Полемичность политического дискурса в региональном интернет-пространстве

Abstract

The mass media system of the 21st century is significantly different from that of the turn of the century. Mass media have undergone significant changes, which is largely due to the increased technical capabilities of both senders of media content and its recipients. Significant volumes of operational information in such conditions are transmitted through Internet media, which, under conditions of convergence, combine the capabilities of print media, TV and radio channels. A significant layer of relevant information on various topics is transmitted through social networks. We consider the relevance of political discourse in the Internet space of the region. The choice of the issues of the materials analyzed in the work is dictated by the invariable relevance of political discourse in modern mass media. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively explore the assumption that political content has significant potential to encourage mass audiences to engage in dialogue; at the same time, polemic is often organized around such materials between various users of social networks. We study the algorithm for conducting controversy in social networks, identify its relevance among the audience of users in the region. The empirical base of the study is made up of publics in social networks that are popular with residents of the Tambov Region. In addition, attention is drawn to the accounts of the heads of other regions of the Central Black Earth region – Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk regions. When selecting materials for analysis, a continuous sampling method is used, while the popularity of Internet publics and the presence of a significant number of reactions to materials expressed by means available to users (verbal and non-verbal) became the key criterion for selecting texts. As a result of the study, we reveal a high degree of popularity of political discourse in social networks among the regional audience, its ac-tivity in the discussion of media materials. We find that a significant part of such publications is accompanied by controversy in social networks, in the development of which both the authors of the publications and (to a greater extent) the mass audience of readers participate. We conclude that publics in social networks can contribute to the growth of ratings of political leaders, streng-thening their positions and, as a result, increasing the trust of the audience of the electorate.