The impact of social media and citizen journalism on mainstream Russian news

Abstract

This article seeks to address the impact of social media and citizen journalism on mainstream Russian news by asking those engaged directly or indirectly in the field of professional journalism for their opinions and perceptions. It seeks to answer is there any kind of discernible effect so far, and if so, if this influence consolidated. In order to reach these questions, it is essential to understand the role and nature of news in Russia, as well as conceptual and theoretical treatment of both social media and citizen journalism. Qualitative data were collected from a questionnaire sent to journalists, educators, and a group of students. Together the result revealed that the effect of new technology has spurred a development in the freedom of information. It was more problematic to identify if this was consolidated or not.

Keywords:

• social media
• citizen journalism
• news
• Russia
• mainstream journalism
• samizdat

Acknowledgements

The author would like to express his gratitude to Dasha Dmitrieva for her valuable help in the research, to the reviewers for their constructive criticism of the article that helped to greatly develop it, and to Belinda Simons for taking the time and effort to go over her son's work and fine tune the language.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. A blog (from weblog) is defined “as a set of diary entries or related content posted on the Internet for a variety of reasons, mostly of a personal nature. Most interest centres on those blogs which are intended to play a public role of one kind of another, often commentary on the news. Their relationship with journalism is ambiguous, especially as many journalists publish their own blogs, either on their own account or on behalf of the news organisation” (McQuail, 2010, p. 549).

2. Internet Audiences in Russia Reaches 66 Million – Public Opinion Foundation, Interfax, 17 October 2013 in Johnson's Russia List, 2013-#187, 18 October 2013.

3. Internet Gains Trust Among Russians As Source of Information – Study, RIA Novosti, 26 March 2013 in Johnson's Russia List, 2013-#56, 27 March 2013.

4. Interestingly enough, the figures for trust were higher among the Moscow-based respondents than the figures given, which are the national average.

5. Social Networks in Moscow Outdo Radio as a Source of News – Poll, Itar-Tass, 15 July 2013 in Johnson's Russia List 2013-#128, 16 July 2013.

6. Internet Users in Russia to Make up 83% of Population in 2018, Itar-Tass, 17 October 2013 in Johnson's Russia List 2013-#186, 17 October 2013.

7. Social Networks in Moscow Outdo Radio as a Source of News – Poll, Itar-Tass, 15 July 2013 in Johnson's Russia List 2013-#128, 16 July 2013.++

8. The website (in Russian) can be found at http://www.youreporter.ru/

9. To access the annexes please go to https://www.academia.edu/15060428/The_Impact_of_Social_Media_and_Citizen_Journalism_on_Mainstream_Russian_News

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Wahlgrenska Foundation.