The representation of interethnic piece by the mass media in Buryatia

The object of this study is the activity of mass media in the Republic of Buryatia. In the contemporary context, these media outlets simultaneously function as mass communication tools. Alongside other functions, they perform informative and communicative roles, catering to such existential human needs as the need for information and interaction by providing the audience with a platform for expression and the exchange of opinions. The subject of this research is the regional media's activity in informing the public about the favorable state of interethnic relations in the republic and in representing the model of traditional interethnic trust, friendship, and accord, thereby contributing to the preservation of this model in the future. The purpose of this paper is to identify the nature of the representation in the media of the Republic of Buryatia concerning the stability of interethnic accord, and the expression of the idea of the necessity to preserve it. The author pays considerable attention to concepts such as "communication" and "accord," and examines the characteristics of modern mass communication tools, their functions, and the specifics of the given multi-ethnic region. In the course of this research, a systemic approach was employed, guided by the principles of reliability and objectivity, alongside the dialectical method. The study also applied structural-functional, logical, and historical methods, as well as analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, and other general scientific methods. The key finding of the conducted research is the assertion that the regional media continue to strive for an objective reflection of the neighborly relations, friendship, and accord among representatives of different ethnic groups, which serve as stable models of interethnic communication. As evidenced by media materials, these models are positively perceived even by many representatives of ethnic groups that have only recently begun residing in Buryatia. Currently, the media successfully represent the dominant and traditional models of interethnic accord in Buryatia. The novelty of the research is evident both in its problem statement and in its compelling demonstration that the republic's media are now fulfilling their communicative function more actively than before. They facilitate a rapid exchange of opinions among different communicators, provide timely audience feedback, and serve as a platform for public debate. The author also substantiates the specificity of this region, where multi-ethnicity has long ceased to be a marker of heterogeneity requiring any form of "smoothing" to overcome "otherness," as its inhabitants are united by a profound sense of fraternity and kinship.

communication, interethnic harmony, mass media, traditionally multi-ethnic region, Buryatia, communication model, communicative function, readership, ethnocultural, representation