Debate in St. Petersburg: How do we see our Neighbours?

How do we see our Neighbours? Public Debate at DCI in St. Petersburg

What images and hostile perceptions of ‘the others’ is created by the media? Is the coverage in the Nordic countries and in Russia similar or different? In what ways? What stories should be included in media coverage? These are some of the questions the participants at the DCI debate How do we see our Neighbours? in St. Petersburg will try to answer.

Ass. Professor Lars Kabel and Anders Mård, Yle’s correspondent, (Finland’s national public service broadcasting company) will present the results of their two-year research study of the coverage of Russia in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The coverage of the Nordic countries in 10 print media outlets from the St. Petersburg region was also examined by a group af researchers from Saint Petersburg State University.

A total of 1,832 articles and TV news reports from 42 major news media in the Nordic countries and Northwest Russia has been analyzed. Conclusions from interviews with 30 Russian editors and two professors from Karelia, St. Petersburg and Moscow, conducted in 2017 and 2018, will also be presented during the debate.

How do we see our Neighbours?

From Cold War to rapprochements and cold peace. The news media have plenty of material to cover: military tension, harsh political statements, mutual sanctions, crimes and other events. The general media focus on Russia and its motives in the Nordic news media is negative, Russia is described as an antithesis to the West. In Russia, the media coverage of the Nordic countries coming out of Moscow is often focused on a Europe in chaos and amoral culture. In contrast, the coverage of the Nordic countries in media in Northwest Russia is depoliticised and positive.

Programme outline:

• From 15.00 Welcome by Leif Lønsmann, (Nordic Journalist Centre) and Marie Tetzlaff (Director, Danish Cultural Institute in St. Petersburg)
• Presentation of the research study by Lars Kabel (Danish School of Media and Journalism) and Anders Mård (Yle’s correspondent)
• Debate in presence of representatives of the Nordic Consulates General in St. Petersburg
• From 17.00 Networking coffee

The event is free, prior registration is required: dki@danishculture.ru
Language: English. Debate part – English-Russian (consecutive interpretation, Victoria Piankova)

The study was conducted by the Nordic Journalist Center (Aarhus, Denmark) and financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Public debate: How do we see our neighbours?

Media Coverage of Russia in Nordic News Media and coverage of Nordic countries in NW Russia News Media

Monday, 15 April 2019, 15.00 – 18.00
Venue: Danish Cultural Institute, Moyka emb., 42, office 38.