“Evening Saransk” newspaper: history, stages of development, content analysis

INTRODUCTION. The transformations that have affected all mass media in Russia have also affected the periodicals of the Republic of Mordovia, where many new publications have appeared, one of which is “Evening Saransk”. The purpose of the study is to study the specifics of the newspaper “Evening Saransk” in the 1990s and 2020s.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The empirical basis of the research was made up of expert interviews and archived newspaper issues. In total, more than 1,000 media texts were analyzed, and the sample for qualitative analysis was 200 publications from 1990 to 2021.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The stages of the publication’s development are revealed: the Soviet period, the post-perestroika period, the stage of digitalization and adaptation to new media formats in the 2010s, the stagnation of the publication since 2020. The newspaper provided communication between government and society, conducted active propaganda activities, and contributed to the formation of regional identity. The specifics of the content and visual characteristics are revealed, one of the reasons for the closure of the printed version is the lack of competitiveness in modern conditions, the lack of adaptation of content to social media.

CONCLUSION. Several key stages of the publication’s development have been identified. The content of the newspaper varied depending on socio-political conditions. In the 1990s, the publication focused on politics, economics, and culture. Since the 2000s, there has been an increased focus on criminal news and coverage of the daily life of the region. In the last years of its existence, the newspaper has focused on social and local topics. Possible reasons for the closure of the printed version are mentioned.