Development of russian and chinese news broadcasting in the historical and social context

A t the turn of the millennium when the socioeconomic and political conntctions between Russia and China became stronger the role of the news content has increased in both societies where one can notice active processes of reforming at all levels of life. Despite the development of communication technologies in recent years, in connection with which the importance of the Internet has increased, television has been the main source of information for the most citizens of Russia and

China, regardless of their accommodation, social status or education. Let’s remember the history of such media as television. «Since television came into our life, people has great hopes on it», V. Cherkasova writes. «People thought that the television would not carry out an educational function, but also would give a great deal of information, would make the political sphere more open and even would help to look for some criminals. Those who were establishing the television believed that it would destroy misunderstanding between people, would spread ideas and ideals all over the world, would destroy borders between states» [4, p. 56]. In Russia and

China almost everyone watches news bulletins, even those who get the information taking place in the country and in the world from other sources, including the Internet. Thus, according to a public opinion polls which had been done in 2017, the TV audience in Russia is more than the Internet audience: about 60 per cent of Russians watch TV every day [1, p. 60]. In Russia the television, despite the long way of TV development (the broadcasting of the Central TV First program all over the whole country began on November 02, 1967), it has been become an important element of the country’s information space only during the period of «pere-stroika and glasnost». In September 1989 First channel of the Central Television Station showed «TV News Service» program. The creators of the telecast refused to follow the established principles of «Vremya», news program of the soviet period. For a short time (TNS broadcastses lasted 10–15 minutes) young reporters covered three times more events than the announcers of «Vremya» for 45 minutes. On May 13, 1991, the TV program called «Vesti» went to the air. It is still a recognized leader of the country's news broadcasting. In the 1990s, when, in the conditions of new realities, the interaction between political institutions and mass media began to strengthen, the rapid growth of broadcasting products started. On July 01, 2006, the Russian federal information channel «Russia 24» was created. It have been informed viewers about the most important events happenings all over the country and all over the world for 24 hours. The viewers got news on live. To announce some event it could stop any telecast. As a result, the event acquired more and more details. Nowadays Russian TV performs an important social function, since it creates prerequisites for the rapid reaction of the state authorities and citizens themselves in emergency situations, who, thanks to the fact that television work in all parts of the country, have the opportunity to participate in public discussions. Popularity of such TV programs as «60 Minutes», «Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov» is growing because they not only give the important information to the viewers but also organize its discussion both directly in the studio and on the vision link. It should be noted that Russian television, being closely connected with the foreign and domestic policy of Russia, has significantly increased the requirements for the content side of news programs in recent years, although, as M.F. Kazyuchits and N.Y. Sputnitskaya note, there are the problem of the negative impact of the certain types of television content, including some part of the news segment. News channels show many broadcasts which caused a wide public response. Tragic accidents, murders, military clashes, natural disasters, etc. are on TV screen constantly [1]. According to S.G. Kara-Murza, information that creates a high level of nervousness in society, makes a person unprotected and suppresses him as a person, paralyzing the desire to fight for his social rights [2, p. 327]. But, despite the psychological discomfort after watching news that causes a sense of continuous distress, such information makes the Russian viewers interested because it has «an extremely high entertainment potential, without requiring any cultural training from the viewer [1, p. 20]. And at the same time negative news has a positive impact on the television audience, because it is intended «to protect the interests of the population and to pay attention of the administrative structures to the problems, etc.» [1, p. 22]. In China, television is also an important means of getting information. Nowadays it is the most popular media resource in the country.

Television broadcasting in China dates back to May 1958, since then the first TV centers appeared in Beijing, Harbin, and Shanghai. However, news broadcasting in China began to work since period of Э reforms and opening-up, i.e. since 1978.