Mediji na manjinskim jezicima i novinari u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji

The article focuses on the role of Russian-speaking journalists and the potential of Russianlanguage media in advancing societal integration in Estonia. As a consequence of socialist colonization during the Soviet regime a quarter of Estonian population today is Russian-speaking. The two main language communities have different informational spaces separated by a language barrier. Integration can only be successful if there is unhampered communication between minority and majority groups, and equal opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in the public sphere. First, we discuss the concept of minority language media and the position of Russian-language media in the context of societal integration in Estonia. Using a quantitative survey we depict the current professional status of Estonian Russian-speaking journalists, and display their perceptions about their role in integration. We conclude that Russian-speaking journalists perceive themselves as mediators between Estonian and Russian communities, but are not positive about the possibilities of Russian-language media to fulfil their task as representatives of the minority.U fokusu ovog članka jesu uloga novinara koji govore ruski jezik i potencijal medija na ruskom jeziku u unaprjeđivanju društvene integracije u Estoniji. Posljedica socijalističke kolonizacije za vrijeme sovjetskog režima jest ta da četvrtina estonskog stanovništva danas govori ruskim jezikom. Te dvije glavne jezične zajednice (estonska i ruska) imaju različite informacijske prostore koje dijeli jezična barijera. Integracija može uspjeti samo ako postoji nesputana komunikacija između manjinskih i većinskih skupina te ako pojedinci i skupine imaju jednaku mogućnost sudjelovanja u javnoj sferi života. U članku se prvo bavimo konceptom medija na manjinskim jezicima te ulogom medija na ruskom jeziku u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji. Koristile smo metodu ankete kako bismo doznale kakav je trenutačni profesionalni status estonskih novinara koji govore ruski jezik te kako oni percipiraju svoju ulogu u procesu integracije. Zaključile smo da novinari koji govore ruskim jezikom sebe doživljavaju kao posrednike između estonske i ruske zajednice, ali i da nisu sigurni da mediji na ruskom jeziku mogu ispuniti zadaću da budu predstavnici manjine

ПРОФЕССИОНАЛИЗАЦИЯ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ РУССКОЯЗЫЧНЫХ ЖУРНАЛИСТОВ ЭСТОНИИ

The aim of this study was to analyze how Russian-speaking journalists perceive their professional roles and tasks. The professional qualities and abilities that journalists and their employers value highly were surveyed as well. It was also analysed if the education of journalists does have an influence on their professional roles’ perception and job’s satisfaction. The analysis of the questionnaires and the interviews-in-depth has shown that mainly Russian-language journalists view their professional roles: - to forward information to the audience quickly; - to help people to be guided in social-political events; - to promote expansion of the audience’s cultural outlook. As it turned out, Russian-speaking journalists from different age-groups have different concerns about the “Russian question”. Less than half journalists consider their role “for promoting integration into Estonian society within their audience” important. Only few journalists think that their professional tasks are to defend and protect the interests of ethnic minorities and to promote development of their national consciousness. This indicates that the majority of Russian-speaking journalists have adopted the role of an informer, whose main task is just to transfer accurate information to the public quickly. Russian-speaking journalists think that they cannot much influence the decisions of the Estonian political elite. It is also discovered that higher education in journalism does have an impact on how Russian-speaking journalists perceive their professional role. They meet less ‚technical‘ diffculties and have better professional skills and knowledge, but they still admit that sometimes they feel lack of knowledge about specific fields they have to cover. In general, the professional qualities that the journalists value most highly, match with those that the employers expect journalists to have (the ability to flexibly react to the changes in society, quickly grasp the core of the problem, wide knowledge of different areas of life etc). However, employers claim that Russian journalists are not good enough in providing themselves with a trustworthy network of sources (from the interview with Belobrovtsev V. 13.12.2004). Commercialization of the media influenced the level of journalists’ professionalism as well. Whereas before, during the Soviet regime, journalists faced strict requirements while preparing their article or broadcast, now the main demand for the journalist’s production is “how it sells”. Journalists from both the younger and older generation acknowledge this. But journalists from the younger generation are much more ready to accept this situation. But in every age-group there are a majority of those journalists who claim that level of professionalism has declined. This indicates that Russian-speaking journalists are ready to undertake some steps to improve the situation. Russian-speaking journalists try to follow ethical rules while working. Only a few are ready to break them because of an extra fee or the possibility to attract the audience’s attention. But at the same time 63% of journalists claim that it is possible to bribe Russian-speaking journalists. 33% of them point out the cases when Russian-speaking journalists have been bribed. This data indicates that the assumption that Russian-speaking journalists can receive bribes (as made above) is true. On journalists’ Russian-speaking media more often faces such ethical breakages as: - defamation or libel; - disclosure of confidential information; - concealment of important information from the audience; - publication of unchecked information; - breaking of the author’s rights; - publication of unilateral information; - deformation of information in some person/s’ interests; - lack of objectivity. The Estonian Journalists Union is not popular among Russian-speaking journalists. Only 23% of them are a member of this organization. But the journalists greatly need the support of a professional Union in several instances. For example, this Union’s representatives could take part in salary negotiations with journalists’ employers. Besides this journalists suggested a range of tasks that they wait for this Union to execute. In spite of low salaries the majority of Russian-speaking journalists are satisfied with their job. It indicates that besides the salary factor there are plenty of positive moments in journalists’ work that bring a feeling of satisfaction to them. Obviously Russian-speaking journalists have to work in difficult conditions. From one side their salaries are quite small, from another – there is a rigid competition among Russian- speaking journalists also the Russian media market in Estonia is unstable. According to this survey Russian-speaking journalists are willing to improve their professional level and attain new knowledge. The meaning of higher journalistic education has become much more important recently

Mediji na manjinskim jezicima i novinari u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji

The article focuses on the role of Russian-speaking journalists and the potential of Russianlanguage media in advancing societal integration in Estonia. As a consequence of socialist colonization during the Soviet regime a quarter of Estonian population today is Russian-speaking. The two main language communities have different informational spaces separated by a language barrier. Integration can only be successful if there is unhampered communication between minority and majority groups, and equal opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in the public sphere. First, we discuss the concept of minority language media and the position of Russian-language media in the context of societal integration in Estonia. Using a quantitative survey we depict the current professional status of Estonian Russian-speaking journalists, and display their perceptions about their role in integration. We conclude that Russian-speaking journalists perceive themselves as mediators between Estonian and Russian communities, but are not positive about the possibilities of Russian-language media to fulfil their task as representatives of the minority.U fokusu ovog članka jesu uloga novinara koji govore ruski jezik i potencijal medija na ruskom jeziku u unaprjeđivanju društvene integracije u Estoniji. Posljedica socijalističke kolonizacije za vrijeme sovjetskog režima jest ta da četvrtina estonskog stanovništva danas govori ruskim jezikom. Te dvije glavne jezične zajednice (estonska i ruska) imaju različite informacijske prostore koje dijeli jezična barijera. Integracija može uspjeti samo ako postoji nesputana komunikacija između manjinskih i većinskih skupina te ako pojedinci i skupine imaju jednaku mogućnost sudjelovanja u javnoj sferi života. U članku se prvo bavimo konceptom medija na manjinskim jezicima te ulogom medija na ruskom jeziku u kontekstu društvene integracije u Estoniji. Koristile smo metodu ankete kako bismo doznale kakav je trenutačni profesionalni status estonskih novinara koji govore ruski jezik te kako oni percipiraju svoju ulogu u procesu integracije. Zaključile smo da novinari koji govore ruskim jezikom sebe doživljavaju kao posrednike između estonske i ruske zajednice, ali i da nisu sigurni da mediji na ruskom jeziku mogu ispuniti zadaću da budu predstavnici manjine

"Reversed censorship"? Assessing media self-regulation in the Baltic countries

A paradigm shift in the European media and communications policy from public service orientation towards market liberalization raises the question of effective mechanisms for safeguarding public interest and counterbalancing the commercial objectives of the media industry. This article dis­cusses the efficiency of one of particular mechanism, self-regulation, in the context of the Baltic States and their extremely liberal media policies. Due to the imbalance between market forces and regulation, within the conditions of immature civic and media cultures, the media in the Baltic countries have developed a unique form of ‘reversed’ censorship. Governments establish censor­ship to limit the freedom of the press; ‘reversed’ censorship is established by the media to limit the freedom of expression. The ideology of a free media has been turned into a means of increasing the power of the media. Voices demanding accountability or criticizing the media for irresponsible performance are suppressed, as the media do not tolerate external criticismUniversity of Jyväskyl

Russophone Journalists in Estonia: Redefinition of Professional Roles

This research focuses on the formation of perceptions of professional roles among Russophone journalists in Estonia during the political and societal transformation from 1991 when Estonia regained independence up to 2016. Since the character and scope of journalists’ professional performance largely depend on the contextual conditions in which journalists work, the social, political, historical and economic factors are also brought into focus in this thesis. Two main factors make the Estonian experience different from most of the other transitional states in the post-Soviet media landscape: 1) the existence of two separate, language-based, informational spaces and 2) the inclusion of Russophone journalists in the process of societal integration. It should also be noted that a range of characteristics makes the journalism of national minorities in the Baltic States, especially Estonia and Latvia, very different in comparison to the journalism of national minorities in the so-called old European democracies (Germany, United Kingdom, France). This is because Russophone journalists in the Baltic States became representatives of national minorities only after 1991, when the countries in question regained independence. The change of status from being members of the privileged majority in the Soviet empire to being part of an ethnic minority in a nation state has undoubtedly influenced the establishment of the civic stance and the reinterpretation of professional roles by Russophone journalists in Estonia. The leading research questions are: 1. What changes in the perception of professional roles and ethics of Russophone journalists have occurred during the process of societal and political transformation in Estonia from 1991 to 2016? 2. How do Russophone journalists see their roles and tasks concerning the integration into society of the Russophone population in Estonia? Theoretically, the thesis relies on the concepts of journalistic professionalization and perceptions of professional journalistic roles, which are thoroughly elaborated in the works of Thomas Hanitzsch (2007, 2011, 2013, 2017), Claudia Mellado et al. (2017). It relies too on the concepts of societal transformation and integration (Karol Jakubowicz, 2001; Peter Gross, 2004; Vihalemm, 2004, 2008, 2011). The study combines quantitative and qualitative methods such as a standardized questionnaire and in-depth interviews with journalists. The main trends in the perception of journalistic roles and ethical values were outlined in the standardized questionnaire. The interviews-in-depth allowed for a more detailed analysis of journalists’ professional performance in the Estonian context. The quantitative findings demonstrated that Russophone journalists felt a strong affiliation with their own ethnic group. A distinct majority (78%) of them regarded expressing and defending the interests of the Russophone minority as important or very important in their professional work. The interviews-in-depth confirmed that in terms of socio-political integration Russophone journalists did not position themselves as “watchdogs” challenging those in power, but more as “loyal facilitators” who had the same goals as the government in terms of socio-political integration. They aimed to contribute to the social integration of the Russophone minority. The situation meant an inner conflict for many Russophone journalists, as the government’s integration actions were not always in line with the specific interests of the Russophone population.Tämä tutkimus keskittyy Virossa asuvien, venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvien toimittajien käsityksiin heidän ammatillisesta roolistaan. Tutkimuksen kontekstina on maan poliittisten ja yhteiskunnallisten muutosten aika alkaen vuodesta 1991, jolloin Viro palautti itsenäisyytensä, vuoteen 2016 saakka. Toimittajien ammatilliset roolit ja kyvyt ovat monessa suhteessa riippuvaisia siitä yhteiskunnallisesta kontekstista, jossa he kulloinkin työskentelevät. Tämän vuoksi tässä tutkimuksessa on keskitytty sosiaalisiin, poliittisiin, historiallisiin ja taloudellisiin tekijöihin Virossa vuosina 1991-2016. Toimittajien kokemukset Virossa työskentelystä erottuvat useimmista muista siirtymävaiheessa olevista valtioista Neuvostoliiton jälkeisessä mediamaailmassa lähinnä kahdesta näkökulmasta: 1) kahden erillisen, kielipohjaisen informaatiotilan olemassaolon tiedostamisesta sekä 2) Venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvien toimittajien liittämisestä yhteiskunnallisen integraation prosessiin. On huomattava, että ominaisuuksiltaan Baltian maiden, erityisesti Viron ja Latvian, kansallisten vähemmistöjen journalismi on melko erilaista verrattuna ns. vanhojen eurooppalaisten demokratioiden (Saksa, Iso-Britannia, Ranska) kansallisten vähemmistöjen journalismiin. Näiden eroavaisuuksien suurimpana aiheuttajana voidaan nähdä se, että Baltian maiden venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvista toimittajista tuli kansallisten vähemmistöjen edustajia vasta vuoden 1991 jälkeen, jolloin kyseiset valtiot palauttivat itsenäisyytensä. Tämä muutos Neuvostoliiton imperiumin etuoikeutetun enemmistön jäsenistä osaksi kansallisvaltion etnistä vähemmistöä on epäilemättä vaikuttanut Viron venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvien toimittajien kansalaisasenteen vakiintumiseen sekä heidän ammatillisten rooliensa uudelleenrakentumiseen ja -tulkintaan. Tärkeimmät tutkimuskysymykset ovat: 1. Mitkä ovat olennaisimmat muutokset, joita on tapahtunut venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvien toimittajien käsityksissä ammatillisista rooleistaan sekä ammattietiikasta Viron yhteiskunnallisen ja poliittisen muutoksen aikana vuosina 1991–2016? 2. Millä tavoin venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvat toimittajat näkevät roolinsa ja tehtävänsä Viron venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvan väestön integroitumisessa yhteiskuntaan? Teoreettisesti tutkimus perustuu journalistisen profession käsitteeseen sekä käsityksiin ammattimaisista journalistisista rooleista, joita on perusteellisesti käsitelty Thomas Hanitzschin tutkimuksissa (2007, 2011, 2013, 2017), Claudia Mellado et al. (2017). Tutkielma nojautuu myös yhteiskunnallisen muutoksen ja integraation käsitteisiin (Jakubowicz, 2001; Gross, 2004; Vihalemm, 2004, 2008, 2011). Tutkimuksessa yhdistetään määrällisiä ja laadullisia tutkimusmenetelmiä. Käsityksiä journalistisesta roolista ja eettisistä arvoista tutkittiin standardoidun kyselyn avulla. Tutkimushaastattelut puolestaan mahdollistivat yksityiskohtaisemman analyysin toimittajien ammatillisista kyvyistä. Tutkimuksen määrällisen aineiston pohjalta tehdyt havainnot osoittavat, että venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvat toimittajat kokevat vahvaa yhteenkuuluvuutta oman etnisen ryhmänsä kanssa. Selvä enemmistö (78%) heistä pitää venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvan vähemmistön etujen ilmaisemista ja puolustamista tärkeänä tai erittäin tärkeänä työssään toimittajina. Tutkimushaastattelut vahvistavat, että sosiopoliittisen integraation kannalta venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvat toimittajat eivät koe omaa rooliaan "valvojina", jotka haastavat vallassa olevia, vaan pikemminkin "uskollisina avustajina", joilla on samat tavoitteet kuin maan hallituksella sosioekonomisissa kysymyksissä. He pyrkivät myötävaikuttamaan venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvan vähemmistön sosiaaliseen integraatioon Virossa. Tästä tilanteesta aiheutuu sisäisiä konflikteja monille venäjää äidinkielenään puhuville toimittajille, koska Viron hallituksen integraatiotoimet eivät aina ole olleet venäjää äidinkielenään puhuvan väestön erityisten etujen mukaisia

Minority language media and journalists in the context of societal integration in Estonia

The article focuses on the role of Russian-speaking journalists and the potential of Russianlanguage media in advancing societal integration in Estonia. As a consequence of socialist colonization during the Soviet regime a quarter of Estonian population today is Russian-speaking. The two main language communities have different informational spaces separated by a language barrier. Integration can only be successful if there is unhampered communication between minority and majority groups, and equal opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in the public sphere. First, we discuss the concept of minority language media and the position of Russian-language media in the context of societal integration in Estonia. Using a quantitative survey we depict the current professional status of Estonian Russian-speaking journalists, and display their perceptions about their role in integration. We conclude that Russian-speaking journalists perceive themselves as mediators between Estonian and Russian communities, but are not positive about the possibilities of Russian-language media to fulfil their task as representatives of the minority.peerReviewe

Media for the minorities : Russian language media in Estonia 1990-2012

peerReviewe

Media for Russian language minorities: The role of Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) 1990–2013

  This article aims at exploring the ways in which Estonian Public Broadcasting ERR tackles one specific media service sphere; how television programmes for Russian language minorities are created in a small country. For that task development of the whole Estonian media landscape must be overviewed. By referring to McQuail’s 2010 theoretical framework of media institutions’ influencers, this article investigates how media policy, economic conditions and technology have influenced these processes. The article gives an insight into the development of Russian language media in such a small media market as Estonia.  This article aims at exploring the ways in which Estonian Public Broadcasting ERR tackles one specific media service sphere; how television programmes for Russian language minorities are created in a small country. For that task development of the whole Estonian media landscape must be overviewed. By referring to McQuail’s 2010 theoretical framework of media institutions’ influencers, this article investigates how media policy, economic conditions and technology have influenced these processes. The article gives an insight into the development of Russian language media in such a small media market as Estonia