Public opinion management in information society: strategic approach

Abstract

The development and successful forward movement involves strategic thinking: formulation of long-term goals and planning of ways to achieve the planned future coordinates. Herewith, today the communication power is the main driving force for the social changes. And now this power has completely changed its status. Nowadays no sphere or social subject can effectively performs its activity without communicative component. They are of constant interest for the external audiences and strategic communication becomes the crucial condition for achieving the goal. Strategic communications is the systematic, coordinated use of all communication capabilities, aimed at establishing long-term relationships between the social subject and the society in order to advance the stated goals. Absence of own strategy, own strategic thinking and own strategic communication means turning of this subject into a participant in someone else’s strategy and a means to achieve others’ goals. Strategic communications are the intellectual sphere, which opens up new horizons, resorting to unexpected, paradoxical and non-linear actions. The ability to take indirect action is also a feature of the strategic communications. Strategic communications define tactical steps for the strategic object movement. The correct direction of movement leads to the goal with a certain speed, in a certain way, which are the tactical toolkit. At the different stages, it involves attack, protection, justification, open cooperation, neglect, and help, as the ways of moving in a social environment. The article problematizes issues of influence on the public, in socio-cultural conditions of «civilization of services» and «participatory democracy» by actualization of effective/ineffective strategic scenarios and tactical schemes. Nowadays such schemes are being implemented by active social players (state authorities, public activists, experts) in the information space of Ukraine to systematically influence public opinion. Also, the article proves the relevance of comprehension and performing of information and communications activity in the context of media anthropology. The considerations set forth in the article explicate the promising perspectives of media anthropological approach both in practice and in theory of modern mass communication activity.