Methods of manipulating public opinion when covering political events by Russian and German’s radio stations

The research is devoted to the identification and study of methods of manipulating public opinion when covering political events by radio stations in Russia and Germany. Obtaining accurate and verified information about the events of reality is the constitutional right of every person, and the formation of an objective picture of the world and the explanation of the phenomena occurring is the most important function of the editorial office of each media. However, at present, the priority of the media is the formation (often imposition) of a certain public opinion that can distort the real situation both in the local and international context. 842 broadcasts of radio stations of different forms of ownership of Russia and Germany (three from each country) for the period from 17.01.2021 to 01.11.2022 were studied. On the example of four widely publicized Russian media events of a political nature, using the methods of content, plot-composition, lexico-stylistic and comparative analysis of radio broadcasts revealed the use of certain (even identical) manipulative techniques on both Russian and German radio stations. The leader in the regularity of the use of manipulative techniques was the state radio station “Vesti FM” (Russia) and “Deutschlandradio” (Germany), while correspondents of other radio stations studied by us presented information about events of interest to us on the air, as a rule, briefly, discreetly and only in a news format. The practice of regular use of manipulative techniques does not allow us to speak about the objective presentation of selected political media events by correspondents of some Russian and German radio stations. It seems that the current situation could contribute to the creation of an incomplete picture of the world among the audience of these radio stations. A conclusion has been reached that it is possible to minimize such cases only by continuing the activity of forming and developing a person’s critical thinking.