Svetlana Pasti, University of Tampere BASEES/ICCEES European Congress 2013: ‘Europe: Crisis and Renewal’ April 5-8, 2013- Cambridge, UK.

Building democracy in Russia:Online media and protests

Svetlana Pasti, University of Tampere

BASEES/ICCEES European Congress 2013: ‘Europe: Crisis and Renewal’

April 5-8, 2013- Cambridge, UK

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World Democracy Audit 2013Source: http://www.worldaudit.org

Russia: in the group of non-free country between Iraq and Kazakhstan

Democracy rank: 128

Press Freedom rank: 128

Corruption rank: 110

Finland on the top: 1, 1, 1

North Korea on the bottom: 150, 150, 148

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World Press Freedom 2013 Source: Reporters Without Borders http://en.rsf.org/

Russia: 148th (-6 fallen) among 179 countries: repressions to a wave of opposition protests, tighter control of internet, making foreign funding of human rights organizations as a crime

Russian Union of Journalists (Bogdanov, 2013):

in Russia has become worse with the freedom of speech. Legislation in the field of media overkill, we are strictly regulated how to talk, how to act.

Russian journalists - in the International Congresses of

Journalists; First professional editions

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Different Levels of Freedom Source: http://www.freedomhouse.org

American criteria – problems mentioned in last BASEES by Ellen Mickiewicz

Freedom of press: Russia, score 80, non-free

Freedom on net: Russia, score 52, partly free

Rating for independent media remains unchanged during past 10 years (6.25, scale of 1-7, with 1 highest level and 7 lowest)

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Stimulus for the growth of Internet • Broadband Internet development in

regions • Cost of Internet is reducing • Internet access speed is increasing • In 2013 – 90 millions of internet users

(about 142 million of population) • Average age of internet user in Russia is

33 year • Open platform for public debate and

political opinions

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Internet role is growing

• Internet as source of information: 60% of population

• Television as source of information: 73% of population

• By new elections to the State Duma (2016) and President elections (2018) main role will be with Internet

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Internet: as threat to the regime • Social media networks and video-sharing

platforms played a critical role in galvanizing massive protests in December 2011

• The Russian government intends to control the media and Internet, monitor all information not only in the media, but also on forums, blogs and social networks

• Since May 2012: recriminalized defamation, expanded blacklisting websites, bloggers faced detention and criminal prosecutions

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Internet as medicine against revolutions • 60% of Russians use Internet • Russians are in the first place in the world

on the amount of time on social networks • Educated Russians devoted more time for

Internet and social networks in virtual world, they have less desire for the revolution in real world

• Specialists preferring to do everything remotely: work, learn, communicate, reluctance to have a contact with real people

St Petersburg pilot study 2012-13A part of the academic project Media

Systems in Flux: The Challenge from the BRICS countries, 2012-2016

Four cities in Russia : Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Petrozavodsk

Similar studies in all BRICS countries,2013-2014

Main research focus on the new online media in comparison with the conventional media

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Online media sample: St Petersburg New media characteristi

csFounders/Own

Level /audience

rbc.ru News portal/24h

RBC hold (Prokh.)

Nation/most cited

Fontanka.ru News & analysis

Azhur holding Local/2 million/ m

Firstnews.ru News portal ZAO Firstnews Local/640.000/m

Lenizdat.ru News portal Media SPb holding

North-W/80.000

Dozhdj tv/Rain-tv

Internet TV Media holding National

Karpovka.ru Quality gazeta Journalists Local/177.000/m

Bumaga.ru Quality gazeta Journalists Local/32.000/m

Peterburgski dairy

Internet daily City government

Local/200.000/m

Zaks.ru Political site MediaSPb holding

North-W/85.000

Ok-inform Quality magazine

Journalists Local

Politgramota.ru Political site Journalists Inter-region

V kurse Show Magazine Journalists Nat./218.000 subc

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Journalists in online media Sample: 23 journalists and editors in 12

online mediaAge: 20 under 31, 3 above 31Gender: 13 male, 10 female Education: 22 with university diploma, 1

unfinishedEmployment: 22 permanent, 1 contracted Income: between 20.000-130.000 Rub (500-

3.250Eur) Second job: 2/3 Membership in Union of Journalists: only 3 Party/NGO belonging: only 1 NGO

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Online journalists From middle class: architects, engineers,

teachers, academics, journalists, servicemen, programmer, accountants

Professional experience in conventional media

Strong wish to work independently resulted to move from conventional media to online

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Self-portrait: Online journalists

Q: What is difference between you, journalists online, and those in old media?

Young people: under 30 Speed of perception, reaction, work:

We are faster Internet media like news agencyLong working hours, it is available

24/7 No border between work and

private life

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Self-portrait: Online journalists Multi-platform: Online media often combines TV,

newspaper and news agency. It works against a journalist: lost depth, quality, no idea, often bloopers

Multi-functionality:Managing editor of online daily + working

with social networks: their content and communication with subscribers + anchorperson + news editor of online radio. “No matter how many tasks you do, it is important, how do you do it” (from interview)

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Protests in St Petersburg2008 – first protest, detention of journalist,

Union stood up for him, special lifejackets for journalists

2011 December: first day – 100 people arrested, second day – 100, third day – 100, then people less and less, until 15 December protest ended

31 day, every month – rally Gostinnyi Dvor Big potential for protests. Large critical

masses of dissatisfaction accumulated. People skeptical to everything

Social lifts do not work 15

From picketers into journalists“Journalism had a surge of popularity in 2011

on the wave of the protests in the city. Humanists after the rallies decided that it was necessary to somehow help society. One of ways was seen to become journalists. Street people flowed the profession. Some failed, but some had stayed in journalism. Some began to work as journalists on the protests by picturing and sending photos to the media. They believe that their reports in the media are necessary, this is seen as engaging with society. They are very young, 18-19 years, students” (from interview)

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Journalists and protestsRegular coverage of protests (differed

from official)Protest is emotional expression of opinionFollowing blogosphere: Dissatisfaction

growing up Tiredness: “No protests in weekend”,

journalists are more than picketersOpposition separated, no leader, no

programWeak faith in effectiveness of protests:

Street protests led to nothing17

Journalists and protestsProtests provoked interest in politics: “From the student newspaper we

developed into a youth online newspaper, which represents the views of 20-year-old generation, who were born in 1990, 1991 and 1989 respectively” (from interview)

December 2011 like student’s revolution, age: 20-22

Some kept a distance to protests not identifying themselves with picketers, performing in the status of a detached reporter, some were involved

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Journalists and protestsJournalists distinguish political protests

(unfair elections) and city rallies (local questions of city life, city building, public health, etc.)

Some participate in city rallies to make the city better

Journalists positively estimate people’s awakening, participation in protests and rallies, but their valuation of opposition and its leaders is not high. “People do not trust opposition” (from interview)

Journalists respect civil organizations Beautiful Petersburg, Petersburg’s observers and civil activists

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Findings: Online media: 3 types Independent initiatives by journalists:

Bumaga, Karpovka, Politgramota, OK, V kurse

Part of independent media holdings (Azhur, MediaSPb, RBC): Fontanka, Lenizdat, Zaks.ru, RBC.ru

City government: Peterburgsky dairy

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Online media: Young, healthy, multi- All young: Established during the 2000sHealthy media economySmall-scale organizations in comparison with

the conventional media (on average 6-7 journalists)

Most successful with multi-platform strategy:

Fontanka, first internet daily in the city established: Fontanka.Fi, Voditel Peterburga, Doktor Piter, Kvadrat.Ru, radio Fontanka FM

Specialization and expertize, target audiences

Interactivity with audience and interactive advertising

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Conclusion With rise of Internet –rise of independent

online media To establish online media is available for

anybody Young professionals go to online for

politically independent journalism Online media become influential sources of

information and opinion owing to their independence

Politicians, experts, journalists begin a new day with online media, not with the conventional media

Generation of 1990 and later without servile mentality

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Thanks for your attention

[email protected]

http://www.uta.fi/cmt/en/contact/staff/svetlanapasti/index.html