Public Radio Public Radio and and

social behaviour social behaviour

Margus Allikmaa Director General

Estonian Radio

References:References:

Kalmus, V., Lauristin, M., Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, P. (2004) Estonian lifeworld at the beginning of 21. century: overview on research – “Myself. World. Media.” Tartu: Tartu University Press

Survey Research Centre FAKTUM. (2005) Public opinion research. Reliability of PSB. Tallinn

Survey Research Centre FAKTUM. (2004) Public opinion research: Radio. Research among target group of 15 – 74 years. Tallinn

Topics:Topics:

ContextPublic interestAudience`s needsTrust in mediaImportance of radio

Context:Context:

post-communist societypost-communist society

TTransformation of ransformation of ppost-communist society ost-communist society and the mediaand the media

Turn into market liberalism, privatization of the national media, expanding foreign ownership

Political pluralism, freedom of expression, development of the open society

Access to the global media channels, pressure of the standardized “media formats”

Competition on the media market, audience divided into target groups

Rapid expansion of the new media

Social and cultural context of Social and cultural context of media in transitionmedia in transition societysociety

Social and economic inequalities: exclusion of the “losers”

Fragmentation of the national culture: segmentation of the media audience

Decrease in the symbolic value of the “cultural sphere” and weakening position of intellectuals

Commercialization, consumerism: high demand for entertainment, orientation to toward consumer interests

Alienation and disillusionment of people: “spiral of cynicism”

Public interest:Public interest:

common value expected common value expected by society from the the by society from the the

mediamedia

TraditionalTraditional roles (social functions) of roles (social functions) of PSB PSB

Universal access to the most important news, formation of the national news agenda

Universal participation in the public sphere Balanced access to the public for all democratic political

parties Democratic control and public accountability Socialization, education of children and youth Universal access to the “quality culture” Support for cultural and social diversity Social coherence and integration of minorities

Tasks of Tasks of PSBPSB in a (small) state in a (small) state

Preservation and distribution of national cultural heritage

Care about national language Support for the national cultural production and

cultural life Promoting cultural openness and dialogue with

other nations Transcending borders of the own culture, “cultural

translation”

Specific cultural role of PSpecific cultural role of PSBSB in the post- in the post-communist society: communist society: to to help people to help people to

adapt adapt toto the new cultural environment the new cultural environment

Re-socialization, overcoming heritage of “soviet thinking mind”

Re-definition of the national identity, construction of the new multiple international (regional, European, global) identities

Resistance to the standardized mass culture Preservation of the native “roots” and uniqueness

AudienceAudience`s`s needs: needs:

knowing, understanding, knowing, understanding, identity, inclusion, identity, inclusion,

participation, participation, self-realization, pleasureself-realization, pleasure

or…..?or…..?

Interesting topicsInteresting topics(very interesting +interesting)(very interesting +interesting)

76

68

67

64

64

59

58

58

53

52

27

46

31

40

26

35

68

71

61

65

56

50

56

65

65

48

47

44

40

37

32

26

0 20 40 60 80

humor, sketches, satire

healthcare, hygiene, medicine

family, home

police and crime

nature, environment

home policy and analysis

psychology, human relations

advices for everyday life

consumer protection

foreign affairs, policy

culture

history

cinema

theatre

fine arts

folk music

non-Estonians

Estonians

Role of the radioRole of the radio ((EEstonians)stonians)

2

7

8

8

18

24

29

33

6

23

28

33

31

43

43

39

11

11

11

9

8

3

6

8

27

37

38

34

28

24

17

15

53

23

16

15

15

6

4

5

place to express (manifest) own opinion

shares our views

source of knowledge (teacher,instructor)

analyser of information, commentator,interpreter

companion, scares loneliness

operative information provider

channel of entertainment

makes listening to the music possible

very imortant important no answer not so important unimportant

Role of the radioRole of the radio(non (non EEstonians)stonians)

4

8

8

14

22

26

26

37

12

19

19

38

49

33

38

38

10

10

10

7

3

6

7

6

23

30

34

32

22

19

22

15

50

33

29

10

4

16

6

4

place to express (manifest) own opinion

shares our views

source of knowledge (teacher,instructor)

analyser of information, commentator,interpreter

operative information provider

companion, scares loneliness

channel of entertainment

makes listening to the music possible

very important important no answer not so important unimportant

““Very important” channels for satisfaction of Very important” channels for satisfaction of information needs among age groupsinformation needs among age groups

( MeeMa, Jan 2003( MeeMa, Jan 2003))

33

49

67

31

4044

3540 42

10

20

38

2719

23

41

22

5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

15-29 30-49 50-74

ETV

TV3

Press

ER

ComR

Internet

Importance of Importance of PPSB as information SB as information provider related to lifestylesprovider related to lifestyles

37 35 33 29 22 2213 12

1838 38

2828

13 26 27

5

22 29

23 34

2335 36

40

5 020 16

4226 24

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

lifestyles

pe

rce

nt not answered

not important

rather important

very important

Needs are differentNeeds are different in different social contexts in different social contexts

* * Needs create expectationsNeeds create expectations

to the quality of media content to the quality of media content **

Trust is related to the expected Trust is related to the expected satisfaction of needssatisfaction of needs

Trust in mediaTrust in media(% of trusting population)(% of trusting population)

0 20 40 60 80

Estonian TV,PSB

Commercial TV-s

Printed media

EstonianRadio, PSB

CommercialRadios

Internet

Russians

Estonians

In all

Institutions` reliabilityInstitutions` reliabilityabsolutely +rather (%) Estoniansabsolutely +rather (%) Estonians

25

34

35

40

42

56

61

66

67

72

74

77

82

82

85

86

87

Prime Minister

Government

Print media

NGO-s

Parliament

Church

Court

State Audit Office

Defence League

Legal Chansellor

Police

Estonian Radio

Bank of Estonia

Estonian Television

Defence Forces

President

Border Guard

Institutions`Institutions`reliareliabilitybilityabsolutely + rather (%) Non-Estoniansabsolutely + rather (%) Non-Estonians

35

35

38

39

42

42

43

45

50

57

59

60

65

66

75

79

79

Prime Minister

Defence League

NGO-s

Government

Parliament

Legal Chancellor

Print Media

State Audit Office

Defence Forces

Court

Estonian Radio

President

Estonian Television

Police

Border Guard

Church

Bank of Estonia

Importance of Importance of radio radio listening listening %%, , ((EEstonians)stonians)

Importance of radio listeningImportance of radio listening%, (%, (NNonon-E-Estonians)stonians)

firmly important

54%

rather important

26%

so and so17%

firmly unimportant

1%

rather unimportant

2%

Main trends in media useMain trends in media usehh

Elitezation of the printed press. Main dailies and weeklies are oriented towards more well

off, young and educated people. Internet is becoming an alternative for traditional media

among younger generation

Public radio and TV have become the only channels which integrate the whole

population

Audiences with the strongest Audiences with the strongest need in public medianeed in public media

Middle- aged and older peoplePeople living in the peripheryThose with the higher cultural needs, but

having limited material opportunitiesPolitically and socially active citizensGroups with the “developing identity”

Specific integrative role of Specific integrative role of PSBPSB in in transition societytransition society

Preservation of universal access to important public information and cultural values and “giving voice” for the economically and socially vulnerable groups (the “losers of transition”)

Promotion of social dialogue and preservation (construction) of social consensus in the rapidly differentiating and fragmenting society

Support for inter-generational and intercultural understanding

Thank youThank you

Margus Allikmaa Director General

Estonian Radio