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The Image of kazakhstan in Russia in the media

https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587-55662019532-42

Abstract

The article is concerned with the revealing and comparing of particular images of Kazakhstan formed by five Russian print media (“Kommersant”, “Komsomol’skaya Pravda”, “Sovetskaya Rossiya”, “Novaya Gazeta” and “Zavtra”), supposedly covering the most of existing ideological and political preferences. The research is based on the database of articles collected using deep content analysis of the newspapers over two focus years (2001 and 2016). The differences in newspapers’ target audience determine the lack of common motives within proper images (in 2001 they shared only the differently interpreted motive of power concentration and in 2016 all highlighted the problems associated with the state development). At the same time, all newspapers showed the overall decline in interest to Kazakhstan and concurrent impoverishment of its image as well as the tendency to softening its negative aspects. While in 2001 Kazakhstan’s discourse in chosen newspapers was diverse, if not conflicting, at 2016 we witnessed either erosion of image (“Sovetskaya Rossiya” and “Navaya Gazeta”) or its reduction to an integral part of Russian responsibility’s space or Russia’s important partner within the EAEU (“Kommersant”, “Komsomol’skaya Pravda”, “Zavtra”). Among the chosen newspapers only “Kommersant” contributes to the formation of considered multifaceted perceptions of the state, which add up to relatively solid image, whereas in general Kazakhstan appears to be a mental unexplored country.

About the Author

z. Y. Tokbulatova
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography
Russian Federation


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Graphical Abstract

1. Key motives in presenting Kazakhstan in selected Russian media for 2001 and 2016
Subject
Type Исследовательские инструменты
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Indexing metadata ▾
  • In 2016, an interest to Kazakhstan has declined in Russian media, compared to that of 2001.
  • The negative aspects of Kazakhstan’s media image have been softened.
  • In 2001, the common motif in the media was a centralization of power, while in 2016 that was the development problems.
  • Kommersant is the only media source that contributes to the objective multifaceted representations of the state.

Review

For citations:


Tokbulatova z.Y. The Image of kazakhstan in Russia in the media. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya. 2019;(5):32-42. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587-55662019532-42

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ISSN 2587-5566 (Print)
ISSN 2658-6975 (Online)