Military Outpost or the Region of International Cooperation: Kaliningrad Region Media Images in Russian Mass Media over 2014−2018

For citation: Shhekoturov A.V., Vinokurov V.V. (2020) Forpost ili region mezhdunarodnogo sotrudnichestva: kak menjalis' obrazy Kaliningradskoj oblasti v rossijskih SMI v 2014‒2018 gg. [Military Outpost or the Region of International Cooperation: Kaliningrad Region Media Images in Russian Mass Media over 2014−2018]. Mediaskop 3. Available at: http://www.mediascope.ru/2640

@ Aleksandr V. Shhekoturov

PhD in Sociology, Head of the Laboratory at Institute of geo-political and regional studies, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (Kaliningrad, Russia), ASHCHekoturov@kantiana.ru 

@ Vladimir V. Vinokurov

Assistant at Institute for the Humanities, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (Kaliningrad, Russia), vvinokurov1@kantiana.ru

Abstract

This article analyses media images of Russian exclave Kaliningrad region in federal and regional press for the period of 2014−2018. The media study of this region is an important component in understanding many exclave socio-cultural and political processes. The primary purpose of our work was to elicit the main media images of Kaliningrad region from Russian mass media and analyze their dynamics in 2014−2018. The sample of publications had been compiled by the system “Medialogya” and included 1000 most noticeable newsworthy events per year. On the results of content analysis we had revealed the complex of main media-images of Kaliningrad region presented in Russian media environment: emphasis on the economic attractiveness of the region; military outpost and "besieged fortress"; the region (un)harmed with EU and USA Economic sanctions; historical memory and ideological influence of Russia as instruments of "soft power". Summarizing the results we suggest that in Russian press Kaliningrad region had become more self-sustainable both in context of social-economics and international politics.

Keywords: Kaliningrad region; country image; media image.

Notes

Hronologija sobytij: sankcii [Timeline of events: sanctions]. RIA Novosti. 2020. Available at: https://ria.ru/20170901/1501426774.html (aссessed: 06.03.2020).

Informacionno-analiticheskaja sistema monitoringa kompleksnogo razvitija «Medialogija» [Information and analytical system for monitoring complex development "Medialogia"]. Available at: https://www.mlg.ru/products/media/ (aссessed: 06.03. 2020).

Rossija-Germanija: vzaimnyj interes [Russia-Germany: Mutual Interest]. VCIOM. 2004. Available at: https://wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=3304 (aссessed: 04.03.2020).

Massey D. (1991) A global sense of place. Marxism today. June, pp. 24–29. Available at: http://www.aughty.org/pdf/global_sense_place.pdf (aссessed: 06.03.2020).

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