Mass Media Publications Research Articles

Strategies of Environmental NGOs in the Context of the Law on Foreign Agents: Games with Formality

This article analyzes how the law on foreign agents has been interpreted and implemented by the Russian authorities and examines NGOs’ diverse strategies of adaptation in response to the foreign agent label. We offer a typology of NGO responses to the law, illustrating how NGOs adjust to this new organizational environment. We have identified four major strategies among environmental NGOs designated as foreign agents. First, an NGO may attempt to follow the law formally, often returning foreign funding. Second, an NGO may simulate formal compliance, using informal practices to bypass the law and continue its work. Third, an NGO may adopt an exit strategy by abandoning its legal registration to operate informally. Fourth, an NGO can operate from abroad, using access to international institutions. The choice of strategy depends on the available resources, the level of involvement in international networks, the specialization of NGOs, and the configuration of forces at the regional level. Pressures from the new national laws have led NGOs to embrace informality over formal structures and rules. Informal strategies include receiving only in-kind support from abroad, not registering the organization, using nonregistered associations of NGOs to make public statements, or sharing resources between a registered NGO and a nonregistered NGO if one is in jeopardy of being declared a foreign agent. Thus, the foreign agent law can stimulate the paradoxical situation in which the state’s efforts to formalize its relationship to NGOs results the deinstitutionalization of the NGO sector, as groups increasingly use informal strategies to achieve their goals. The study is based on a combination of qualitative methods. We collected 19 interviews with experts from NGOs dealing with environmental protection. We also analyzed websites of environmental NGOs and mass-media publications concerning the problem of foreign agents. All collected materials were transcribed and analyzed using thematic and axial coding. Data triangulation was carried out by correlating information from different sources. Article in Russian. DOI:  10.25285/2078-1938-2017-9-3-18-43

Forthcoming Performing Arts & Mass Media Publications, 2016

Forthcoming Performing Arts & Mass Media Publications, 2016

PERIPHRASIS IN MODERN POLITICAL DISCOURSE (ON THE MATERIALS OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA)

The article deals with periphrasis that functions in modern politicaldiscourse of Internet-editions. The structural-semantic, stylistic and textualfeatures of periphrasis constructions were analyzed.Mass media is a rapid dissemination of information, active influence onthe mind, the emotions of readers, listeners, persuasion of their veracity, thereliability of these facts and, consequently, the formation of public opinion andencouraging the activity. Today electronic media perform this function, becausethey are the most affordable, they provide speed information communicationfor the numerous audience. Most of us are directly involved in the sociopoliticaldiscourse. Political discourse is a set of linguistic acts, spoken inpublic by politicians, public figures, presented in publications in mass media,propaganda, Internet communications, etc.

Eat there! Shop here! Visit that! Presenting the city in mass media travel writing

In contrast to travelogues, many mass media travel articles focus on providing usable content instead of literary value. This study investigated the content of three recurring travel features (or ‘visitlogues’) in mass media publications. A quantitative approach was used to find which aspects of a destination are mentioned in travel writing instead of how they are represented. Fifteen articles covering five cities were investigated. The articles were written in second person and were prescriptive (rather than descriptive) in nature, directing the reader what to experience. There was a focus on (often excessive) consumption of dining/drinking, shopping, and sightseeing experiences. However, the authors also featured experiences unique to each city. Interactions with the ‘Other’ were scarce, and the articles had little literary value. Arguments are presented that much mass media travel writing should be considered through different lenses than travelogues.

Psychological Warfare Analysis Using Network Science Approach

In this paper, we analyze the concept of psychological warfare in an Internet setting and investigate its possible influence on the public opinion in certain areas researching a manifold of mass media publications. We have formulated the basic research questions concerning psychological warfare and suggested simple steps that provide initial analysis. In our research, we consider Twitter as a typical representative of the social networking phenomenon as it is one of most subscribed social networks. To determine points of view related to chosen theme an algorithm of keyword clustering is used. We propose a network science based method and performed the corresponding network properties analysis, which we further interpreted in the context of psychological warfare analysis.

The role of e-environment in maintaining loyal customer circles

Customer loyalty is of great significance to any company, because it is the loyal clients who allow the business to generate stable income. The matter of customer loyalty has been the object of scrutiny for scientists, marketing specialists, and promoters of other beliefs for some time already. It has seen diversification of theories and spiral development, thereby drawing in ever new elements, including the issue of electronic environment, which provides a broad range of possibilities for establishing circles of loyal clients. The objective of the article is to determine and analyse the factors which affect the attraction and retention of loyal customers by the means of electronic environment and electronic marketing activities. The authors employed quantitative and qualitative research methods: grouping, analyses, statistical methods, etc. The theoretical and methodological framework of the article is formed of scientific studies and publications, publications in mass media, and professional literature, as well as the statistical information from official sources and the information obtained as a result of the authors’ researches.

How to do mass media publicity for a neglected disease. Lessons from Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis in Kenya

The prioritization of neglected diseases in the policy making framework requires heightened advocacy [WHO, 2006]. Mass media positive publicity is among approaches that can be used to achieve this. This paper discusses practical use of mass media to do publicity and advocacy for a neglected disease and its vector. It uniquely presents online links to the analyzed newspaper and television news and opinion articles on tsetse and Trypanosomiasis. The paper shares entry points into mass media advocacy from a lessons learned perspective and notes the importance of understanding how the mass media works in order to achieve advocacy of neglected diseases using sleeping sickness as a case study.

Consumer Perceptions of Mobile and Traditional Point-of-Sale Credit/Debit Card Systems in the United States: A Survey

IntroductionPoint-Of-Sale (POS) systems are used globally to accept payment from consumers using credit or debit cards to purchase goods or services. The most popular form of POS reader, especially in the United States (US), involves swiping a credit or debit card through a magnetic scanner (Smart Card Alliance, 2011). This traditional POS (TPOS) system requires a dedicated, standalone card reader deployed solely for the purpose of processing transactions using credit/debit cards. Such systems have been used for many years and most consumers are familiar with them.Recently, a new POS system was introduced to the market, the mobile POS (MPOS) system (Johnson, 2012). Manufactured by several venders, including Square®, Intuit GoPayment® and Paypal Here®, MPOS systems take two forms. One type, hardware-based MPOS systems, consists of a small reader that plugs into a mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet. Consumers swipe their credit/debit cards through the device to make a payment. Merchants typically use the mobile device not just to accept payments but also for various other personal or business purposes. Payments are processed through software apps stored on the device. The other type of MPOS system is software based and usually requires manual entry of card information onto the phone or tablet. In some cases, the merchant can photograph the credit/debit card instead of entering data found on the card (www.card.io).A large body of research suggests consumers may have anxiety, fear, or concern about their personal safety and security when using new technology, especially when they are sharing personal or secure information such as credit or debit card numbers using that technology (Liu, 2012; Meuter et al., 2003; Perea y Monsuwe, Dellaert, & de Ruyter, 2004). Such anxiety was reported by consumers, for example, when making Internet-based credit card purchases a decade ago (Perea y Monsuwe et al, 2004) and more recently in using self-service bank machines (Liu, 2012). Given recent mass media publicity about cyber-crime and the potential for personal data to be stolen electronically (e.g., Whitaker, 2014), MPOS systems may introduce particular concern about crime victimization among consumers for several reasons. These include: (a) the electronic devices are used for multiple purposes by merchants, including personal matters, which may introduce greater risk of consumer information being stolen or misused; (b) they are small, mobile devices connected wirelessly and often insecurely to the Internet, which may raise fear of ready access by criminals to personal information; (c) third-party apps are both easily and typically stored on MPOS host devices and may contain malware; and (d) credit card theft has been featured prominently by national US media outlets in recent years.Given the rapid increase recently in the use of MPOS systems, the potential for high levels of consumer anxiety about crime victimization while using them based on research with similar technologies, and the dearth of empirical research on consumer anxiety about crime and personal security surrounding MPOS systems and the implications of that anxiety for industry, this study was designed to evaluate consumer fear, anxiety, and discomfort using MPOS devices at local merchants. Specifically, we tested four hypotheses: (a) consumers will generally feel comfortable using either MPOS or TPOS systems, but (b) consumers will report less concern using TPOS systems than with using MPOS systems; (c) consumers will report greater trust in TPOS systems over MPOS systems; and (d) consumers will find TPOS systems as convenient as MPOS systems. To test these hypotheses, we conducted a clustered case vs. control survey research study. Consumers making purchases at two small businesses, an ice cream shop that used a TPOS reader and a sandwich shop that used an MPOS reader, were surveyed.MethodsResearch SitesStudy sites were selected to meet the following criteria: (a) large and diverse consumer population, (b) high levels of consumer traffic during peak hours, (c) located geographically (

A Study on the Reporting of Indian Muslim Women’s Problems in the Mainstream Media

Today, literally hundreds of magazines, journals, newspapers, television channels, FM radio channels and new media deliver various kinds of information, about current affairs and events all around the world. These deal not simply with religion, but with social and political issues as well. These mass media publications have played a crucial role in promoting social and political awareness in the society and in getting people’s views and concerns across to the community, and to the state authorities, and in promoting closer interaction between nations. Apart from various social issues in the society, less importance is given to the news about women’s community. The challenge before the media is to move beyond clubbing what happens to women, with routine crime briefs, on the one hand, and sensational stories, on the other. And different women’s issues related to women and religion are not given much consequence; generally violence against women and sexual crimes are exaggerated to make interesting stories to attract commercially. Muslims in India are provided a separate civil code, and the Indian Constitution as well as administration recognizes the importance that should be given to the religion termed ‘minority’. Still, the feeling among Indian women in general and Muslim women in particular is that in matters such as multi-marriages allowed to Muslim men (it is illegal if the Hindu men do the same), the irregularities in the ‘divorce’ formalities and the injustice committed towards Muslim women by their husbands and families are not given proper consideration by the Indian mainstream media. Therefore, two renowned Indian newspapers ‘The Hindu and ‘The Times of India’ are taken and contextually analyzed regarding mass media reporting of Indian Muslim Women’s Issues.

“They Should Be All Liquidated...” Discussion on the Fate of the Former Imperial Theatres after the February Revolution

Analyses discussions around the fate of the former Imperial Theatres during the rule of the Provisional Government in Russia. The author addresses the contemporaneous dedicated publications in mass media and archive materials to reveal the struggle between the former Imperial and private theatres confronted with the upcoming theatre reform (which was not effected because of the Bolsheviks’ rise to power).

«Исламское государство»: от терроризма к геноциду

The first time in Russian legal science discusses the crimes committed by the terrorist organization “Islamic State / Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” (IS/ISIL), against minority communities — Yazidis in Iraq. Based on the analysis of available information (reports of the UN and other international organizations, publications in Russian and foreign mass media) is substantiated conclusion about the presence of elements of the genocide in the acts of the members of the IS/ISIL. It is emphasized that the international community faced genocide, which was committed organization recognized as a terrorist. Invited to take coordinated by the international community measures to deprivation of members of the IS/ISIL freedom of movement between States and to prevent they commit terrorist acts on his return to the States, natives or citizens whom they represent. 

Rusya-NATO i sredata na sigurnost sled Studenata voina: Chast 1—1989–1999

<i>Rusya-NATO i sredata na sigurnost sled Studenata voina: Chast 1—1989–1999</i>

The 2008 US beef scare episode in South Korea: Analysis of an unusual public reaction

We investigated major factors underlying an unusual 2008 public 'candlelight protest' in South Korea about US beef imports related to concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Using a survey we explored determinants of consumer responses to negative publicity in mass media. Respondents (80.7 per cent) reduced consumption of imported beef during the scare; of those 62.5 per cent decreased consumption of US beef only. We explain the determinants in order of their importance and define the relevant terms from a theory of consumer behavior in economics. Our findings suggest that several effects worked jointly in their influence on most respondents who reduced beef consumption.

Impact of mass media on public behavior and physicians: an ecological study of the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

The mass media plays an important role in public health behavior. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of mass media coverage of the H1N1 pandemic on the number of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admission rates. An ecological study of ED visits to 8 general Israeli hospitals due to influenza-like illness during the period June-October 2009 was performed. Data on the number of visits per day for children and adults and daily hospitalization rates were analyzed. Associations with the estimated value of H1N1-related publications and weekly reports from nationwide sentinel clinics were assessed. The analysis was performed in 2012-2013. There were 55,070 ED visits due to influenza-like illness during the study period. The overall number of media reports was 1,812 (14.3% radio broadcasts, 9.8% television broadcasts, 27.5% newspaper articles, and 48.5% major website reports). The overall estimated value of advertising of publications was $16,399,000, excluding the Internet. While H1N1 incidence recorded by Israeli sentinel clinics showed no association with mass media publications, peaks of media reports were followed by an increase in the number of ED visits, usually with a delay of 3 days (P = .005). This association was noted in children (P < .001) but not in adults (P > .1), with a corresponding decrease in hospital admission rates. Publications' framing had no association with ED visits. During the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in Israel, an increase in mass media coverage was associated with an increase in pediatric ED visits.

Health of the migrants as a social problem

An analysis of law and enactments, mass-media publications, statistics and healthcare institutions documents, interviews with experts and diasporas leaders was performed to assess the contemporary international and Russian approaches to migrants health and to reveal the features of healthcare services provided for migrants in the Republic of Tatarstan. A social risk connected to migrants health is associated with increase of number of migrant workers with ailments, returning to their communities for treatment and rehabilitation. In societies receiving migrant workers there is an increase of socially dangerous diseases spreading risk due to low immunity, poor nutrition and sanitary life conditions, cultural distress and social isolation. The governmental policy of healthcare and medical services provided for migrants diverges in different countries between a right for free medical care and curtail of such right. «One window» medical examination method provided for migrants in the Republic of Tatarstan shows its effectiveness in decreasing risk and improving the sanitary and epidemiologic situation among this particular community and the whole society. It is concluded that continuous interaction with public, consideration of migrants’ health status and needs, embedding the problem on regional and federal levels should be an important aspects of providing accessible health care for migrants.

Climate change discourse in mass media: application of computer-assisted content analysis

Content analysis of mass media publications has become a major scientific method used to analyze public discourse on climate change. We propose a computer-assisted content analysis method to extract prevalent themes and analyze discourse changes over an extended period in an objective and quantifiable manner. The method includes the following: (1) sample selection; (2) preparation of the text segments for computer processing; (3) identifying themes in the texts using exploratory factor analysis; (4) combining identified themes into higher order themes using confirmatory factor analysis; (5) using factor scores to interpret themes obtained from public discourse; and (6) tracking the main themes of public discourse through time. We apply the proposed methodology to the analysis of the articles published in the New York Times on climate change during the period from 1995 to 2010. We found a gradual decline in the volume of material within the “Science” topic and an expansion of themes classified under the “Politics” topic.

The creation of “monsters”: the discourse of opposition to in vitro fertilization in Poland

In Poland, there is a campaign to criminalise in vitro fertilization, led by the Catholic church. This article explores how this campaign makes “monsters” of IVF children in its discourse, that is, embodiments of “the other” in the sense of Frankenstein's monster. Basing the analysis primarily on Catholic mass media publications, the article investigates the discursive strategies employed to oppose IVF, most notably by the Catholic clergy and activists and journalists associated with the Church. They attribute “monstrosity” to the children in the following ways: physical (possible bodily deformity), psychological (survivor syndrome, identity crisis), social (loneliness, uncertain place in family relations), and ethical (a life burdened with the deaths of many embryos). Although the world of families with IVF does not provide examples of children who could be considered monsters in any of these terms, these arguments have become the primary reasons given for banning IVF.

Sex and the Ordinary Cuban: Cuban Physicians, Eugenics, and Marital Sexuality, 1933–1958

Sex and the Ordinary Cuban: Cuban Physicians, Eugenics, and Marital Sexuality, 1933–1958

Management Insights

Management Insights

Comparing Credibility: A Website versus Publicity

Websites and publicity in mass media are two commonly used marketing elements. However, it is unclear whether exposure to a website or publicity is most effective at influencing behavior. This research compares the effectiveness of a magazine publicity article and a tourism destination website on the choice of a spring break destination. Based on this analysis, a website is no more credible than a publicity article; nor does an Internet site create a more favorable attitude or greater purchase intent than does magazine-based publicity. Magazine articles emerged as equally effective as websites for most variables. This study shows that traditional magazine articles can still influence Millennials. Even with a study population of college students who use web resources more than most other populations, the web was not superior. This study reveals that both publicity and a website are important parts of the tourism marketing mix and suggests specific applications.