Lecture 5

Russian Media Model:Newspapers and Magazines: 

Russian Media Model: Newspapers and Magazines Professor Elena Vartanova Faculty of Journalism Moscow State University/ Aleksander Institute, Helsinki University

Contrasting Models of Russian Media: 

Contrasting Models of Russian Media Press: introduction of market leads to increased regionalization /localization (the role of distribution) TV: political elite and big advertisers are pushing television towards the federal economic centre, while regional TV is becoming dependent on national networks as programs suppliers Radio: little attention of politicians and segmented advertising guarantees diversification of formats and localization of contents Internet: comparatively low and uneven level of connectivity makes it selective and ‘young’ media Mobile telephony: undeveloped sector of content services, therefore it is not still in the media system

Media Attitudes: 

Media Attitudes 41% trust national mass media (fort residents of Moscow and St-Petersburg residents - 57%) 15% trust local media (for residents of big cities - 21%) 7% trust regional media 27% of Russian do not trust any media VSCHIOM 2005 (Novosti SMI, 2005, August, N 15-16, p. 27)

Media Uses: 

Media Uses Russians get information from: National TV channels 79% Central radio channels 21% Regional TV channels 14% National (Moscow) press 14% Internet 7% Regional radio stations 6% Regional press 4% Other sources 2% Can’t answe 1% ROMIR Monitoring 2005 (Novosti SMI, 2005, October, N 19, p. 26)

Russian Newspaper Market: Many Titles, Few Success Stories: 

Russian Newspaper Market: Many Titles, Few Success Stories

How Big is theRussian Print Media Market?: 

How Big is the Russian Print Media Market? Number of registered titles: 25 843 newspapers 16 544 magazines 3 397 almanacs annual newspapers circulation: 8 000 000 000 000 copies annual magazines circulation: 520 000 000 copies Ministry of Press and Broadcasting, 2005

2004: From Subscription to Retails: 

2004: From Subscription to Retails Number of profitable dailies does not exceed 10% of total number of titles Total sales of newspapers - $ 1,9 billion (estimate) including: Retail - $ 1 billion Subscription - about $ 530 million Free distribution - $ 370 million

Newspapers: Old New Brands: 

Newspapers: Old New Brands

Basic Features of Russian Newspaper Market: 

Basic Features of Russian Newspaper Market High number of registered titles of which only half is published Two trends: high politicization of content in Moscow-based dailies + rise of sensational journalism Priority of opinions (propaganda) over news (objective reporting) Absence of nationally distributed dailies: 21 newspaper for 1 000 readers Lack of reliable statistics (circulations, revenue and budgets, ownership structures) State monopoly in printing and paper production Weak position of private delivery companies

Recent Trends: Dealing with the Global: 

Recent Trends: Dealing with the Global National distribution for Moscow dailies is secured by regional inserts (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Moskovsky Komsomolets, Argumenti i Facty, Zhizn’) Weeklies are the most profitable newspapers, but their content concepts are mostly built around easy family reading Newspapers change their formats for tabloids, increase number of pages, introduce colors

Tabloidization: the Russian way : 

Tabloidization: the Russian way Tabloids are not always ‘tabloids’: Change of size and content (‘Komsomolskaya Pravda’, ‘Gazeta’) and only of content (MK) Specific editorial concept with an emphasis on political sensations and infotainment, both lacking deep analysis Priority of local soft news and human interest stories, increase in life style stories ‘Decentralized printing’ in regions + retail distribution based on urban public transportation system + cooperation with regional publishers

Russian Tabloids: Two Old New Brands: 

Russian Tabloids: Two Old New Brands Komsomolskaya Pravda old brand special regional/local editions for national distribution support from resource capital Unstructured audience, but advertising targeted for core audience profitable Moskovsky Komsomoletz old brand particular attention to Moscow life informal support from the Moscow city government retail distribution based on Moscow metro system economically independent profitable

In Search of a Quality Daily: 

In Search of a Quality Daily Still a free niche Target groups: highly educated low paid professionals (old Soviet intelligentsija) + lacking business education businessmen (‘new Russians’) + new business elite (CEOs, top-managers) A need: neutral, balanced and professional content + special advertising concepts Cases: ‘Gazeta’ (2001): financed by industrial capital (Lisin), now tabloid - both in form and content ‘Izvestija’ (1918): long history of state daily+ financing from resource capital (‘Profmedia’-‘Gazprom’) + cooperation with NYT + endless change of management + substantial upgrading of content and lay-out Kommersant Daily, RBK DailyÖ business alternatives

Types of Russian Dailies: 

Types of Russian Dailies

Magazines for New Social Groups: 

Magazines for New Social Groups

Basic Features of the Russian Magazine Market: 

Basic Features of the Russian Magazine Market Annual circulation 600 million copies Weeklies: 60% of annual circulation, but 30% of magazine advertising market Monthlies: 35% of annual circulation, but 60% of magazine advertising market The highest quantitative growth in the media sector: 5 000 new titles in last 2 years, but slow growth of the market itself Magazines more often considered as business compared to newspapers: a growth in volume is explained by 40% restriction in advertising share of content Market leaders: 600 magazines, mostly glossies, 55% of titles and 50% of circulation is printed abroad

Russian Magazines: Types and Roles: 

Russian Magazines: Types and Roles Russian language versions of the international magazine brands: Cosmo, Men’s Health, Geo, Wallpaper, etc. Magazines copying Western formats (mostly TV guides and weekly news magazines) and particular Russian ventures (Karavan istoryi, Rabotnitza, Krestjanka, Zdorovije) Creation of new Russian mythology: guidelines for new rich Political weeklies: A space for intellectual debates=substitution for a quality dailies