NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF UKRAINIANS UNDER THE MEDIA INFLUENCE

Abstract

Objective of the article is to analyze the transformational processes of the national consciousness of Ukrainians under the influence of the media. Methods. The main scientific results are obtained by analyzing the statistics of surveys of various sociological institutes in the period from 2000 to 2020, based on survey data conducted by the Razumkov Centre’s sociological service together with the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation. Results. The beginning of the XXI century was marked by huge changes in all spheres of life of Ukrainians: political, social, informational, public. During this period, society experienced a number of historical, socio-political events, which on the one hand witnessed the transformation processes in the minds of Ukrainians, and on the other demonstrated the most vulnerable places, factors that shape our consciousness. Most researchers note that the new stage (or even the initial stage) of the formation of the national consciousness of the Ukrainian nation is associated with socio-political changes in 2004 and 2014, i. e. with the revolutions. These events have become indicative for understanding the modern influence, the role of the media in the formation of public opinion, the national consciousness of Ukrainians of different generations. Ukrainian society now has not only the term «information war», but also, unfortunately, the practice of close cooperation in an information war. All this, as well as the widespread use of modern information and communication tools (social networks, messengers, YouTube channels, etc.) in various spheres of life force us to reconsider the role and functions of the media in the formation of national consciousness of modern Ukrainians. By analyzing the statistical data of surveys of various sociological institutes in the period from 2000 to 2020, the basis was the survey data conducted by the Razumkov Centre’s sociological service together with the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation. The media in all spheres of life increasingly influence Ukrainian society. The events of the last 20 years have shown the growth of this influence in connection with global changes in the technological world space, and the level of trust in these public institutions has increased. The information space is gradually moving to another plane, in particular the Internet. It was found that there is a distancing from the influence of the media on consciousness due to the rejection of television, as the main source of information for most Ukrainians. Accordingly, more responsibility for the formation process now lies with Internet sources, which are of concern to 5.6 % of the population affected by the information attack of a foreign state. Three main media channels influence the formation of national consciousness in different regions of the country: national television, with the main preference given to private TV channels, social networks and Ukrainian Internet media.