An Analysis of Representation of Activities of Russias and Chinas Political Leaders in Rossijskaja Gazeta and Zhjen'min' Zhibao

Abstract

Currently, Russia’s and China’s political leaders’ activities are the focus of journalists’ and mass media’s attention in both countries. Besides, the way the national leader is represented in mass media has a significant impact on the information agenda both inside and outside each country. The author of the article studies the features of this media representation, and makes a content analysis by quality and quantity of publications in Rossijskaja Gazeta and Zhjen’min’ Zhibao newspapers in the period 2018–2019. Basing on the results of a comparative analysis of the research data, the author makes an inference that peculiarities of the representation of the political figures’ activities largely depend on the topical political agenda, ideological attitudes, national historical and cultural features, the international context, and the national leader’s personality. Mass media, being an intermediary between authorities and public, play the leading role in establishing communication between them and making it effective, which is a prerequisite for the state’s successful development. People's trust in authorities may be considered important factor of stable social, political and economic development. Media representation of the national leaders of Russia and China, two of the world’s superpowers, is not only an important form of interaction inside the countries, but also a key factor of successful international cooperation. The topicality of the study is determined by the intensifying mediatization of politics in general, and growing awareness of the dependence between the global media image of a national leader and that of the country he or she runs. Moreover, for a complete picture, it is necessary to identify job factors for journalists working in this sphere, and compare the approaches to representing the national leaders and their actions in the two countries.