life of the country - downturns in the economy, changes in the health and education system, in cultural life, unbalance in many other areas of social life, changes in regional and federal government structures. Based on the analysis of a large amount of empirical material presented in the Central and in the regional media, the author concludes that, despite the great significance of this event in the life of the country, this coronavirus phenomenon is only situational, and its development will not have fundamental changes related to public security in the country. But to do this, it is important, taking into account Russian and international experience, to carefully analyze the lessons of the first months of general opposition to this epidemic. And critical consideration of media materials can be used in this with great benefit.

References

1. Borovinskaya,S. 2020. Kriterii i specifika inscenirovaniya real'nosti v novyh media [The Criteria and the Specifics of the Mock Reality in New Media]. Kommunikologiya 8: 101.
2. Malkova,K. 2019. Migranty, diaspory i internet [Migrants, Diaspora and Internet]. Issledovaniya po prikladnoj i neotlozhnoj etnologii 268. Moscow: IEA RAS.
3. Tishkov Onlajn etnografiya (polevye issledovaniya v usloviyah karantina) [On-line Ethnography (Field Research in the Quarantine Conditions]. Facebook.com. 09.05.2020.