The role of mass media in the political life of the Chelyabinsk region in the 1990s in the context of information security of modern Russia

In the global informatization era, which began to develop in Russia in the 1990s, mass media acquire a decisive importance. The media became more influential due to its role as a serious component of political pressure, including the aim of forming a new democratic consciousness among the people. Throughout the perestroika period and the 1990s, a new model of interaction between the authorities and the media was formed, which continues to operate steadily today. The peculiarity of the modern period lies in the ever-increasing role of the media and its influence on the information security of Russia. From this point of view, it is important for us to draw lessons, both positive and negative, from the experience of the transitional period and the «vaccination» that Russian citizens received in the 1990s when organizing the activities and function of the media. The purpose of the article is to study the role of the media in the political life of one of the major regions of Russia - the Chelyabinsk region in the 1990s. Comparative, chronological, and systemic research methods were used to this end. The historical development and the role of the media of the transition period in Russia, in particular, the interaction of the media with the authorities of the region, as well as the influence of the media on reformatting the consciousness of the population of the region with the key role of the media in this process were analyzed. The formulated conclusions and practical recommendations will allow these scientific results to improve the model of interaction between regional authorities and the media in the framework of ensuring the national interests of modern Russia.