Workshop “Mass Media– Competing for People’s hearts and minds in Russia’s Neighborhood”

In the framework of the Riga Conference 2014, FEPS with the Brivibas un Solidaritates Fonds, the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation and Meierovica biedriba will organize two work sessions :

1- Russian media influence – irresistible or unavoidable compared to the local product?

This session will look closer at different media channels, formal and informal avenues of information generated in Moscow and by “local satellites” reaching out to target audiences across the borders. The session is supposed to focus not only on the well-known and conventional channels as TVs, radio, printed media, but also look closer at Internet media and the latest methods – so called “managed civic journalism” and organized Internet trolling. Case on and around Ukraine is one of to look closer.

2- Is there anybody competing with Russia’s narrative in the Neighborhood?

This session will look closer at media environments in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the Baltics. It is supposed to assess critically if the content provided by both – public and private media – is fulfilling the long-term national interests of Russia’s neighboring countries. What would be the necessary measures to strengthen professional vernacular and Russian language media content and counter-stand the growing Russia’s soft-power in information sector.

See the programme of the workshop with the lest of the guests already confirmed

See also the full programme of the Riga Conference 2014