Society and Mass Media: XIV World Congress of Russian Press in Naples

Challenges and issues faced by the Russian-language information space on the planet, are discussed by participants and guests of the traditional, the 14th in a row, World Congress of Russian Press, held in Naples, under the auspices of the ITAR-TASS news agency from 23 to 27 September 2012. It is attended by over 300 representatives of the national media, publishers of the Russian-language press, leaders of the industry from 50 countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to participants and guests of the XIV World Congress of Russian Press. "Your traditional annual meetings are gaining ground, making a significant contribution to broadening the Russian-language information space. They unite all those who love our country, and are genuinely interested in its successful development, promote Russian language and culture, create a positive image of Russia abroad", noted the head of the Russian state, and expressed the hope that in the Year of Russian History the participants in the World Congress of Russian Press "will focus primarily on the issues of the promotion of history, of preservation of common historical memory, respect for the national spiritual heritage."

The three-day meeting of the professional community includes plenary sessions and subgroup sessions on the following topics: "A new era of media, and the world Russian-speaking information space. Social media and traditional mass media: pro and contra”, “Prospects and problems of preservation and development of Russian language and Russian press abroad”, and "Russian mass media and the community of compatriots. Experience and potential of interaction.” There will be discussed the current impact of social networks and the blogosphere on the development of Russian foreign press, new opportunities and dangers related to the information resources of the Internet space, the realistic value of preservation of traditional forms of mass communication and the way the traditional forms of mass communication can integrate and adapt to new ways of disseminating information.

According to the materials of presentations and discussions there will be developed further strategy of the World Association of Russian Press taking into account the development of multimedia mass media.

The second subgroup will consider the issues of spread of Russian language and culture by means of the Russian-language press, which is regarded as the richest source of dissemination of Russian culture abroad. Participants of this subgroup, among whom there are many representatives of associations of compatriots, will consider creative ways to attract the attention of young generation of Russian-speaking diaspora abroad through the media.