Strategy of News Media Consumption: Perception of the Media by Russia's Residents

Abstract

Media consumption studies differ because different researchers pay attention to specific characteristics of the media or consumption analysis. The problems of information noise, information hygiene, and the demand for certain genres have been observed, and there are statistics of certain media and content consumption which highlight the differences in groups by age and education. Within the framework of this article, the emphasis was placed on the practice of media consumption, taking into account the regularity of referring to the media. The value and importance of the information’s impact for a specific consumer of content were also emphasized. 20 focus group discussions were held in the cities of the Ural Federal District of Russia. Six strategies of news media consumption were distinguished based on these focus group discussions, and an attempt was made to combine age and behavioral models of news media consumption. The following six strategies were identified: casual occurrence, concernment, absorption, rituality, conservatism, and expertise. Strategies of casual occurrence in the perception of information noise were obvious. However, strategies of expertise were identified when a consumer checks information using different channels, which includes referring not only to Russian but also to foreign information sources (a contemporary city dweller is included in the global media scene).