Role of mass media in forming social attitudes of Russians regarding migrants (based on the content analysis of regional online news sources)

Abstract

The topic is relevant as the problem of integrative potential of the Russian society and the increased online media audience is getting more and more important. The author examines how regional online media affects public attitudes regarding migration. The article provides general results of the content analysis of regional news websites concerning migration. The study aims to describe the information field, the effectiveness of different influences of online media on the audience; the author puts forward a theoretical model of the role of modern Russian online media in the process of the formation of social attitudes concerning migrants. The study is based on the content analysis of the Institute of Sociology RAS supplemented by variables describing quantity and type of comments, number of website visits, and reference to the sources of comments. The involvement of users in the interpretation of media content is an indicator of the effectiveness of the informational interaction. A total of 1421 comments on 106 regional online informational websites across twenty Russian regions were analyzed between May 1st and May 5th, 2013. The author concludes that regional online media sources influence the attitudes of people towards migrants in terms of how they set the news agenda. Views of migrants presented by online news sources shape the perception of migrants as a threat to certain social groups. Comments referred to negative settings and stereotypes facilitate their actualization and strengthen them.