Social problems in Tomsk region and their solution (1995-1999):on the materials of newspapers Krasnoye znamya and Tomskiy vestnik

In this article basic social problems of Tomsk region are analyzed and the role of the newspapers as a link between government and people during 1995-1999s is explored. Authors used the materials of two Tomsk newspapers - Krasnoye znamya and Tomskiy vestnik. The differences in presentation between these two newspapers in terms of their approaches, methods and solutions are explored. Authors draw some conclusions about social life of Tomsk in the second half of 1990s. This is the period of revolution, social and economical changes. These changes led to the appearance of new principals in a social life. This was also the time of serious society stratification, unemployment and homelessness. Also there appeared the first social organizations and services which helped people to find the way out of their social problems. However, modern social history of Russia has not become the object of serious scientific research. That is why this problem becomes very important today. The goal of this article is to recognize the place and role of two Tomsk newspapers, Krasnoye znamya and Tomskiy vestnik, in the presentation of social problems in the region, in the interaction between government and organizations of social protection and its effectiveness in the second half of 1990s. These newspapers played several different roles. On the one hand, they focused their attention on social problems; on the other hand, they themselves were the active subjects of social welfare. Also they were the connection between the government and people. The government could get information about social problems, and people could get information about government activity in social welfare. These problems are explored in the analysis of newspaper coverage of several socially unprotected groups, for example children (both living in families with problems and homeless ones), old people and disabled persons. Authors find fundamental differences both in the presentation mode of these problems and in motivation of editorial staff of these newspapers. Almost all social problems were presented by these newspapers in the second half of 1990s. These articles help to understand the hardest social and economical situation of a Russian society and government. Russian provinces like Tomsk region felt these problems in full too. The present research emphasized the problems in the division of responsibilities between federal and local branches of power.

Keywords

Authors

References