Importance of Media Literacy for Political Communication in Russia

Abstract

The article analyses the role and importance of media literacy for political communication in Russia using the example of student life. The purpose of this article is to develop and test a new model of political communication with an emphasis on media literacy as a factor in the dissemination of political information in society. This approach opens up new perspectives for the study of political communication by the public. The authors have developed a four-component model of political communication, which includes the following components: socio-demographic data, media literacy, media effects and political behavior. This model was tested in an online survey on student media literacy in Russia and its impact on political communication (N = 632). The article also uses data from open sources and databases. Using the Chi-square test, it was found that media literacy, as a factor in political communication, plays a more important role than socio-demographic characteristics. In other words, media literacy is much better at explaining media effects and political behavior than the socio-demographic profile of the respondents. This conclusion, of course, applies only to student youth in Russia and needs further empirical verification.