The foreign and Russian mass media in the formation of Russia’s image

Abstract

The article examines the impact of domestic and foreign media in shaping Russia’s image abroad. By way of example it considers the coverage given by the Russian and Western media on the issue of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in 2008, and the recent events taking place in Ukraine in 2014. The author demonstrates the role of the Russian mass media which does not consists only in monitoring globalization, but representing different points of view on this issue, and in fact, together with the input of state institutions and civil society to actively reflect, shape and direct mass consciousness whilst adapting it to the essential processes of globalization towards a humanistic oriented development. The main challenge facing Russian mass media and communications today, is a comprehensive review of its activities in contributing towards the formation of the Russian state, Russian science as well as Russian culture. With the above there is also the imperative caveat of providing appropriate - information countering misinformation to the Russian political leadership, as well as countering aggressive information aimed at destabilizing Russian society.