Telegram’s Impact on the Development of Media Landscapes in Russia and Belarus: Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The topic of this research is related to the growing role of the Telegram messenger in the mass communications system of Russia and Belarus. The main direction of scientific research was the prob-lem of adapting the mass media of Russia and Belarus to the distribution of the messenger. The sci-entific significance of the study is due to the need to develop a systematic approach to the study of media and the impact of digitalization processes on the development of the media space. The practical significance of the work is explained by objective conclusions that can serve as a basis for the develop-ment of existing media companies, as well as for the emergence of new media projects. The research methodology is based on a comparative analysis of statistical data on the audience of the leading telegram channels in Russia and Belarus. The main data source was the Telegram Analytics project (tgstat.com). Comparative analysis serves as the main approach for drawing conclusions. The main results of the study show that the influence of Telegram grew especially strongly in Belarus in 2020. In Russia, where the messenger was blocked for more than two years, the influence of Telegram is not so significant. The study revealed that the popularity of Telegram as a source of news information in the media spaces of Russia and Belarus is growing, while the demand for social networks (for example, VKontakte) is falling. Many “classic” media are looking for a successful news distribution strategy on this platform. At the same time, some media outlets still use Telegram as a feed of links to the main site, which cannot be considered an effective behavior strategy. The Telegram platform helps to strengthen the feedback from the audience. Many media outlets are beginning to use interactive forms of content in their channels (tests, voting, etc.), include the ability to comment. Chat-bots have become a new opportunity to receive information from readers. Key words: media space, Russia, Belarus, Telegram, digital technologies, media audience.