Information on the thesis

The dissertation is concerned with role, potential and possibilities of regional mass media of influence on the Ukraine modern political system. The theoretical and methodological part of the dissertation is focused on the study of mass media in the context of political science discourse and the study of regional media functional features. The author emphasis on thesis that the most of theories do not consider the media as an independent subject of politics, but, assessing the role of the media in political transformations, they confirm the constant presence of the media in the context of political processes and media influence in the rise and evolution of public consciousness and public opinion. The research determines public opinion as the point of intersection of media and politics in their functional expression.

Three important aspects of the existence of local media are emphasized – territorial affiliation, range of information interests, target audience. The functions of local mass media that are responsible for their survival in the media market, such as mobilization, communication and marketing support functions, are considered.

While examining the experience of media in foreign countries (Germany, France, Scandinavia) specific features that determine the democracy of the media system are revealed: the interaction of state and media in a developed civil society, high level of media freedom, minimal direct political intervention in the media management, the professional approach of an independent mediamanagment, compliance with ethical norms as an element of self-regulation.

The correspondence of the level of information legislation development of the Ukraine regional mass media to the dynamic social changes is determined. The author notes the increasing in media coverage of local issues, their work directions with the audience, amplification media position as a platform for dialogue and discussion of the community and government, reducing pro-Russian fake content, transformation of the traditional media models.

The party periodicals effectiveness in the process of political communication in election campaigns are considered including the increase in circulation, geography of distribution, periodicity. At the same time the problematic aspects of the party press at the regional level focused on lack of a system of systematic communication with voters in political parties.

The author argues that the Ukrainian media market is characterized by such features as concentration, commercialization, politicization, competitiveness, convergence, regulation, segmentation and structure. It has been found factors of politicization of the regional media market in Ukraine: the need of the media for financial support, the election process, the increase of property and influence by economic elites, the formation of party structures and the reformatting of local elites.

The non-political functions of the media are considered as criteria for assessing the resource potential of local media in the context of building civil society. The research shows that the interactivity of the media is the key to the consolidation of local communities, the integration of its members into the information space of the community, the formation of public opinion within the agglomeration. The leading purpose of regional media is specified the function of preserving historical and national memory as an important factor in the formation of common values, experience, history.

After analysis of the traditional local media activity on the Internet it can be concluded their catching up, not synchronous character of the convergence with the global process of media transformation.

Key words: mass media, political process, elections, media space, media market, political communication, civil society, information society, political culture.