Socio-cultural Differentiation Research Articles

Sociocultural differentiation of manifestations of youth communicative competence

The communicative competence of youth is considered from the standpoint of phenomenology, social reality, when the intersubjective interactions of actors determine the subjective picture of ideas about communication that is emerging in the mind. The key role of the processes of meaning formation in social communication and communicative competence is noted. The formation of personal and socio-cultural meanings of communication involves knowledge and values of communication, communication norms, communication skills and behaviors that determine the structure of communicative competence aimed at maintaining sociality and social ties. Since the formation of social reality is differentiated, and young people themselves as a social group are differentiated, the purpose of the article was to identify the links between the main differentiating features and manifestations of the communicative competence of young people. Differentiating demographic indicators are considered: gender, type of settlement, level of education, region of residence. Gender is considered as a leading differentiating feature. Measured indicators of communicative competence: meanings of communication, norms of communication, communication skills. The analysis showed the existence of links between differentiating features and manifestations of communicative competence: against the backdrop of the dominance of terminal values and their corresponding skills, combined with a focus on changing the norm of communication as the main characteristics in the structure of the communicative competence of the young people surveyed, it was revealed that rural boys and girls are more than urban, committed to stability in the norm of interaction; respondents with a complete general secondary education, as well as girls from federal centers, are the most pronounced carriers of the terminal values of communication. Young men and women of the Vologda region lead among other regions in their orientation towards the instrumental values of communication, the men of this region are the smallest in terms of the manifestation of a number of communication skills, including instrumental ones. These connections reflect both the expansion of the social reality and communicative competence of the surveyed youth due to its sociocultural differentiation, and indicate the presence of certain problems, both sociocultural and broader, which require discussion.

DEVELOPMENT OF A MARKETING STRATEGY BASED ON THE ETHNOMETRIC APPROACH

The article considers the theoretical and methodological aspects of using the ethnometric approach in marketing activities. The close connection between ethnometry and marketing strategy in the conditions of sociocultural differentiation of the marketing environment is substantiated, which is expressed in the fact that ethnometric studies allow a deeper understanding of cultural features and preferences of different consumers. This created the prerequisites for identifying and understanding the basic cultural parameters that serve as the basis for the development of effective marketing strategies. The main foreign and domestic concepts were studied and the existing theories based on ethnometric studies were summarized and the relationships between them were substantiated. Relationships between ethnometric parameters and the development of marketing strategies are revealed through the consideration of cultural influences on consumers. This approach allows companies to effectively respond to socio-cultural differences and individualize their strategies to best meet the needs of different cultural groups. The basic cultural values that exert the greatest influence on the marketing strategy are analyzed. The basic socio-cultural differences and socio-cultural interactions that take place in the marketing activities of domestic companies are determined. A list of universal cultural values of the consumer, adapted to the global marketing environment, which create the basis for choosing a marketing strategy, is offered. An integrated combination with marketing strategies will allow companies to remain relevant in different cultural environments.

Обоснование приоритетов структурных изменений в агропродовольственном комплексе Саратовского региона

Introduction. Modern challenges and threats to the development of the Russian agro-food complex determine the search for new growth sources of the complex, the strengthening of orientation towards the formation of a balanced functional and sectoral structure. The relevance of the regional aspect of research and substantiation of structural changes in the agro-food complex is associated with a deep socio-economic, natural-climatic and socio-cultural differentiation of the country’s regions. Theoretical analysis. Changing the role of regions in solving food security problems and providing the population with quality food is a global trend. The rupture of global food chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sanctions confrontation strengthens the influence of local producers on the food market, suggests the need to form a multilevel agro-food complex of the country. Structural changes in the agro-food complex of Russia have their own characteristics associated with the heterogeneity of its spatial development. Empirical analysis. The accelerated growth of the agricultural sector of Saratov region economy due to the concentration on the production of a limited group of agricultural products (cereals and oilseeds, sugar) has been revealed. The regional food market segments, which have a surplus and shortage of products, are determined. It is substantiated that current trends extrapolation in the development of the regional agro-food complex preserves its unbalanced structure and further growth in the share of raw materials and primary processing products, while reducing the share of deep processing products. Results. Adaptation to new risks and threats is associated with an increasing trend towards the localization of production and supply of agricultural products and food. The priority areas for the development of the regional food system should be the diversification of agro-food production, local food chains formation with deep processing of agricultural raw materials, and the intensification of interregional exchange.

Traditional food consumption pattern and nutritional status of Oraons: An Asian Indian indigenous community

IntroductionFood consumption is an intensive social activity and can be considered a cultural artifact, reflecting the intricate process of sociocultural differentiation in shaping eating habits. Food has a positive effect on a person's health, physical performance, and state of mind. The nutritional composition of a person's diet plays a significant role in their overall health and development. Moreover, tribal cuisine is incomplete without a traditional drink. Rice beer, or handia, is one such indigenous alcoholic-fermented beverage that serves as a staple food.MethodsThis exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted from January, 2018 to December, 2020 to explore the traditional food practices of the Oraon community through a combination of one-to-one interviews, focus group discussions, and measurements. This study also involved the documentation of individual food recipes, from collection to preparation. To assess nutrient intake, we used a 24-h dietary recall method for 200 Oraon families comprising 466 adults and 193 children. Anthropometric measurements, such as body mass index (BMI) for adults and height-for-age and BMI-for-age z-score methods for children, recommended by the WHO, were taken and recorded using standard procedures. Additionally, the nutrient content of handia was analyzed.ResultsThe mean (SD) height, weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and BMI of the Oraon people were analyzed. The combined overall prevalence of chronic energy deficiency (CED) (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) was 39% (37% in men and 40.3% in women). The prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2) was found to be 7.1% among only women. The average daily energy intake was calculated to be 2,290 kcal per capita. It is worth noting that the food and nutrient consumption of the Oraon tribe was largely consistent with the recommended daily allowances/intakes (RDA/RDI). The consumption of root and tuber products was particularly high. The Oraon tribe was found to have a familiar intake of animal protein in the form of meat, including common periwinkles (Littorina littorea). The study also discovered a remarkable array of unique, region-specific festive foods. The consumption of nutrient-rich fermented rice beer was especially noteworthy.ConclusionThe present study provides insight into the traditional food practices of the Oraon tribe in West Bengal. It also highlights that their indigenous food consumption patterns have undergone significant changes as a result of admixture with other communities. To address these dietary issues, it is recommended that regional, need-based planning, and effective intervention programs be implemented. To ensure the proper maintenance of the Oraon tribe's traditional food practices, the cultivation of kitchen gardens and the domestication of wild, edible plants, such as seeds and tubers, may be helpful. Moreover, promoting the consumption of macronutrient-fortified handia, an indigenous beverage with high medicinal benefits, could be effective in combating hidden hunger among adults.

СОЦИОКУЛЬТУРНАЯ ДИФФЕРЕНЦИАЦИЯ РОССИЙСКОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ: ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВАНИЯ

The article attempts to analyze the theoretical and methodological foundations of stratification in relation to the socio-cultural differentiation of Russian youth. The study is based on G. Spencer's theory of differentiation and P. Sorokin's classical theory of stratification. Specific criteria for the differentiation of youth as a social group are considered. The authors come to the conclusion that the Russian youth is more differentiated than integrated, because the differentiating factors of youth in Russian society are much stronger than the integrating ones.

Socioeconomic and Contextual Differentials in Memory Decline: A Cross-Country Investigation Between England and China.

Although cognitive functioning is strongly associated with biological changes in the brain during the aging process, very little is known about the role of sociocultural differentials between the western and eastern parts of the world. We examined the associations between individual socioeconomic markers (e.g., education, household wealth) and contextual levels characteristics (e.g., urbanicity) with memory performance and memory decline over up to 8 years of follow-up in England and China. The analytical samples included participants aged 50+ from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 6,687) and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (n = 10,252). Mixed linear models were employed to examine the association between baseline individual socioeconomic markers (education, wealth) and contextual-level characteristics (urbanicity) on the change in memory over time. Our analyses showed that higher education and wealth were associated with better baseline memory in both England and China. Still, the impact of contextual-level characteristics such as urbanicity differed between the 2 countries. For English individuals, living in a rural area showed an advantage in memory, while the opposite pattern was observed in China. Memory decline appeared to be socioeconomically patterned by higher education, wealth, and urbanicity in China but not in England. Our findings highlight substantial socioeconomic and contextual inequity in memory performance in both England and China, as well as in the rate of memory decline primarily in China. Public health strategies for preventing memory decline should target the socioeconomic gaps at the individual and contextual levels to protect those particularly disadvantaged.

O Gepedisc Culturas Infantis celebra os 30 anos do NUPEIN: por uma Pedagogia da Infância à brasileira!

Based on the invitation/proposal to compose the present dossier, Research Perspectives on Early Childhood Education: 30 years of trajectory, the culturas infantis research line of GEPEDISC (Group of Studies and Research in Education and Sociocultural Differentiation) of the Department of Social Sciences in Education at the Faculty of Education of UNICAMP brings to this celebration (which is also celebrating in 2021) our 25 years of studies and research that think and make Public Policy in the context of public University. Acting on the inseparable tripod: teaching / research / extension in the production of knowledge with contradictions, disputes of ideas, and concepts that move between Marxism and the post-colonialist thinking, by means of interlocutions of research, pedagogies, and policies in the field of Early Childhood Education in Brasil. In this perspective, our text to celebrate NUPEIN's 30th anniversary will also pay homage to[1] its founders, Eloisa Rocha, the first Ph.D. student in the Gepedisc Culturas Infantis, who created the term Childhood Pedagogy in her doctorate, and Bea Cerisara, who problematized the teaching feminization in Early Childhood Education. We seek, thus, to oppose the Eurocentric, adult-centric, patriarchal, racist, and heteronormative thinking that tries to format and homogenize children and their childhoods, and in this sense, we declare with Oswald de Andrade and his Manifesto Antropofago (1928): “Against all importers of canned conscience. The palpable existence of life”. [1] The original text in Portuguese uses a neologism: “femenagear”, which is a pun comprised of the verb “homenagear” (to pay homage to someone) and the words “homem” (man) and “femea” (female). By switching the prefix of the verb “homen” for “femen”, the authors create a new verb emphasizing the idea of paying homage specifically to the women cited in the text (Translator’s Note).

How political is the ‘middle class’ in Kenya?

ABSTRACT The current debate presents the middle class in the Global South as a driver of democratic change and the core of civil society. The activities of NGOs, or student protests, for instance, seem to support this notion. However, these examples should not be overstretched. Before confirming the idea that the ‘middle class’ is a carrier of political protest and a driver of democratic change, we need to answer at least two questions. Is the ‘middle class’ really a class in the strict sociological sense, with a common class consciousness or just a group with a middle-income: ‘middle-income group’? And are the protests really representative of the middle-income group? Taking Kenya as an example, we cannot identify a ‘middle class’ in the strict sense of the sociological class concept. Neither does the political commitment of the middle-income group follow socio-economic differences. More important are patterns of socio-cultural differentiation that can be conceptualised as socio-cultural ‘milieus’.

The “we” vs. “they” distinction in Slovakia Hungarians' discourse

AbstractLinguistic differentiation is a basic component of sociocultural differentiation: social processes create the social and linguistic meanings of variants, sometimes also contributing to language change through discourse processes. In addition to being continuously constructed, discourse is in a dialectic relationship with extra-discursive factors and can therefore be studied only when embedded in its social and linguistic contexts (cf. Fairclough 2010: 3–5, Laihonen 2009). In this article I investigate how the notion of “we” occurs in the metalinguistic discourse of Hungarian speakers in Slovakia (with reference to Slovakia Hungarians and their Hungarian language use) (cf. Kontra 2006) in contrast with the notion of “they” (with reference to Hungary Hungarians and their Hungarian language use) in lay speakers' utterances referring to language. The study reported on in this article uses directed interviews and employs discourse analysis to provide insight into the use of “we” vs. “they” and their meanings in the Slovakia Hungarian variety. It also seeks to show how certain expressions become indexical in conceptualizations of identity and how the distinction of “we” vs. “they” is created by language.

E-culture of Russian students: Socio-cultural differentiation

Electronic culture constitutes a new form of social adjustment in the digital era. Our study aims to reveal socio-cultural differentiation in the social group of Russian students whose e-culture is being shaped. Moscow students became our test group. To achieve the research aim we analyzed the concept of “e-culture” focusing on its theoretical and methodological interpretations. The paper provides an overview of current approaches to understanding electronic culture, namely competence- and activity-based approaches, axiological and institutional ones. Cultural studies of classical sociology served as theoretical and methodological basis for our applied research. Sociological approach enables to reveal the position of e-culture in modern society and detect its differentiating action on everyday practices and value system of distinct social groups. Thus, we suggest that we should extend our applied sociological study of students’ e-culture by using a significant indicator, i.e. reflective-axiological attitude towards electronic technologies. We surveyed students of Russian universities and can now conclude that students from different test groups shape their e-culture at their own pace. Reflective-axiological attitude to ICT exerts a significant impact on e-culture formation; due to operational thinking technical students shape their critical reflective attitudes faster than non-technical ones. Most young adults today are common users, which suggests low demand for ICT in educational and professional areas where young people are actively involved. Youth socialization employs traditional forms of information culture, for example, book culture.

Sociocultural differentiation and dynamics of values in the modern information society

Падалка Г. М. Соціокультурна диференціація і динаміка цінностей у сучасному інформаційному суспільстві. – Стаття.У статті було досліджено вплив науково-технічного прогресу (у рамках нового етапу цивілізаційного розвитку суспільства) на соціокультурний, побутовий простір сучасної людини та її ціннісні орієнтири (матеріальні та моральні). Так, було відзначено, що інформаційне суспільство характеризується новими матеріальними цінностями, які відрізняються від традиційних, такими як: вільне пересування за фінансами та роботапо всьому світу (машина та квартира в оренді, відсутність постійного кола друзів), робота (вільний графік робота онлайн і віртуально, швидка зміна у разі неможливості проводити багато часу із сім’єю, час для подорожей та екстремальних видів спорту). Також нова сучасність формує віртуальну реальність, поширення соціальних мереж і соціальних медіа. Вказане створює нові підходи до взаємовідносин між людиною – суспільством – владою через нові можливості контролювати дії влади та публічних людей через порівняння особистого життя та політичних (публічних) вчинків і поглядів. На сучасну людину здійснюється вплив через національну та глобальну інформаційні політики (через різні інформаційні та медіа проекти у сфері кіно, музики, ток-шоу), які формують нову соціокультурну, побутову та ціннісну реальність. Поєднання реальності та віртуальності створює таку складну конвергенту комбінацію, де людина втрачає можливість реально мислити та враховувати потоки інформації та дезінформації. Водночас цифрова реальність (глобалізація та віртуалізація) знищує традиційний поділ життєвого світу та людського буття на «свій» і «чужий» і на їх базі формує глобальний універсальний життєвий світ і людське буття. Постійне перебування у віртуальному світі (соціальних мережах і соціальних медіа) впливає на соціокультурний, побутовий і ціннісний простір людини, забирає у людини (блогера) її особисте і навіть інтимне життя, а підписники (фоловери) впливають на людину (блогера). Незважаючи на десятки тисяч підписників у віртуальному світі, у реальному людина залишається самотньою наодинці з собою, своїми почуттями, думками, проблемами, радощами.

Reproduction and communication of the text in current practices of urban spaces of the XXI century

The aim of the work is to explore alternative ways of communication between poets and audience and methods for reproducing poetry through topical practices at the beginning of the XXI century. Accordingly, it aims to consider cultural and artistic experiments of the second decade of the 21st century developed on the basis of language as a symbolic sign and sound system; to identify the main directions of intermedial interaction, the degree of socio-cultural differentiation and variability of communicative agents. The author applies the method of intermedial analysis formed on the basis of post-structural and postmodern methodology as well as the systematic approach of the theory of communication. The synthesis procedure involves considering of the integral properties of synthetic practices that are not inherent to the constituent components. The study determines the intermedial ties in topical poetic practices of the 21st century. Plenty of communicative forms of presentation of poetic texts of the beginning of the 21st century reflect continuity with poetic practices of the 1990s but in the conditions of the screen culture of the hypermodern. New formations indicate the transition of literature from autonomy to mediality and intermediality, from authenticity to reproductivity, demonstrating transgression of borders between various spaces (real, virtual), artistic environments. Synthetic forms of topical practices such as performance, installation, flash mob, street art, show different directions of intermedial interaction in modern reproduction, attract a wide audience to cultural puncture, democratizing urban spaces.

Book Review: Inequality, Socio-Cultural Differentiation and Social Structures in Africa

Book Review: Inequality, Socio-Cultural Differentiation and Social Structures in Africa

The Need for the Right Socio-Economic and Cultural Fit in the COVID-19 Response in Sub-Saharan Africa: Examining Demographic, Economic Political, Health, and Socio-Cultural Differentials in COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortality.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread quickly across the globe with devastating effects on the global economy as well as the regional and societies’ socio-economic fabrics and the way of life for vast populations. The nonhomogeneous continent faces local contextual complexities that require locally relevant and culturally appropriate COVID-19 interventions. This paper examines demographic, economic, political, health, and socio-cultural differentials in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. The health systems need to be strengthened through extending the health workforce by mobilizing and engaging the diaspora, and implementing the International Health Regulations (2005) core capacities. In the absence of adequate social protection and welfare programs targeting the poor during the pandemic, sub-Saharan African countries need to put in place flexible but effective policies and legislation approaches that harness and formalise the informal trade and remove supply chain barriers. This could include strengthening cross-border trade facilities such as adequate pro-poor, gender-sensitive, and streamlined cross-border customs, tax regimes, and information flow. The emphasis should be on cross-border infrastructure that not only facilitates trade through efficient border administration but can also effectively manage cross-border health threats. There is an urgent need to strengthen social protection systems to make them responsive to crises, and embed them within human rights-based approaches to better support vulnerable populations and enact health and social security benefits. The COVI-19 response needs to adhere to the well-established ‘do no harm’ principle to prevent further damage or suffering as a result of the pandemic and examined through local lenses to inform peace-building initiatives that may yield long-term gains in the post-COVID-19 recovery efforts.

Ethnic, confessional and cultural patterns of regionalism in the post-Soviet Russia

This paper is focusing on the ethnic, confessional and cultural background of regionalism in Russia. On the one hand, the historically evolved spatial structures are considered; on the other hand, the emphasis is made on transformation processes of the Post-Soviet period. The analysis covers: 1) the historical framework of ethnic settlement and ethnic identity patterns in Russia and their dynamics at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries; 2) the linguistic diversity of the country and the linguistic division of the Russian Federation; 3) the spatial pattern of confessional groups in Russia; and 4) the phenomenon of regional/local identity as one of the key driving forces of regional development. The cultural space of Russia is characterized by mosaics of various regional and local communities; its transformation is still going on and entails the permanent genesis of new regional structures and clusters as well as some risks, tensions and threats. The horizontal socio-cultural differentiation of Russian space is based on huge discrepancies between various historical and cultural regions, their ethnic and regional diversity. The vertical, hierarchical differentiation of cultural space is predominantly characterized by the increasing stratification of various population groups within the Russian regions. The inherited spatial patterns predominate both in ethnic settlement structures and in configurations of regional identity and cultural distinctions. Nevertheless, changes in the cultural geographic pattern could also be observed in the investigated period. The growing share of titular ethnic groups in the total population of national republics of Russia, as well as their growing concentration within the corresponding national units were the main trends in ethnic-geographical redistribution of population in the Russian Federation between 1990 and 2016.

Социокультурная дифференциация молодёжи в сфере туризма

The article discusses the role of youth groups in the socio-cultural differentiation of
 youth in the field of tourism and the importance of the social role of youth in tourism. The
 emergence of youth tourism industry, social and cultural differences in travel motivation of
 young people makes it important the analysis of youth tourism. Tourism is an indicator of the
 differences between social stratums of youth, therefore important to talk about the social and
 cultural differentiation of young people in tourism and analysis of the main approaches to the
 essence of differentiation in tourism. The authors consider the main theoretical component of the
 need to use the concept "socio-cultural differentiation" and its application in tourism concerning
 the youth.
 Needs of young people with similar socio-cultural characteristics and interests are the
 basis of the study of the socio-cultural aspects of the differentiation of youth in tourism. Within
 this framework, the concept of "group" is considered as collection of people based on common
 values, interests, standards, constant interaction, goals, interests, and limited with criteria of
 membership. Socio-cultural differentiation of youth is characterized by the cultural component
 of this process. As a result of the foregoing, it is necessary to study the basic aspects of group
 relations and the role of youth in the development of society. The main elements, typical for
 group relations of youth in tourism, are based on leisure interests. Development of a scientific
 approach to solving the problems of youth, as well as availability of social and public policy in
 tourism are the important elements of the issue of social and cultural differentiation. In such a
 case, youth is viewed through the prism of group relationships based primarily on common
 interests.

Forms of Food Transition: Sociocultural Factors Limiting the Diets' Animalisation in France and India

AbstractAnimal‐source food consumption is considered a key element in studying and characterising shifts in food diets. But it is most often studied from the macro‐nutritional and macro‐economic perspectives of the ‘nutrition transition’ model. This article advocates the need for a socio‐anthropological examination of the animal‐source food consumption, involved in the transition phenomena. Based on a review of the literature on two different cases (India and France) our study sheds light on social and cultural factors of ‘de‐animalisation’ processes, and advocates an alternative approach to transitions in food. This has led us to examine different forms of animal‐source food consumption and their evolutions at smaller social scales, taking into account sociocultural factors such as the symbolic dimensions of food, the eaters' viewpoints, the processes of sociocultural differentiation, the sociocultural identities, the contexts of choice and consumption or the role of critical reflexivity in the evolution of diets, particularly in the phenomena of ‘de‐animalisation’. Finally, this article raises a number of further questions for researchers interested in the issue of diet transition process.

Socio-Demographic Measuring Of Relation Of Life Quality And Level Of Population Reproduction In Russia And Foreign Countries On Basis Of Rating Evaluations

During the finishing of the second demographic transition in the countries with relatively high level of socio-economic development, the tendencies of rise in the total birthrate and the changing of a calendar of births were revealed. At the same time, the process of delayed marriage of both men and women, and increased number of single households were continued. The developing tendency of rise in births required from demographers an additional analysis of causes of this phenomenon, especially as the growth of total birthrate coefficient become stable after millennium. The attempt to analyze the newest tendencies of the influencing of growth of the life quality on the differential birthrate in safe regions of the world, to compare the processes of socio-economic, sociocultural, and reproductive differentiation of indexes of population movement on Russian territories with rating evaluations were made in the article. The hypothesis of the research is related to the assumption that the global changes in life quality in a number of the world’s regions stimulated the renewal of the tendency to alternation of generations in demographic processes. The authors of the research draw a conclusion that this process in Russia was just started and developing. It gives a chance to develop the tendency of alternation of generations in the future and reduce the treats of depopulation and the need of superfluous recruiting of foreign labor force.

Le commerce de proximité de la grande distribution en France. De nouveaux modèles de magasins pour de nouvelles relations avec la ville ?

This article analyses the new “ local” strategy of the large retail industry in France to identify potential evolutions in the relationships between the large retail industry and the town. It shows “ local” commerce of the large retail industry is the result of the peculiar background on the international, national and even local scales. If, at first glance, this “ local” commerce could appear opposed to the hypermarket model, it is in fact a new recipe based on the traditional ingredients which made the success of the large retail industry. This explains why eventually the relationships between large retail and the town have not really evolved on the local scale. However, on the smaller scales, local commerce has initiated new trends which increase the socio-cultural differentiation inside towns and between towns.

Television as total practices and liberalization of distinctions: The Ukrainian case

The simultaneous effect of two opposite tendencies is peculiar to the Ukrainian television as well as to most national media. Firstly, communication assumes more and more universal character due to expansion of the access to the media and because of the standard content. At the same time cultural, social and political distinctions of communications free themselves as the result of the media market’s influence. Both tendencies exhibit internal contradictions and counteractions. The obvious heterogeneity of viewer’s preferences opposes the total entertainment effect of the media reality and essential resistant potential of the Ukrainian audience as well as low level of trust in political media oppose total control over political preferences of the viewers. It would seem that the articulation of distinctions corresponds to the real life styles of population, but in fact it turns out to be a fixation of the traditionally established division into cultural competent and undemanding audiences, a strengthening of “mechanical” pluralism sanctioned by media business. The situation with the Ukrainian media is considered on the basis of the results of sociological researches conducted by the Institute of sociology of National Academy of sciences of Ukraine in 2000-2007. Keywords: Sociocultural differentiation of audience; Political media; Content analysis of TV news