National mass media as markers of ethnolinguistic identity of Finno-Ugric peoples in Bashkortostan

Abstract

Subscription to periodicals indirectly shows the ethnolinguistic identity of the population, as in order to meet ethno-cultural needs individuals give preference to that Mass media which is closer to them by the language and world-view. Along with the regional and republican newspapers and magazines published in Bashkortostan, the Finno-Ugric peoples actively take in periodicals from the neighboring Republics, which makes it possible to meet ethnic, cultural and national language needs more widely. The article is based on the materials from the archive of the Ufa Federal Postal Service of the Republic of Bashkortostan,a branch of “Post of Russia”, as well as data from the Press Agency of the Republic of Bashkortostan. It makes an attempt to explore the national cultural needs of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the field of printed Press. The work is based on statistical data, including the current archives of Press and Media Agency of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Federal postal service of the Republic of Bashkortostan, as well as the results of population censuses. The principle of historicism, statistical and systematic approaches make the theoretical basis of the research. In Bashkortostan newspapers for the Mari population are published in the Mari language in two districts – Mishkinskiy and Kaltasinskiy, with 71,5 and 45,9 % of the Mari population according to 2010 census. In Tatyshlinskiy district with 21,5 % of Udmurt population, there is one regional newspaper in the Udmurt language. Taking into account the needs of the Mari population of the Republic, since 1991 the Republican newspaper “Cholman” (“Kama”) has been published in the Mari language. Since 1999 there has been another newspaper with Republican circulation in the Udmurt language – “Oshmes”. Newspapers and magazines in the Mordovian language are not published in Bashkortostan. The Mordovian population subscribes periodicals from the Republic of Mordovia. The promotion of subscriptions in the Finno-Ugric languages in the Republic would contribute to the further preservation and development of native languages and strengthening the ethnic identity of the Finno-Ugric population in Bashkortostan.