Print Mass Media as a Government Tool in Strategic Communications: A Study Based on Content Analysis of Publications in Russia

The article examines the socio-demographic characteristics of Russian print media readership along with a content analysis of press publications with a view of understanding the role of media in shaping public opinion from the perspective of theory and practice of strategic communication. A timely example of a resonant social process is considered in retrospect, showing the insufficient effectiveness of strategic government communications in Russia and the problems of information interaction in society. Several hypotheses were defined on the ways to improve the effectiveness of government strategic communications. Based on the research results, the authors suggest ways to optimize this practice, aimed at achieving more holistic and desired results in terms of stability and sustainability of socio-economic processes. The study determined that the use of complex tools and one-way communication methods through print media is not enough for effective “implementation” of the state's position on the solution of the problem situation.