Finished Research
Social Media and Journalism
Identifying patterns and trends in the transformation of journalism brought about by the development of Web 2.0 services
Since the mid-2000s, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have had a profound impact on journalistic practice. The growing creative activity of mass audiences and the development of the blogosphere have posed serious challenges to journalism, prompting a reassessment of traditional creative and economic approaches. At the same time, Web 2.0 services have opened up new opportunities for gathering information, distributing media content, and obtaining audience feedback.
A comprehensive analysis of the place of social media in Belarus’s information environment and its role in transforming journalistic practice was incorporated into the research programme of the Department of Mediology at Belarusian State University.
Research areas:
1. The place and functions of social media in Belarus’s information environment and trends in its development;
2. Professional blogging and the challenges involved in integrating blog authors into the media system;
3. Effective strategies for collecting and verifying social media content and formats for using it in editorial work;
4. Strategies for distributing media content through social media;
5. riteria for evaluating the effectiveness of media organizations’ activities on social platforms, including key performance indicators (KPIs);
6. Methods and tools for social media analysis.
he research resulted in a doctoral dissertation entitled Social Media in the Transformation of Journalism in Belarus (2017), as well as a series of academic publications , reference materials, and analytical reports.
The theoretical and empirical material collected during the project was synthesized in teaching manuals and formed the basis of courses for students specializing in Journalism (Web Journalism).
Project publications and outputs:
Open Government Data
Developing a roadmap for open-data projects in Belarus to strengthen interaction between the government and citizens, stimulate the IT industry, and promote the knowledge economy.
The study was conducted in 2014–2015 as part of the activities of the Smart Networks youth think tank.. It assessed the demand for open-data projects in Belarus and identified priority areas for their implementation.
An expert survey was conducted in September 2014 involving approximately 50 analysts, journalists, and IT specialists. The study found that more than 80% of respondents had encountered difficulties accessing information held by Belarusian public authorities because of organizational, legal, or technical barriers. Nine out of ten respondents supported the development of a national open-government-data strategy.
At the same time, an analysis of international experience demonstrated that opening up government data is a labour-intensive process requiring a comprehensive approach. Although individual technical solutions can be implemented by non-governmental organizations and IT activists, government involvement is essential for developing strategic solutions.
The project resulted in a draft Open Government Data programme and an indicative implementation plan, which were presented in December 2015.
Project publications and outputs:
– Open Government Data Programme
– Open Data in Belarus: Which Government Data Should Be Released First, and How Should It Be Done?
– Open Data: Why Open Data Matters for the Digital Transformation of Belarus
Media Ecology
Research into the contemporary human information environment and the development of media ecosystems
Media ecology is an interdisciplinary academic approach that examines the interaction between individuals and their media environment. Its theoretical and methodological tools make it possible to analyse the distinctive features of the environment created by new media, study the place of journalists and traditional media within this ecosystem, and assess the impact of emerging communication technologies on individuals and sociocultural processes.
s part of research conducted at the Department of Sociology of Journalism at Belarusian State University under the supervision of V. P. Vorobyov in 2010–2011, the principal features of this approach were identified and systematized. The approach was also tested as a research paradigm for studying Belarus’s information environment.
The project included the development and pilot implementation of a special course entitled Media Ecology for students of the Institute of Journalism at Belarusian State University in 2011. An anonymous survey showed that nine out of ten participants were generally satisfied with the course.
In 2010–2011, a thematic blog entitled Media Ecology in Belarus, published academic and methodological materials, translations, students’ thematic articles, and other content. Approximately 50 materials were published during the period when the website was actively maintained.
The research findings were synthesized in the master’s thesis The Ecology of the Individual in the Media System, successfully defended in 2011, as well as in academic articles and conference papers.
Project publications and outputs:
– The Field of Media Ecology: An Attempt to Define the Boundaries of an Academic Discipline
– Sustainable Development of Information Ecosystems as a Goal of Media Ecology