Television Democracy Elections in Russia (Basees Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies)

Sarah Oates gives a detailed examination on a central theme in political science: the relationship between democracy and the mass media. This significant book contains a wealth of information and data, including: public opinion surveys, content analysis of television news, focus groups and in-depth interviews to examine why political parties and the mass media failed so spectacularly to aid in the construction of a democratic system in Russia. The analysis presents compelling evidence that television helped to tune out democracy as it served as a tool for leaders rather than a conduit of information in the service of the electorate or parties. In addition, focus groups and surveys show that the Russian audience are often more comfortable with authority rather than truth in television coverage.Within this framework, this fascinating work presents the colourful history of parties, elections and television during one of the most critical eras in Russian history and captures a particularly significant epoch in contemporary Russian politics. This Book Explores How The Russian Media, In Particular Television, Have Shaped Russian Politics In The Post-soviet Era. It Examines Why The Russian Mass Media Failed So Spectacularly To Develop As A Pillar Of Civil Society And Aid To Democratization, Instead Evolving Into A Mouthpiece For Special Interests. The Book Employs A Range Of Data, Including Public-opinion Surveys, Content Analysis Of Television News, Focus Groups, And In-depth Interviews, To Analyze The Russian Elections In The Period Since 1993.--book Jacket. From Soviet To Post-soviet Media -- You Watch In Pain : Focus Group Findings About Television Viewing -- The Rise Of The Broadcast Party In Russia -- The Genesis Of Television Control And Content In Russian Elections, 1993-6 -- Consolidation Of Media Control : The 1999 And 2000 Elections -- No Better Heroes : Focus Group Findings About Political Images, Parties And Voting In Russia -- Television Viewing And Public Opinion Across Russia -- Consolidation In Russian Political Communication : The 2003 Duma And 2004 Presidential Elections -- Conclusions : Tuning Out Democracy. Sarah Oates. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [212]-218) And Index. Sarah Oates gives a detailed examination on a central theme in political science: the relationship between democracy and the mass media. This significant book contains a wealth of information and data, including: public opinion surveys, content analysis of television news, focus groups and in-depth interviews to examine why political parties and the mass media failed so spectacularly to aid in the construction of a democratic system in Russia. The analysis presents compelling evidence that television helped to tune out democracy as it served as a tool for leaders rather than a conduit of information in the service of the electorate or parties. In addition, focus groups and surveys show that the Russian audience are often more comfortable with authority rather than truth in television coverage. Within this framework, this fascinating work presents the colourful history of parties, elections and television during one of the most critical eras in Russian history and captures a particularly significant epoch in contemporary Russian politics From Soviet to post-Soviet media "You watch in pain" : focus group findings about television viewing The rise of the broadcast party in Russia The genesis of television control and content in Russian elections, 1993-1996 Consolidation of media control : the 1999 and 2000 elections "No better heroes" : focus group findings about political images, parties and voting in Russia Television viewing and public opinion across Russia Consolidation in Russian political communication : the 2003 Duma and 2004 Presidential elections Conclusions : tuning out democracy. Provides an examination on a central theme in political science: the relationship between democracy and the mass media. This book presents the history of parties, elections and television during one of the critical eras in Russian history and captures a particularly significant epoch in contemporary Russian politics Sarah Oates provides a study of political parties, elections, television, voting behaviour and the Russian audience from 1993 to 2004.