Citizen Journalism in Provincial Siberia in the Early 1920s (Based on the Media of the Central Siberian Region)

Abstract

The research featured the development of citizen journalism in Siberia in the early 1920s when the debates around societal challenges spilled onto the pages of periodicals. By focusing on the early New Economic Policy (NEP) narrative in the regional and local media, the author describes the difference between amateur and professional journalism. The campaign to promote the mass media and NEP was contingent on community debate, which addressed people’s worldview. In some cases, editors and citizen journalists used these topics to highlight the efforts of the local authorities and the effectiveness of media narratives. The narratives of the Soviet mass media and the early NEP made it possible to engage Siberians in public activities and develop a better understanding of working processes at the grassroots of the early Soviet society. The research was based on an interdisciplinary approach, which encompassed the history of everyday life and the relevant issues of journalism.