In our country we can see how mass media can make people become very politicaly adicted.As for me i dont read news papers, dont like to watch the TV because I know what I shall find there - politics, politics and some more politics (and hours of commercial).The internet gives me an opportunity to watch, read and listen all what I want to.But there is some information that bothers me.Some people think that internet will be used for enlarging the electorat some day.
After 2004 Orange Revolution, one of the significant aspects of the transition to consolidated democracy in Ukraine was acquiring of, as stated by many politicians and experts, "freedom of speech". For some time it was of common opinion that the media were truly independent.
Additional optimism was granted by gradual arrival of Western mediainvestors that could weaken the impact of state media and Ukrainian media oligarchs (who always had a pronounced political interests) on the domestic media and facilitate the introduction of civilized rules of the game in media.
However the state, professional environment and public sector failed to adequately back up this greatest achievement. With the crisis approaching, foreign investors began to gradually move from the Ukrainian market. An upcoming presidential election campaign may destroy fragile foundation of freedom of speech, which began to build up after 2004.
Mass media today is the main channel of political communication because the interpretation of events in the media often is more significant than the event itself, which is widely used in political technology practice.
The public opinion is deeply affected by media events, thus a competition for control over the news agenda is one of the components of the campaign.
Politicians believe that getting control of the main media actives and bodies that regulate media, they can dictate information "tone".
But the point is not self-evident, is not always the case that control over the media automatically means control over the information space. Control over the media space, namely TV, at the time of former president Leonid Kuchma turned against him, stimulated the development of more efficient alternative communication channels.
Still, television is the major news source in Ukraine. However, there is a demand for other channels of political communication.
As reported by Institute of Social and Political Psychology APSU in November-December 2007, which conducted a study on "Mediaculture of population of Ukraine”, a third of adults (32.4%) and the fifth of students (21.7%) after viewing television news are looking for more information from other sources, including the Internet.
Internet was an alternative (opposition) political communication channel and the main destroyer of myths for a long time, beginning from "Ukraine without Kuchma" action , and subsequently, until the Orange Revolution. So it’s logical that nowadays Internet, as well as printed media serve auxiliary tools in the elections.
Ukrainian Internet audience is a huge electorate. In February 2009, according to Gemius Ukraine, Ukrainian internet users reached 7 million users. Hawing realized that, many Ukrainian politicians hope to use the Internet as a part of their campaign.
There is another side of the medal. It is of no secret that forums and comments on famous sites are frequently used to spread misinformation and rumors. Of course, this does not mean one needs to limit foruns or comments, but the situation may be somewhat corrected by strict requirements for commentators.
After 2004 Orange Revolution, one of the significant aspects of the transition to consolidated democracy in Ukraine was acquiring of, as stated by many politicians and experts, "freedom of speech". For some time it was of common opinion that the media were truly independent.
Additional optimism was granted by gradual arrival of Western mediainvestors that could weaken the impact of state media and Ukrainian media oligarchs (who always had a pronounced political interests) on the domestic media and facilitate the introduction of civilized rules of the game in media.
However the state, professional environment and public sector failed to adequately back up this greatest achievement. With the crisis approaching, foreign investors began to gradually move from the Ukrainian market. An upcoming presidential election campaign may destroy fragile foundation of freedom of speech, which began to build up after 2004.
Mass media today is the main channel of political communication because the interpretation of events in the media often is more significant than the event itself, which is widely used in political technology practice.
The public opinion is deeply affected by media events, thus a competition for control over the news agenda is one of the components of the campaign.
Politicians believe that getting control of the main media actives and bodies that regulate media, they can dictate information "tone".
But the point is not self-evident, is not always the case that control over the media automatically means control over the information space. Control over the media space, namely TV, at the time of former president Leonid Kuchma turned against him, stimulated the development of more efficient alternative communication channels.
Still, television is the major news source in Ukraine. However, there is a demand for other channels of political communication.
As reported by Institute of Social and Political Psychology APSU in November-December 2007, which conducted a study on "Mediaculture of population of Ukraine”, a third of adults (32.4%) and the fifth of students (21.7%) after viewing television news are looking for more information from other sources, including the Internet.
Internet was an alternative (opposition) political communication channel and the main destroyer of myths for a long time, beginning from "Ukraine without Kuchma" action , and subsequently, until the Orange Revolution. So it’s logical that nowadays Internet, as well as printed media serve auxiliary tools in the elections.
Ukrainian Internet audience is a huge electorate. In February 2009, according to Gemius Ukraine, Ukrainian internet users reached 7 million users. Hawing realized that, many Ukrainian politicians hope to use the Internet as a part of their campaign.
There is another side of the medal. It is of no secret that forums and comments on famous sites are frequently used to spread misinformation and rumors. Of course, this does not mean one needs to limit foruns or comments, but the situation may be somewhat corrected by strict requirements for commentators.
