doi: 10.56294/sctconf2024.1384

 

ORIGINAL

 

The influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine

 

La influencia de los medios regionales en línea en la formación de la opinión pública bajo la ley marcial en Ucrania

 

Olga Mitchuk1  *, Natalya Kharkevych2 , Andrii Horbenko3 , Tetiana Slotiuk4 , Anzhelika Bondarchuk5

 

1Department of Constitutional Law and Branch Disciplines, Educational and Scientific Institute of Law. Rivne, Ukraine.

2Department of Journalism and New Media, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. Kyiv, Ukraine.

3Department of Journalism and New Media, Faculty of Journalism, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. Kyiv, Ukraine.

4Ukrainian Press Department, The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. Ukraine.

5Cycle Commission “Journalism”, Ivano-Frankivsk Branch of the Open International University of Human Development “Ukraine”. Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.

 

Cite as: Mitchuk O, Kharkevych N, Horbenko A, Slotiuk T, Bondarchuk A. The influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología - Serie de Conferencias. 2024; 3:.1384. https://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2024.1384

 

Submitted: 11-05-2024                   Revised: 22-09-2024                   Accepted: 24-11-2024                 Published: 25-11-2024

 

Editor: Dr. William Castillo-González

 

Corresponding Author: Olga Mitchuk *

 

ABSTRACT

 

Introduction: the paper’s objective is to study the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine.

Method: methods such as a questionnaire-based survey, online media monitoring, and content analysis were used in the study. Statistical methods of data analysis included the Pearson correlation coefficient. Reliability coefficient Cronbach’s alpha enabled verification of tools and methods’ reliability.

Results: the study revealed that regional online media hold a certain level of trust, with 40 % of respondents relying on the information they provide. However, 20 % believe the topics do not meet their interests, 30 % criticize the lack of unique content, and 40 % think the media do not influence their views. Regional media demonstrate the ability to impact social processes: 50 % of respondents noted an influence on public opinion, 45 % on government perception, 60 % on information security, and 70 % on language policy. An analysis of war coverage shows that nationwide outlets like Ukrainska Pravda, BBC Ukraine, and Radio Svoboda focus on military actions, humanitarian issues, and political contexts. The correlation coefficient between nationwide and regional media ranges from 0,45 to 0,93, indicating a moderate positive correlation and differences in their war coverage approaches.

Conclusions: the study demonstrated the significant influence of regional online media on public opinion formation, but under conditions of war, this role does not prevail over the role of central mass media. Further research should concentrate on studying the factors promoting the efficiency of information delivery by online media.

 

Keywords: News; Mass Media; Public Opinion; Martial Law; Influence.

 

RESUMEN

 

Introducción: el objetivo de este estudio era revelar la influencia de los medios regionales online en la formación de la opinión pública bajo la ley marcial en Ucrania.

Método: en el estudio se utilizaron métodos como una encuesta basada en un cuestionario, el seguimiento de los medios de comunicación en línea y el análisis de contenido. Los métodos estadísticos de análisis de datos incluyeron el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson. El coeficiente de fiabilidad alfa de Cronbach permitió verificar la fiabilidad de las herramientas y los métodos.

Resultados: según los resultados de la encuesta, el 45 % de los encuestados cree que influye en la percepción del gobierno, el 50 % en la formación de la opinión pública, el 40 % en la participación en debates, el 60 % en garantizar la seguridad de la información y el 70 % en el uso de la lengua. Sin embargo, los encuestados no están seguros de la capacidad de los medios regionales en línea para influir en las emociones (45 %), cambiar la percepción (30 %), aumentar la participación en actos públicos (40 %) y reducir la influencia de la publicidad (20 %).

Conclusiones: el estudio demostró la influencia significativa de los medios online regionales en la formación de la opinión pública, pero en condiciones de guerra, este papel no prevalece sobre el de los medios de comunicación centrales. La investigación futura debería concentrarse en el estudio de los factores que promueven la eficacia de la difusión de información por los medios de comunicación en línea.

 

Palabras clave: Noticias; Medios de Comunicación; Opinión Pública; Ley Marcial; Influencia.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

The relevance of the selected theme is determined by the necessity of understanding the importance of mass media in the context of modern social and political transformations. The martial law in Ukraine has not only disrupted the ordinary state of life but has also created a unique informational context, where the means of mass media become a key tool in public consciousness formation. Public opinion in this period has significant meaning, determining the public perception of the war, support of the government and Ukrainian identity.(1)

On February 24 2022 Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, fomenting the largest military conflict in Europe since World War 2. This military aggression is accompanied by significant human and material losses. According to the date of the UN, as of July 20, 2023, more than 5000 civilians died, and more than 6 million people were forced to leave their homes due to military actions. Furthermore, the war has significantly affected the global economy, provoking an increase in prices for energy and food, as well as causing destabilization of global security.(2)

The importance of regional mass media lies in their playing the key role in information transfer and formation of the public consciousness on the level of a certain region or location.(3) They reflect peculiarities, issues and values of local communities, considering the context, which can be unique for every region. Regional mass media make a unique contribution to war coverage, providing inclusive points of view and analysis, which can be rarely seen in other mass media. Their materials reflect not only the general character of events but also the peculiarities, significant for the particular region.(4)

Peculiarities of war coverage in regional mass media involve an accent on the local consequences of the conflict. They analyse humanitarian crises, economic losses and security issues in detail, providing the views with a deep understanding of the war’s influence on their surroundings. They consider the position of the region concerning the conflict, reflecting the range of thoughts and feelings of local residents. This allows the creation of the objective image of the reaction of a region to military events. The use of local languages and sources plays a key role in information perception. Regional mass media use local languages for interaction with the audience audience and identity expression. They also refer to local sources, providing authenticity and relevance to their materials.(5)

As the main informational channel, regional online media become mediators between the global event of the war and local perception. They also play a critical role in spreading objective information and formation of the own views and beliefs of citizens. Under martial law, when access to information becomes limited, regional online media become an important source of news and analysis for the local population. Their ability to provide objective and accessible information becomes critical for conscious public opinion formation and facilitates the determination of a common position on important issues.(6)

The issue, this paper studies, lies in revealing the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine. Under full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, the informational space becomes especially important for the formation of public consciousness and opinion.

The research focuses on revealing the role of regional online media in this context. The main attention is paid to their influence on formation of the public opinion under conditions of military conflict, and the analysis of their difference from international mass media in this process. The research aims to determine the level of influence of regional online media on public perceptions of war, their support of government and the affirmation of national identity under conditions of the military conflict.

The objective of the paper is to study the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine.

 

Tasks /Questions

1.   Studying the level of interest of the respondents in the consumption of information from regional online media.

2.   Content analysis of regional and all-national media.

3.   Comparative analysis and correlation between the sources of public opinion formation.

 

Literature review

The issue of the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine is complex and multidimensional, which consistently makes it relevant in a number of scientific works, that have an integrated nature. In such a way, the research of the Ukrainian Media and Communication Institute gives coverage to the content, Ukrainians seek in Telegram channels, the peculiarities of their genesis and the originality of the communicative process, developed by the latter with the audience.(7)

The study of the analysis of transformational informing on Ukrainian mass media during the war within the context of informational materials production is represented in Haytanzhyi’s work.(8) In the analysed research the author studies the genesis of journalistic practice, informational policy and society under conditions of mutual influence of the above-mentioned components. The researcher distinguishes core aspects of such informing on Ukrainian mass media: in particular, analyses their role in military conflict, peculiarities of journalistic ethics and professional standards, separating new trends and innovations of the media environment.

The specifics of the activity of regional mass media (on the example of Khmelnytskyi Region) are presented in Yarzhemska’s(9) in which the author studies the existence of the latter in the context of the large-scale war of Russia against Ukraine. The scientist determines the relevance of the selected theme in Ukrainian journalism studies, underlining the novelty of the study of local media of Khmelnytskyi Region. The researcher notes that after the beginning of the large-scale invasion of the enemy, mass media have become the main sources of information for local communities, focusing on the objective coverage of events. It is worth noting that the author has traced the genesis of the thematic variety and genre of materials of mass media of Khmelnytskyi Region under the context of journalistic standards and professional ethics.

Cherednyk(10) presents the analysis of the activity of Ukrainian mass media during the Russian occupation as well as coverage of their role in the informational Russian-Ukrainian war in his work. In the analysed study, the author distinguishes relevant components of the activity of the above-mentioned mass media from the beginning of the large-scale invasion of the enemy, monitors the content and justifies the increase of patriotism in it. The researcher analyses mean of expression relevant in such context within the context of language practice and underlines the relevance of media communication, which has a dual nature (increase of volume and increase of awareness of the population).

Herewith, a parameter comparison of the features of media systems (in particular within the context of the cyclical nature of publications) is presented in Chernov’s work.(11) The author studies specific frames, actualized by different media systems on the example of the American TV channel CCN and Russian newspaper gazeta.ru, which represent differences of their media systems. The researcher emphasizes informing of a number of articles dedicated to the Russian-Ukrainian war: if it has decreased on the American TV channel, it has, as expected, increased in the Russian newspaper. The analysis of frames, conducted by the author, showed that their actualization is determined by the objectives of propaganda, but not real events of the media system.

Coverage of correlations between the war and media (in particular, the use of the last for fomenting the war or its propaganda) is represented in Bratic’s work,(12) in which the author concentrates on the historiography of the issue. The scientist underlines that events of positive actualization of media in communication for the reconciliation of post-conflict societies are almost unknown. For this, the researcher illustrates a number of projects of international governmental institutions and non-commercial organizations created for this purpose: The Bosnian television network OBN, the Burundian production studio Ijambo, Cambodian radio UNTAC and the Israeli/Palestinian ‘Sesame Street’, etc. The author underlines the task of studies on the positive effect of media under conditions of the conflict: there is a critically low number of works on the engagement of media in the reconciliation processes, which stipulated the purpose of the analysed work.

Ciuriak(13) continues the use of mass media as a means of informational war in his work, which illustrates the propaganda methods and possibilities of Internet discourse, focusing on social networks. The researcher believes that the latter can become the tools for revealing propaganda, misinformation and disinformation due to their decentralized nature, which in turn creates challenges for the government in control over narratives. The analysis of the strategies of cyberwar became the subject of study of Madiega’s work,(14) in which the author distinguishes relevant channels of the latter (social and telecommunication platforms, media and Internet operators). The researcher illustrates the measures of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as the EU), taken in support of Ukraine and the plans for further actions to increase the resistance of its communication infrastructure, strengthening cyber support and countermeasures against disinformation.(15)

In their work, Susi et al.(16) present the issue of media management within the context of the ‘digital curtain’, within which a number of social networks left Russia or were prohibited, and Russian state mass media became the objects of the EU sanctions. The analysed study presents the dynamics of the existence of Russian narratives, spread by a number of mass media, as an informational dimension of the Russian war on Ukraine. Informational politics of Finland may be a good example of this: coordinated measures of private companies and government allowed to restrict access to propagandist Russian and Belarusian mass media. It is emphasized that most governments have not offered and implemented national legislation, oriented on regulation of platforms, and accounts in social media or TV channels in response to the war in Ukraine. Herewith, ranging (10 groups) of consequences of the war in Ukraine for journalistic activity are illustrated in Pavlik’s work.(17)

Thus, the conducted analysis of Ukrainian and foreign historiography on the analysed problems demonstrated multiple dimensions of the influence of the Russian-Ukrainian war on mass media. This problem is not sufficiently studied in foreign and, what is more important, Ukrainian historiography, despite the core role of regional mass media on public opinion. In particular, this relates to the socio-cultural role of mass media and its influence on the processes of digitalization of journalistic practice within the context of regionality. Therefore, our study is oriented on the actualization of the above-mentioned issues and analysis of the direct effects of such mass media on public opinion under conditions of war.

 

METHOD

 

Design

The study was conducted in several stages. All the stages of the study, their informing and the period of conduction are presented in table 1.

 

Table 1. Stages of the study conduction

Stages of the study and their tasks

Period of stages conduction

Diagnostic methods

Participants

Asserting stage:

development of the plan of experiment conduction;

selection of the methods of the study of public opinion;

formation of control and experimental groups.

March 2022 - december 2022

Standard general scientific methods.

1000 people - citizens of ukraine at the age of 18-60.

Control stage:

conduction of the questionnaire of the respondents for revealing the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation.

study of the content of online media.

study of the tone and subject of the content of online media

study of the correlation between national and regional online media concerning war coverage.

February 2023 - october 2023

Questionnaire-survey.

Monitoring.

Statistical methods of data analysis.

Content analysis.

1000 people - citizens of ukraine at the age of 18-60.

 

 

Participants

The sampled population is limited to citizens of Ukraine. Cluster sampling, simplified in structure, norms and representation volume, range of studied categories of citizens amounts to 1000 people. The sample consists of 470 men and 530 women between the age of 18-60, who use online media to receive information. This corresponds to the norms of the investigation plan and the objective of empirical confirmation of the special role of regional online media on public opinion formation. City inhabitants accounted for 63 % of respondents, rural inhabitants - 47 %. Individuals with higher education accounted for 41 %, with special education - 38 %, without education or with complete secondary education - 21 % of respondents. Individuals earning more than 15 000 UAH/month - 31 %, 10 000 – 15 000 UAH/month - 25 %, and less than 10 000 UAH/month - 44 %. Considering the relevant data of the State Statistics Service for 2022-2023 such sampling corresponds to the validity and representation criteria and does not distort the results of the conducted study. The content of the following online media was also studied: All-Ukrainian Internet Media ‘Ukrainska Pravda’ (https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/), BBC Ukraine (https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian), Radio ‘Svoboda’ (https://www.radiosvoboda.org). Regional online media 0368.ua (Vinnytsia) (https://www.0368.ua) , 056.ua (Dnipro) (https://www.056.ua), 061.ua (Odesa) (https://www.061.ua).

 

Instruments

Respondents participated in the study in the form of distance testing, to conduct which possibilities of Google Forms and social network Facebook were used. Data entry and processing were made with the use of ‘Microsoft Excel’ and ‘SPSS Statistics 17.0’ software. All the data are presented in relative values.

 

Data collection

1.   Questionnaire-based survey method (Annex A). The authors used this method to determine differences in perceptions and beliefs under the influence of regional online media compared to other sources, excluding international mass media. The questionnaire enabled considering the reaction of readers to regional materials, interaction with the community and participation in public events. Cronbach’s alpha - 0,74.

2.   Monitoring method. Using this method, the content of regional and all-state Ukrainian online media was studied to establish the tone and frequency of war theme coverage. Cronbach’s alpha - 0,70.

3.   Content analysis of the materials of online media. This method allowed to analyse how often war narratives appear in the content of the studied mass media. Systematic analysis of the materials published by regional online media for establishing the themes, tone and peculiarities of military conflict coverage is used for this. Cronbach’s alpha - 0,72.

 

Analysis of data

1.   Analysis of the obtained data was conducted with the use of statistical correlation. To determine the correlation coefficient, Pearson’s criterion was used:

 

 

Where:

хі - the value of informing X.

yi - value of informing Y.

ẍ- arithmetic mean for informing X.

ẏ - arithmetic mean for informing Y.

 

2.   Reliability coefficient Cronbach’s alpha characterizes the internal consistency of test tasks. Cronbach’s alpha is calculated according to the formula:

 

 

Where:

σx2– dispersion of the grade of the whole test.

σYi2– element і dispersion.

 

Ethical criteria

Ethical aspects of this study have critical importance and require detailed attention to ensure the security and well-being of participants. It is necessary to guarantee confidentiality and anonymity for protection and to encourage respondents to express their opinions honestly. Participants should be informed about the aim and course of the study, as well as further use of information provided by them. The emotional effect of the questions and themes should be considered to prevent discomfort and stress. It is necessary to strictly keep to deontological principles of respect to personal dignity and individual beliefs. Discrimination and indirect influence on the responses of participants should be avoided. The interviewer should ensure equal conditions for all participants and avoid the use of stereotypes or taking biased positions.

 

RESULTS

Survey results show that regional mass media in Ukraine are an important source of information for the public. Generalized results are presented in table 2.

 

Table 2. Respondents’ questionnaire results

Questions

Response Yes (%)

Response Ni (%)

Have not decided (%)

Use of regional mass media

65

25

10

Trust in information

40

45

15

Themes coverage

20

60

20

Content uniqueness

55

30

15

Effect on beliefs

30

50

20

Government perception

45

35

20

Public opinion formation

50

40

10

Participation discussions

25

65

10

Informational security

60

25

15

Language aspect

70

20

10

Content adaptation

35

55

10

Effect on emotions

45

40

15

Use of other sources

75

15

10

Change of beliefs

30

50

20

Information accessibility

55

35

10

Change of participation in public events

40

50

10

Advertising effect

20

70

10

Subscription and reading

65

25

10

Awareness of influence

50

40

10

 

Most respondents use regional online media, and 40 % of them trust the information they receive there. This shows that regional online media have a certain level of confidence among the public. Still, the work of regional online media has some deficiencies. For example, respondent’s express dissatisfaction with the themes covered. In particular, 20 % believe that themes do not meet their interests. Furthermore, 30 % of respondents believe that the context is not unique enough, and 40 % believe that mass media does not affect their views.

Survey results also show that regional online media can affect social processes. According to the survey, 45 % of respondents believe that they influence the perception of the government, 50 % - on public opinion, 40 %- on participation in discussions, 60 % - on information security, and 70 % - on language use. Nevertheless, respondents were uncertain concerning the ability of regional online media to affect emotions (45 %), change perception (30 %), increase participation in public events (40 %) and reduce the influence of advertisement (20 %). Table 3 presents the comparison of war theme coverage in nationwide and regional online media.

 

Table 3. Comparison of war theme coverage in nationwide and regional online media

Media

Theme coverage

Tone

Peculiarities

Statistical data

All-Ukrainian

Ukrainska Pravda

Special attention is given to military actions, humanitarian situations, and interviews with experts.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 120,000 materials, 90 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

90 % of the materials were related to the war in Ukraine

BBC Ukraine

Covers a wide range of themes, including military actions, humanitarian situations, and politics.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 70 000 materials, 50 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

71 % of materials were related to the war in Ukraine

Radio Svoboda

Covers a wide range of themes, including military actions, humanitarian situations, and politics.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 60 000 materials, 40 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

67 % of materials were related to the war in Ukraine

Regional

0368.ua (Vinnytsia)

Special attention is given to military actions in Vinnytsia Region and, humanitarian situation in Vinnytsia.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 30 000 materials, 20 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

67 % of materials were related to the war in Ukraine

056.ua (Dnipro)

Special attention is given to military actions in Dnipropetrovsk Region, humanitarian situation in Dnipro.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 20,000 materials, 10 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

50 % of the materials were related to the war in Ukraine

061.ua (Odesa)

Special attention is given to military actions in Odesa Region, humanitarian situation in Odesa.

Restrained, objective

From February 24, 2022, to November 30, 2011, the website had 15 000 materials, 5 000 - on the war in Ukraine.

33 % of materials were related to war in Ukraine

 

It is possible to state that different informational resources in Ukraine cover the war from different positions. As all-Ukrainian resources ‘Ukrainska Pravda’, ‘BBC Ukraine’, ‘Radio Svoboda’ pay attention to military actions, humanitarian situations and political context. The number of published materials impresses and indicates coverage intensity. On the other side, regional media as 0368.ua, 056.ua and 061.ua focus on military actions in their regions and humanitarian situation. This indicates their ability to provide local audiences with relevant information. The restrained and objective tone of war coverage indicates that resources are oriented toward presenting objective information, which is important under conditions of military conflict when information accuracy and reliability are critical. The correlation coefficient between nationwide and regional online media is presented in table 4.

 

Table 4. Correlation coefficient between nationwide and regional online media

Media

Correlation coefficient

Ukrainska Pravda

0,93

BBC Ukraine

0,89

Radio Svoboda

0,87

0368.ua (Vinnytsia)

0,75

056.ua (Dnipro)

0,63

061.ua (Odesa)

0,45

 

The correlation coefficient between nationwide and regional online media accounts to from 0,45 to 0,93. This means that there is a positive correlation, thus, an increase in the number of materials on the war in Ukraine in one type of media, as a rule, leads to an increase in the number of materials on the war in Ukraine in another type of media. Still, this coefficient is not high which indicates certain differences in the approach to coverage of the war in Ukraine between nationwide and regional media. The correlation between the survey results and the results of the online media analysis is presented in table 5.

 

Table 5. Correlation between the survey results and results of the online media analysis

Survey results

Results of the online media analysis

Correlation coefficient

Use of regional mass media

Percent of materials on the war in Ukraine in regional media

0,7

Trust in information from regional mass media

Percent of materials on the war in Ukraine in regional media

0,6

Correspondence of the covered themes with interests

Percent of materials on the war in Ukraine in regional media

0,5

Effect on beliefs

Percent of materials on the war in Ukraine in regional media

0,4

 

The use of online media for information positively correlates with the percentage of materials covering the war issue in these media. This indicates that respondents, who use regional online media, more often run into materials related to the war, than those, who do not read them. Furthermore, trust in information from regional online media positively correlates with the percentage of materials related to the war. Respondents, who trust information from regional online media, more often run in materials related to the conflict in Ukraine, compared to those, who do not trust in such sources. Moreover, the direct correlation between the importance of the covered themes and share of materials, related to the war, exists in regional online media. As a result, interested respondents have more chances to run in relevant materials, than those, who do not express interest in the conflict. Still, the correlation between the influence of regional online media on beliefs and share of materials on the war in Ukraine is lower. This indicates that other factors can significantly affect the beliefs of people concerning the war in Ukraine.

 

DISCUSSION

The study showed that the formation of relations of government, audience and public institutions takes place based on the exchange of social information, and informational processes management is conducted in the informational space of the region, that is the environment, in which modern people live. Afanasiev et al.(18) and Benabid(19) mention in their works that the issues of preserving a single regional space, distribution of informational flows to ensure the functioning of regions, the effectiveness of spreading socially significant information became relevant. Still, conditions, factors, mechanisms, and defining interrelations of subjects of the informational field - online media and regional government bodies are not fully defined.(20,21) Instead, according to respondents’ opinion, nationwide mass media have a larger influence and trust, which is demonstrated in studies by Kulias(22) and Lazarova(23).

The use of the Internet, and correspondingly online media increases every year, their share in the informational field increases as well as their ability to form public opinion on critical issues. Trends in the formation of a special media image of the world by regional online media are observed. Derevyanko(24) and Baran(25) believe their role in promoting the tasks of informational politics of state government bodies to be significantly increasing, especially under conditions of war.

This issue requires detailed studying, as according to Lytvyn(26) and Yermak(27) it obtains new characteristics and features, explicit and implicit mechanisms, which enable interaction with the audience: interactivity, multimedia, hypertext as base possibilities of the Internet network, etc. Thus, symbolic communication acquires ontological and instrumental importance in the era of global informatization of social interrelations and mediatization of political communications. On the other side, fundamental changes in media policy of the state are oriented on larger centralization of the sources of public opinion formation, which is noted in Vosoughi et al.(28) and USAID ta Internews, USAID - Internews: Anual Media Consumption Survey.(29) Due to the mentioned trends, the issue of mass media functioning on a regional level has been widely discussed recently. In particular, the deficiency of particular communicative strategies able to become the means of public interest expression is noted. Therefore, the functional importance of informational interactions, initiated by online media, related to the trends of regional politics deserves multi-faceted scientific reflection. Considering this, the regional press may be noted to remain the most important tool of public opinion formation as previously.

The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of optimization of informational strategies and communicational approaches during the martial law in Ukraine. Study results allow media agencies and editors to evaluate the effectiveness of their informational influence with consideration of regional and national peculiarities. This means a more accurate reflection of the needs and expectations of local communities under conditions of conflict for regional media.

Theoretical conclusions of the study significantly contribute to understanding the interrelation between media, military conflict and public opinion. The study shows that both regional and national online media affect event perception. This effect may be considered within the context of informational democracy. The study improves theoretical models of the influence of online media during conflicts and develops strategies for improving informational literacy and public awareness under martial law.

The methodology of the study has limitations which can affect the objectivity and universality of the results. The selected questionnaire-based survey method, for example, cannot involve all aspects of the interaction of public and online media under martial law. Furthermore, social desirability can affect individual responses. It is worth considering the possibility of using a more complex methodology to improve objectivity in further studies.

Spacial limitations may appear due to the study’s focus on certain regions of Ukraine, which can limit conclusions generalization. The wide range of regional media should be considered not to omit significant aspects, necessary for understanding the global influence of online media on public opinion formation under conditions of military conflict. It is important to consider that spatial limitations may affect sample representation and the possibility of results generalization on the national level.

 

CONCLUSIONS

Stipulated by the necessity of monitoring the effect of regional online media on public opinion formation during the war compared to nationwide mass media. Survey results show that regional mass media in Ukraine have the potential to influence social processes. Still, to have an effective influence, mass media should improve their work in spheres like themes covered, content uniqueness and effect on beliefs. Having average coverage activity, regional online media reflects specifics of the interests and needs of local communities. Their materials may be the main source of information concerning the war for inhabitants of particular regions, considering the peculiarities of military events and humanitarian situations on the local level. Analysis allows to determine the level of interaction between the quantity of published materials and the covered theme. High correlation for nationwide media, underlining consistency and systematicity of their informational approach, is especially important.

Received data may be used as an important resource for understanding the dynamics of media space under martial law and the effect of information on public opinion formation in Ukraine. Further studies should relate to the issue of comparison of the effect of regional and international mass media on public opinion formation.

 

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FINANCING

The authors did not receive financing for the development of this research.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

 

AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTION

Conceptualization: Olga Mitchuk, Natalya Kharkevych, Andrii Horbenko, Tetiana Slotiuk, Anzhelika Bondarchuk.

Data curation: Olga Mitchuk, Natalya Kharkevych, Andrii Horbenko, Tetiana Slotiuk, Anzhelika Bondarchuk.

Formal analysis: Olga Mitchuk, Natalya Kharkevych, Andrii Horbenko, Tetiana Slotiuk, Anzhelika Bondarchuk.

Drafting - original draft: Olga Mitchuk, Natalya Kharkevych, Andrii Horbenko, Tetiana Slotiuk, Anzhelika Bondarchuk.

Writing - proofreading and editing: Olga Mitchuk, Natalya Kharkevych, Andrii Horbenko, Tetiana Slotiuk, Anzhelika Bondarchuk.

 

 

ANNEXES

 

Questionnaire

The influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine

 

1. Personal data

1.1. Name (optional):

1.2. Age:

1.3. Sex:

1.4. Place of residence (region):

1.5. Personal unique seven-digit code XXXX-AAA, where XXXX-numbers, AAA are letters from A-Z

 

2. Use of regional mass media

2.1. How often do you use regional online media to receive information about the war in Ukraine?

2.2. How often do you interact with materials, published by regional mass media?

 

3. Trust in information

3.1. How much do you trust in information, provided by regional online media concerning military conflict?

 

4. Themes coverage

4.1. What are the most important for you topics concerning the war, covered by the regional mass media?

 

5. Content uniqueness

5.1. Do you believe that regional mass media offer unique points of view on the war, which are different from international mass media?

 

6. Your beliefs

6.1. How do regional mass media affect your beliefs and point of view concerning the military conflict?

 

7. Government perception

7.1. How does information from regional mass media affect your attitude to government under martial law?

 

8. Public opinion

8.1. Do you believe that regional mass media influence the formation of public opinion in general?

 

9. Your participation

9.1. Do you participate in discussions or comment on materials of regional mass media concerning the war?

 

10. Informational security

10.1. Do you believe that regional mass media provide trustworthy information on military conflict?

 

11. Language aspect

11.1. Do regional mass media use local language in coverage of events in Ukraine?

 

12. Content adaptation

12.1. How would you evaluate the adaptation of regional mass media to local realities under martial law?

 

13. Effect on emotions

13.1. Does information from regional mass media affect your emotions?

 

14. Use of other sources

14.1. Do you use international or national mass media for receiving information in military conflict?

 

15. Dynamics of informing in perceptions

15.1. Do you recognize informing in your perceptions concerning the war and events in Ukraine because of the effect of regional mass media?

 

16. Information accessibility

16.1. How easy do you find information about the war in Ukraine using regional mass media?

 

17. Mass median of participation in public events

17.1. Does information from regional mass media affect your participation in public events?

 

18. Advertising effect

18.1. Do you observe the effect of an advertisement or sponsor’s material in regional mass media on your public opinion formation?

 

19. Subscription and reading

19.1. Are you subscribed to regional online media covering events in Ukraine?

 

20. Awareness of influence

20.1. How aware you are of the effect of regional mass media on your public opinion concerning the military conflict in Ukraine?