BOOKS AND THE MASS MEDIA: MODES OF INTERACTION I N THE U. S .S .R.

by V. D. S t e l m a k h

1982

P R E F A C E

T h i s document i s one o f a s e r i e s p r e p a r e d a s b a c k g r o u n d m a t e r i a l f o r t h e W o r l d Congress o n Books t o b e h e l d in London, U n i t e d Kingdom, f r o m 7 t o 11 June 1982. It d e a l s w i t h t h e i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e book t o o t h e r f o r m s o f mass communica- t i o n i n t h e U n i o n o f S o v i e t S o c i a l i s t R e p u b l i c s , f o c u s s i n g o n t h e s o c i o l o g i c a l i s s u e s i n v o l v e d and o n t h e r e s p o n s e s o f t h e p u b l i c t o t h e v a r i o u s c h a n n e l s o f commun ica t i on .

The a u t h o r , V a l e r i j a S te lmakh , i s C h i e f o f t h e S e c t o r f o r Books and R e a d i n g o f t h e L e n i n S t a t e Library. She h a s p r e p a r e d t h i s s t u d y o n t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e Commiss ion o f t h e USSR f o r Unesco an: t h e USSR Commit tee o n P u b l i s h i n g , P r i n t i n g and t h e Book Trade, and h a s p r o v i d e d b o t h t h e R u s s i a n and E n g l i s h t e x t s . The a u t h o r i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e c h o i c e and t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e f a c t s c o n t a i n e d in t h i s document, and f o r t h e o p i n i o n s e x p r e s s e d t h e r e i n , w h i c h a r e n o t n e c e s s a r i l y t h o s e o f Unesco and do n o t commit t h e O r g a n i z a t i o n .

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I n t r o d u c t i o n ........................................ 4

1 . B u i l d i n g o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem in t h e USSR and i t s p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n ............... 6

2 . The f u t u r e o f t h e book : some c o n c e p t s and f o r e c a s t s ........................................ 11

3 . Research of t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem i n t h e USSR ......................................... 14

4 . Research methods and management .................. 15

5 . T h e o r e t i c a l p r e m i s e s ............................. 16

6 . The p l a c e o f t h e b o o k s and mass m e d i a in t h e l e i s u r e t i m e b u d g e t .............................. 19

7 . F u n c t i o n a l f e a t u r e s o f mass m e d i a and books ...... 23

8 . The p r e s t i g e o f books ............................ 28

C o n c l u s i o n .......................................... 3 1

B i b l i o g r a p h y ........................................ 34

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

Ten y e a r s have p a s s e d s i n c e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Book Year (1972) was d e c l a r e d a t t h e Unesco G e n e r a l Con fe rence w h i c h m a r k e d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a p e r i o d o f i n t e n s i f i e d r e s e a r c h and comprehens ion o f t h e r o l e o f books in s o c i e t y . A member o f s t u d i e s c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e e l u c i d a t i o n o f s u c h p o i n t s as "What p o s i t i o n does t h e book h o l d in t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y w o r l d in w h i c h new and, one w o u l d think more e f f e c t i v e m e d i a o f i n f o r m a t i o n have appeared? What p o s i t i o n does t h e book h o l d i n a w o r l d , where a t i r e l e s s and i n c e s s a n t s t r u g g l e w i t h i l l i t e r a c y i s c a r r i e d on, in a w o r l d , where know- l e d g e ages o v e r n i g h t and m o u n t a i n s o f p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l accumu la te n e v e r t o be r e a d ? The endeavors o f s c h o l a r s who t r y t o answer t h e s e q u e s t i o n s c o n s o l i d a t e t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e book in t h e f i e l d s o f e d u c a t i o n , i n t e r n a t i o n a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g and p e a c e f u l c o o p e r a t i o n , in p r o m o t i n g peace, humanism and p r o g r e s s .

The i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween t h e book and t h e mass m e d i a i s one o f t h e most v i t a l i s s u e s in t h e f i e l d and Unesco has t o a l a r g e degree s t i m u l a t e d t h e e f f e c t i v e planning o f r e s e a r c h and t h e w o r k i n g o u t o f a sound p o l i c y i n t h e mass communica t ions a r e a

Has t h e r o l e o f t h e book r e m a i n e d unchanged?"(19)-

(50953,549 58 9 6 0 )

S c i e n t i f i c and t e c h n o l o g i c a l p r o g r e s s has a p p r e c i a b l y b r o - adened o u r o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r access t o c u l t u r e and t h e d i s s e m i n - a t i o n o f knowledge. T h i s g i v e s r i s e t o new p rob lems and t o d a y we a r e n o l o n g e r i n t e r e s t e d in t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h a c e r t a i n p r e - d o m i n a t i n g c h a n n e l i s used; a c t u a l l y we a r e now c o n c e r n e d w i t h such a s p e c t s as t h e c o n s c i o u s ind iv idual c h o i c e o f t h e p r e f e r r e d mode of i n f o r m a t i v e c i k l t u r a l d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n , c u l t u r e i t s e l f i s becoming a m u l t i l e v e l system.

can be d i scussed fPom d i f f e r e n t p o i n t s o f v i e w . F o r example, t h e analysis o f t e c h n i c a l f e a t u r e s o f c i r c u l a t i o n and d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n t h r o u g h each c h a n n e l i s f e a s i b l e . The psycho- p h y s i o l o g i c a l study o f p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e p r i n t e d t e x t , r a d i o o r TV i n f o r m a t i o n , e t c . , i s a l s o o f g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e .

The i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e book w i t h r a d i o , TV and f i l m

The p r e s e n t document i s b a s e d on r e s e a r c h t h a t was c a r r i e d o u t by t h e L e n i n S t a t e Library o f t h e USSR. I t i s concerned m a i n l y w i t h t h e s o c i o l o g i c a l a s p e c t o f t h e prob lem, i . e . , t h e s o c i o - c u l t u r a l f e a t u r e s o f t h e mass m e d i a aud ience and t h e a t - t i t u d e s t o d i f f e r e n t c h a n n e l s o f communica t ion were s t u d i e d . In o u r v i e w t h i s approach h e l p s t o f a t h o m t h e d i a l e c t i c a l n a t u r e o f b o o k s and mass m e d i a i n t e r a c t i o n ; one f l o w o f t h e

- The numbers in b r a c k e t s r e f e r t o t h e l i s t o f r e f e r e n c e s in t h e B i b 1 i o g r aphy

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book p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s j o i n s t h e mass m e d i a system, w h i l e t h e o t h e r f u n c t i o n s a c c o r d i n g t o d i f f e r e n t mode ls .

The r e s e a r c h was a c t u a l l y b a s e d o n t h i s t h e s i s . The p r e s e n t s t u d y r e p r e s e n t s a subsequen t s t a g e in r e g u l a r r e s e a r c h and deve lopment c o o r d i n a t i o n in t h e f i e l d o f s o c i o l o g y o f l i t e r a t u r e and r e a d i n g c a r r i e d o u t by t h e L e n i n S t a t e Library u n d e r t h e g u i d a n c e o f t h e USSR M i n i s t r y o f C u l t u r e and t h e USSR S t a t e Commit tee f o r P u b l i s h i n g , P r i n t i n g and t h e Book T r a d e . A l r e a d y in t h e m i d - s i x t i e s we h a v e worked o u t a m u l t i - l e v e l p r o j e c t . "Books and r e a d i n g in t h e S o v i e t v i l l a g e " (11); "The p l a c e o f f i c t i o n in R u s s i a n i n t h e r e a d i n g o f t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l S o v i e t p o p u l a t i o n " , "The r e a d i n g h a b i t s o f t h e S o v i e t w o r k e r " . W h i l e u n d e r t a k i n g t h e s e i n q u i r i e s we have a n a l y s e d ,such i t e m s as t h e i n t e n s i t y and c o n t e n t o f r e a d i n g o f t h e m a i n s o c i a l g r o u p o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n , m o t i v e s o f c h o i c e and c r i t e r i a o f assessment o f books , p e r c e p t i o n o f r e a d i n g m a t t e r , t h e p l a c e o f r e a d i n g in t h e mass m e d i a sys tem and t h e s t r u c t u r e o f l e i s u r e t i m e , p r e f e r r e d s o u r c e s of book p r o v i s i o n , and t h e s o c i a l r o l e o f l i b r a r i e s in t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n of mass r e a d i n g . I n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e dynamics o f r e a d e r s ' demand, t h e m o s t w i d e l y - r e a d l i t e r a r y works and changes in t h e sphere o f r e a d i n g i n t e r e s t s ( t h e s u r v e y e n t i t l e d "Dynamics of r e a d i n g and r e a d e r s ' demand in p u b l i c l i b r a r i e s " ) i s b e i n g g a t h e r e d and a n a l y s e d on a r e g u l a r b a s i s .

The e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h e t h e o r e t i c a l m o d e l o f r e a d i n g , o f in- t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f books w i t h o t h e r mass m e d i a and t h e i r p l a c e in c o n t e m p o r a r y c u l t u r e i m p l i e s s y s t e m a t i c a n a l y s i s o f S o v i e t and f o r e i g n s t u d i e s , w h i c h p romotes b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f method- o l o g i c a l p r o b l e m s and o b j e c t f i e l d s . The b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l and a n a l y t i c a l / s y n t h e t i c a l p u b l i c a t i o n s o f t h e I n f o r m a t i o n C e n t r e o n C u l t u r e and A r t s ( I n f o r m k u l t u r a ) f u n c t i o n i n g w i t h i n t h e f rame- work o f t h e L e n i n S t a t e Library, i s an i n t e g r a l part o f r e g u l a r a c t i v i t y i n t h i s f i e l d . T h i s C e n t r e i s t h e h e a d s p e c i a l i z e d agency o f t h e S t a t e I n f o r m a t i o n System.

We have c u r r e n t l y p r e p a r e d a b i b l i o g r a p h y o f f o r e i g n s t u d i e s o n t h e s o c i o l o g y o f l i t e r a t u r e e n t i t l e d "The book, r e a d i n g , t h e l i b ra ry" . I t i n c l u d e s 1.850 p u b l i c a t i o n s f r o m 25 c o u n t r i e s m o s t l y i s s u e d in t h e l a s t 30 y e a r s i n 15 European l a n g u a g e s . C o n t i n u i n g t h e b i b l i o g r a p h i c a l a c t i v i t y l a u n c h e d by an A m e r i c a n s o c i o l o g i s t H. Duncan (15) and a s o c i o l o g i s t A. S i l b e r m a n n (62 ) f r o m t h e F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c o f Germany, t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n n o t o n l y p r o v i d e s t h e m o d e l o f p r e s e n t r e s e a r c h themes d e a l i n g w i t h b o o k s and r e a d i n g , but a l s o d e f i n e s t h e t r e n d s o f f u r c h e r r e s e a r c h ; i n ad- d i t i o n , i t shows how t h o r o u g h l y c e r t a i n s u b j e c t f i e l d s have been worked o u t .

The p r o j e c t "Books and mass m e d i a : modes o f i n t e r a c t i o n " in- c l u d e s t h e t h e o r e t i c a l e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h e p rob lem, s e c o n d a r y a n a l y s i s o f i n f o r m a t i o n y i e l d e d by p r e v i o u s s t u d i e s , t h e g a t h e r i n g and summing up o f new e m p i r i c data o n t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e book

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and o t h e r commun ica t i on c h a n n e l s in d i f f e r e n t s o c i a l m i l i e u x . In k e e p i n g w i t h t h e p r o b l e m complexes o f r e s e a r c h t h i s p r o j e c t c o v e r s t h e f o l l o w i n g m a j o r i s s u e s :

- bui lding o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem in t h e USSR,

- f u t u r e o f t h e book : c o n c e p t s and f o r e c a s t s ;

and i t s p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n ;

- methods and management o f r e s e a r c h ;

- t h e o r e t i c a l p r e m i s e s o f r e s e a r c h ;

- t h e p o r t i o n of book and mass m e d i a i n t h e b u d g e t o f l e i s u r e t i m e ;

- f u n c t i o n a l f e a t u r e s o f mass m e d i a and books ;

- s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e book .

I. BUILDING O F THE MASS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM I N THE USSR AND

I T S PRESENT CONDITION

In t h e USSR t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem h a s become a v e r y i m p o r t a n t s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l phenomenon; i t i s now i m p o s s i b l e t o i m a g i n e t h e c o u n t r y ' s c u l t u r a l and s o c i a l l i f e w i t h o u t mass med ia . The p r e s s p r a d i o and TV put s o c i a l i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h i n t h e r e a c h of t h e p o p u l a t i o n a t l a r g e and p e r f o r m t h e m i s s i o n o f t r a n s m i t t i n g s c i e n t i f i c know ledge , w o r l d c u l t u r a l t r e a s u r e s , a r t i s t i c v a l u e s , e t c .

The G e n e r a l S e c r e t a r y o f t h e C e n t r a l Commit tee o f t h e CPSU, t h e Cha i rman o f t h e P r e s i d i u m o f t h e Supreme S o v i e t o f t h e USSR, L e o n i d B rezhnev p o i n t e d o u t that " t h e mass m e d i a can c a r r y t h e truth t h a t t h e f u t u r e o f t h e p e o p l e i s i n s e p a r a b l y bound up w i t h a f i r m and r e l i a b l e peace and w i t h a f f i r m a t i o n o f t h e i d e a l o f e q u a l r i g h t s , s o c i a l p r o g r e s s and l i b e r t y " (1).

In t h e USSR, t h e mass m e d i a y e p r e s e n t one o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t means o f s o l v i n g s o c i a l and i n t e l l e c t u a l p rob lems , w h i c h appear in t h e c o u r s e o f s o c i a l deve lopment . The s u c c e s s i v e s o l u t i o n o f t h e s e p r o b l e m s i s p o s s i b l e o w i n g t o t h e p u r p o s e f u l c u l t u r a l p o l i c y o f t h e s t a t e , w h i c h u n i t e s and i n t e g r a t e s t h e a c t i v i t i e s of d i f f e r e n t mass med ia .

As it i s s t a t e d in t h e d e c i s i o n s o f t h e 2 6 t h Congress o f t h e CPSU, i n t h e e l e v e n t h f i v e - y e a r - p l a n p e r i o d c o n s i d e r a b l e e f - f o r t s w i l l be d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s t h e f u r t h e r development o f TV, r a d i o and publishing w i t h t h e a i m o f m e e t i n g t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l demands o f S o v i e t p e o p l e . (18 )

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In t h e USSR a l l components of t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e i r s p e c i f i c c a p a c i t i e s and o r g a n i z a t i o n a l autonomy, a r e t i g h t l y i n t e r w o v e n and t h a t i s w h y an i s o l a t e d and o n e - s i d e d deve lopment o f any s i n g l e medium i s o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n . C r i t e r i a o f management o f mass m e d i a and t h e bu i ld ing o f an i n t e g r a l mass commun ica t i ons sys tem h a v e been f o r m u l a t e d in a number o f r e s o l u t i o n s o f t h e C e n t r a l Commi t tee o f t h e CPSU and d e c i s i o n s o f g o v e r n m e n t a l b o d i e s . As a r e s u l t t h e p r e s e n t i n t e r - a c t i o n be tween t h e d i f f e r e n t mass m e d i a i s now taking on some o f t h e f e a t u r e s o f m u t u a l o r g a n i c i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w h i c h i s c h a r a c - t e r i z e d by j o i n t cove rage o f i s s u e s o f s o c i a l l i f e , c o n s i s t e n c y and c o n t i n u i t y in t h e b r o a d c a s t i n g and comment. A f t e r t h e d e f i n i n g o f t h e d i f f e r e n t f u n c t i o n s o f each commun ica t i on c h a n n e l t h e book h a s t u r n e d o u t t o be one o f t h e m a j o r m e d i a o f mass com- m u n i c a t i o n . The r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween t h e m e d i a a r e b a s e d on t h e p r i n c i p l e o f m u t u a l c o m p l e m e n t a r i t y w i t h due r e g a r d f o r t h e s p e c i f i c n a t u r e o f each commun ica t i on c h a n n e l .

The mass commun ica t i ons sys tem o f t h e USSR was b u i l t up as f o l l o w s . I t s f i r s t e lemen t was t h e p r e s s . I t s h o u l d be m e n t i o n e d h e r e that t h o u g h book pr int ing in R u s s i a o r i g i n a t e d in 1564 and t h e f i r s t R u s s i a n p r i n t e d newspaper was put o u t in 1702 , t h e mass p r e s s began t o fo rm o n l y in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e 19th c e n t u r y . In 1913 859 newspapers, w i t h a s i n g l e run o f 2 . 7 m i l l i o n c o p i e s , were b e i n g p u b l i s h e d . A f t e r t h e G r e a t O c t o b e r S o c i a l i s t R e v o l u - t i o n ( 1 9 1 7 ) t h e newspaper became an i m p o r t a n t c h a n n e l o f d i s - s e m i n a t i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n .

The t a b l e b e l o w shows t h e dynamics o f newspaper p r o d u c t i o n . ( 2 1 , 2 4 1

1928 1937 1950 1960 1970 1980

Numer o f newspapers 1197 8521 7831 9544 8694 8088 ( t i t l e s )

( m i l l . o f c o p i e s )

( m i l l . o f c o p i e s )

S i n g l e r u n s 9 . 4 36.2 36.0 68 .6 140 .7 176 .2

A n n u a l c i r c u l a t i o n 2000 7092 6998 15009 31176 40012

C h r o n o l o g i c a l l y , t h e r a d i o became t h e second component o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons system. The f i r s t R u s s i a n r a d i o s t a t i o n s were s e t up a t t h e e n d o f t h e 19th and t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y , but t h e y were i n t e n d e d f o r t h e d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f o n l y o f - f i c i a l i n f o r m a t i o n . From t h e f i r s t y e a r s o f t h e S o v i e t S t a t e t h e r a d i o s e r v e d n o t o n l y as a t e c h n o l o g i c a l means but a s o c i a l com- m u n i c a t i o n medium as w e l l . In 1922 V . I . L e n i n f o r m u l a t e d t h e

- 8 -

b a s i c p o i n t s o f t h e programme f o r t h e f u l l r a d i o f i c a t i o n o f t h e c o u n t r y and r e g u l a r b r o a d c a s t i n g began in 1924. r a d i o s e t s g r e w as f o l l o w s : ( in m i l l i o n s ) : i n 1928 - 0 . 0 7 ;

1979 - 66 .2 ( 2 1 , 2 2 1 .

The r a d i o n e t w o r k now c o v e r s t h e e n t i r e t e r r i t o r y o f t h e S o v i e t U n i o n . B r o a d c a s t i n g o f t h e 8 m a i n programmes i s conduc- t e d i n 68 l a n g u a g e s o f t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e USSR and 76 f o r e i g n

The number o f

1940 - 1 - 1 2 ; 1950 - 3 . 6 ; 1960 - 2 7 . 8 ; 1970 - 4 8 . 6 ; 1975 - 5 9 . 8 :

th ree-programme w i r e t r a n s m i s s i o n h a s been a r r a n g e d lanrages; i n O 0 c i t i e s ; s t e r e o p h o n i c t r a n s m i s s i o n i s becoming more and mor e w i de s p r e ad.

TV came as t h e t h i r d ( a n d l a s t ) component o f t h e mass com- m u n i c a t i o n s system, w i t h r e g u l a r TV b r o a d c a s t i n g b e g i n n i n g i n 1931 . The number o f TV s e t s g r e w as f o l l o w s : t h o u s . ; 1950 - 15 t h o u s . ; 1960 - 4 .8 m i l l . ; 1970 - 34.8 m i l l . ; 1975 - 55.2 m i l l . ; 1979 - 6 4 . 3 m i l l . ( 2 1 )

These data show t h a t a sharp a c c e l e r a t i o n o f t h e tempo o f TV deve lopment has t a k e n p l a c e i n t h e l a s t decades. W h i l e i n t h e m i d - f i f t i e s TV b r o a d c a s t s c o u l d b e wa tched o n l y by t h e dwel- l e r s o f Moscow and L e n i n g r a d , t o d a y a TV c e n t r e w i t h 1 3 1 program- mes, 380 p o w e r f u l and o t h e r TV r e t r a n s m i t t e r s a r e o p e r a t i n g . I t s h o u l d b e s t r e s s e d h e r e that such a q u a l i t a t i v e change in t h e s i t u a t i o n has made t h e p r o b l e m o f i n t e r a c t i o n o f t h e b o o k w i t h t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem p a r t i c u l a r l y p r e s s i n g , t h e c o r r e l a - t i o n o f r e a d i n g and TV w a t c h i n g a c q u i r i n g p a r t i c u l a r i m p o r t a n c e .

in 1940 - 0 . 4

P u b l i s h i n g and r e a d i n g o f books a r e a l s o w i d e l y s p r e a d in t h e USSR. In a sense t h e book can b e s a i d t o b e a m i c r o m o d e l o f c u l t u r e as a who le : ach ievemen ts o f n e a r l y a l l i t s a s p e c t s have f o u n d r e p r o d u c t i o n in t h e b o o k ; i t accumu la tes t h e e n t i r e c e n t u r i e s - o l d e x p e r i e n c e o f m a n k i n d a p p e a r i n g as i t s s o c i a l memory, T h a t i s why t h e l e v e l o f c u l t u r a l deve lopment o f a g i v e n s o c i e t y c a n b e j u d g e d by t h e s c a l e o f book p r o d u c t i o n and t h e ex- t e n t t o w h i c h r e a d i n g has s p r e a d in it. In 1913 , 30.079 t i t l e s o f books w i t h a t o t a l c i r c u l a t i o n o f 99.2 m i l l . c o p i e s were p u b l i s h e d , i n l a t e r y e a r s t h e o u t p u t o f books i n c r e a s e d as f o l - l o w s ( 2 1 , 2 4 ) :

1927 1940 1960 1980

Number o f t i t l e s ( t h o u s . )

T o t a l c i r c u l a t i o n ( m i l l . )

33.4 45.8 7 6 . 1 80 .7

226 462.2 1239.6 1760.5

- 9 -

In d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s t h e f u n c t i o n s o f t h e b o o k u n d e r w e n t m o d i f i c a t i o n s and changes. In t h e f i r s t y e a r s f o l l o w i n g t h e G r e a t O c t o b e r S o c i a l i s t R e v o l u t i o n t h e w i p i n g o u t o f i l l i t e r a c y became t h e b a s i c p r o b l e m and i t was t h e n tha t t h e image o f t h e book as a s o u r c e o f knowledge was e s t a b l i s h e d . In t h e p e r i o d o f i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n and c o l l e c t i v i z a t i o n o f a g r i c u l t u r e t h e q u e s t i o n was a l r e a d y n o t t h e s i m p l e f u n c t i o n a l m a s t e r y o f r e a d i n g s k i l l s but t h e a t t r a c t i n g o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n t o t h e r e g u l a r u s e o f books , t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l e d u c a t i o n o f t h e b r o a d s e c t i o n s o f t h e p u b l i c .

Today t h e p r a c t i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e book has b e e n r e - t a i n e d and even g a i n e d g r e a t e r i m p o r t a n c e u n d e r c o n d i t i o n s o f s c i e n t i f i c and t e c h n o l o g i c a l p r o g r e s s , B e s i d e s t h i s t h e i n t e l - l e c t u a l p r e s t i g e o f t h e book has i m m e a s u r a b l y grown, t h e same b e i n g t r u e of i t s s t a t u s as a symbo l o f c u l t u r e and i t s m o d e l . The book i s a r e p o s i t o r y o f i n t e l l e c t u a l v a l u e s , a means o f e d u c a t i o n and an a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a n t i n s o c i a l / e c o n o m i c and m o r a l p r o g r e s s .

The f o l l o w i n g t a b l e i l l u s t r a t e s t h e dynamics o f book p r o - d u c t i o n in a number o f b a s i c s u b j e c t f i e l d s . (The t o t a l c i r c u - l a t i o n i s g i v e n in m i l l i o n s o f c o p i e s ) . ( 2 4 )

P o l i t i c a l and s o c i o - e c onomi c 1 i t e r a tur e 1 2 7 . 3 215.2 159.6 207.3 220

N a t u r a l s c i e n c e li- t e r a t u r e 5 . 5 2 5 . 1 28 .6 4 2 . 6 50 .9

T e c h n o l o g i c a l l i t e r a t u r e 35.2 8 3 . 5 230.6 145.8 160.7

F i c t i o n , i n c l u d i n g c h i l d r e n ' s l i t e r a t u r e 46 .6 178.9 385.9 416.5 7 6 9 . 1

- in R u s s i a n 30.8 136.5 242.6 286.8 536 .4

- in l a n g u a g e s o f o t h e r p e o p l e s o f t h e USSR 10 .7 25.8 64.0 9 0 . 2 124.6

- in f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e s 5 . 1 1 6 . 6 7 9 . 4 39.5 1 0 8 . 1

In t h e USSR in 1979 , 80 ,500 t i t l e s were p u b l i s h e d , ( 7 0 ) as books and b o o k l e t s i n 60 l a n g u a g e s o f t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e USSR and 54 f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e s . T r a n s l a t i o n s f r o m 102 l a n g u a g e s o f t h e p e o p l e s o f t h e USSR and 48 f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e s a r e i n c l u d e d . ( 2 4 )

- 10 -

The USSR b e l o n g s t o t h e c o u n t r i e s w i t h t h e l a r g e s t book o u t p u t . The Unesco S t a t i s t i c a l Yearbook g i v e s t h e s e i n d i c a t o r s o f t h e book o u t p u t in d i f f e r e n t r e g i o n s o f t h e w o r l d f o r 1978 a c c o r d i n g t o t h e number o f t i t l e s p e r 1 m i l l i o n i n h a b i t a n t s ( 6 9 ) :

In t h e w o r l d ( o n t h e who le ) - 151

A f r i c a - 25 Europe - 600

2 59 A m e r i c a - 220 Ocean ia - A s i a - 49 USSR - 328

The number o f c o p i e s o f d a i l y newspapers p u b l i s h e d p e r 1 t h o u s a n d i n h a b i t a n t s i n 1978 was as f o l l o w s :

In t h e w o r l d ( o n t h e w h o l e ) - 136

A f r i c a - 2 1 Europe - 264

A m e r i c a - 158 Ocean ia - 264

A s i a - 72 USSR - 394

The management o f p u b l i s h i n g a c t i v i t i e s in t h e c o u n t r y i s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e USSR S t a t e Commit tee f o r P u b l i s h i n g , P r i n t i n g and t h e Book T rade ( G o s k o m i z d a t ) . When w o r k i n g o u t t h e U n i o n P l a n s o f p r i n t e d p r o d u c t i o n o u t p u t ,, Goskomizdat p r o v i d e s c e n t r a l i z a t i o n n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f i n t e n s i v e g r o w t h of book p u b l i s h i n g , and a t t h e same t i m e s p e c i a l i z a t i o n o f p u b l i s h i n g work : i m p r o v e s c o o r d i n a t i o n o f t h e p u b l i s h i n g houses, p o l y g r a p h i c works , book t r a d e o r g a n i z a t i o n s a c t i v i t i e s : and i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r b e t t e r m e e t i n g t h e S o v i e t p e o p l e ' s demand f o r books .

In t h e USSR, t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem d e v e l o p s w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l , c u l t u r a l and g e o g r a p h i c a l f e a t u - r e s o f each r e g i o n . Among t h e s p e c i f i c f a c t o r s t ha t have a subs- t a n t i a l i m p a c t u p o n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem a r e t h e f o l l o w i n g : enormous t e r r i t o r y and g e o g r a p h i c d i v e r s i t y of t h e r e g i o n s ( i n c l u d i n g t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a l m o s t in- a c c e s s i b l e a r e a s ) : m u l t i n a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n , and, a c c o r d i n g l y , l i n g u i s t i c and c u l t u r a l d i v e r s i t y . T h i s e x p l a i n s some d i s p r o p o r t i o n s in t h e deve lopment o f c e r t a i n mass m e d i a as w e l l as t h e d i f f e r e n t i a t e d u s e o f commun ica t i on c h a n n e l s i n d i f - f e r e n t g e o g r a p h i c a l a r e a s . Thus in some s e t t l e m e n t s ( e . g . in t h e m o u n t a i n s , i n t h e Far N o r t h ) t h e d e l i v e r y o f newspapers i s a d i f - f i c u l t e n t e r p r i s e . B e s i d e s t h i s , h i t h e r t o n o t a l l d i s t r i c t s o f t h e c o u n t r y h a v e e n t e r e d t h e zone o f r e l i a b l e TV r e c e p t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , r e g a r d l e s s o f d i f f i c u l t i e s o f t h i s k i nd t h e o v e r - whe lm ing m a j o r i t y o f S o v i e t p e o p l e u s e a l l , o r n e a r l y a l l , mass me dia.

- 11 -

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e s u l t s o f s e v e r a l s u r v e y s c o n d u c t e d in t h e l a t e ?Os, in c i t i e s t h e r e a r e 90 r a d i o s e t s , 89 TV s e t s p e r h u n d r e d f a m i l i e s . The f i g u r e s f o r r u r a l d i s t r i c t s a r e 72 and 67 r e s p e c t i v e l y ( 1 7 ) , 96-99% o f t h e urban p o p u l a t i o n l i s t e n t o t h e r a d i o ; 91-95% w a t c h t h e TV; 94-96% r e a d newspapers ( 1 5 1 7 ) . Our s u r v e y p r o v e d t h a t 8 9 5 o f t h e urban and 75% o f t h e r u r a l p o p u l a t i o n r e a d books more o r l e s s r e g u l a r l y ,

The a n a l y s i s o f s t a t i s t i c a l data r e v e a l s t h e i n n e r dynamics o f t h e mass med ia , w h i c h t a k e n t o g e t h e r c o n s t i t u t e a r a p i d l y t r a n s - f o r m i n g sys tem. The i n t r o d u c t i o n o f new t e c h n o l o g y makes i t pos- s i b l e t o mee t t h e many-s ided demands o f t h e p e o p l e i n i n f o r m a t i o n , r e d u c i n g t o a minimum s p a t i a l and t i m e b a r r i e r s o n t h e way t o i t s d i s s e m i n a t i o n and usage.

The w i d e n i n g a p p l i c a t i o n o f t e c h n i c a l means o f commun ica t i on ( c a b l e and c a s s e t t e TV, f o r examp le ) w i l l l e a d t o t h e more adequate d e t e r m i n i n g o f f u n c t i o n s o f s e p a r a t e e l e m e n t s o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons s y s t e m and t o t h e s o p h i s t i c a t i o n o f t h e sys- tem o n t h e who le . A p p a r e n t l y t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem w i l l i n t h e n e a r f u t u r e u n d e r g o q u a l i t a t i v e changes, w h i c h w i l l c a l l f o r a new i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and c o n c e p t u a l comprehens ion .

2 . THE FUTURE O F THE BOOK: SOME CONCEPTS AND FORECASTS

In c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e deve lopment o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons system, t h e n e e d a r o s e t o s p e c i f y more f u l l y t h e s o c i a l f u n c t i o n s of such means o f s o c i a l i m p a c t w i t h a l o n g h i s t o r y o f t r a d i t i o n s as t h e p r e s s , t h e book f i r s t of a l l . S o c i a l c r i t i c s usua l l y f o r - m u l a t e d t h e i r p o i n t o f v i e w in t h e f i e l d when t h e y t u r n e d t o t h e q u e s t i o n of t h e r o l e o f t h e book in t h e f u t u r e s o c i e t y ,

The s o c i o l o g i s t s o f d i f f e r e n t n a t i o n s studying t h e mass m e d i a u s u a l l y e x p r e s s t w o d i f f e r e n t v i e w s o n t h e c u r r e n t s i t u a t i o n in t h e f i e l d . The a d v o c a t e s o f t h e f i r s t p o s i t i o n t r y t o p r o v e t h a t i f n o t dea th , t h e n t h e abrupt weaken ing o f t h e r o l e o f t h e book in c o n t e m p o r a r y s o c i e t y i s i n e v i t a b l e . They speak o f t h e l o w p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e book and o f t h e l a c k o f a s t a b l e o r i e n t a - t i o n t o w a r d s s y s t e m a t i c r e a d i n g among t h e w i d e p u b l i c . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e numerous s t u d i e s o f r e a d i n g c a r r i e d o u t in t h e d e v e l o p e d c o u n t r i e s o f E u r o p e and Amer i ca i n t h e 60s and ?Os, t h e s h a r e o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n tha t r e g u l a r l y r e a d s books f l u c t u a t e s f r o m 25 t o 50 p e r c e n t . A p p r o x i m a t e l y one h a l f o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e s e c o u n t r i e s does n o t r e a d books a t a l l . An i n t e r n a t i o n a l s u r v e y of t h e b u d g e t o f l e i s u r e t i m e o f t h e urban and suburban p o p u l a - t i o n s , in 1 2 c o u n t r i e s showed t h a t in most o f them t h e r e a d i n g o f books OCCU i e s a modest p l a c e as compared w i t h t h e usage o f mass m e d i a ( 3 P . t h e o n e - s i d e d c o n c l u s i o n t ha t t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e book in modern c u l t u r e i s flagging.

I t i s o n t h e s e g r o u n d s t h a t many a u t h o r s come t o

- 12 -

The p o i n t o f v i e w p ropounded by Canadian s o c i a l p h i l o s o p h e r M. McLuhan (56 ,5?) , i s p a r t i c u l a r l y w e l l known. U n l i k e t h e m a j o - r i t y o f s c h o l a r s , who examine t h e mass m e d i a as a s o r t o f un i ty , McLuhan has made an a t t e m p t t o c h a r a c t e r i z e t h e s p e c i f i c f e a t u r e s o f t h e d i f f e r e n t c h a n n e l s . I n k e e p i n g w i t h h i s t h e o r y , t h e h i s t o r y o f mank ind , in t e r m s o f means and t y p e s o f communica t ion , c a n b e d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e p e r i o d s . The f i r s t i s t h e s o - c a l l e d " t r i b a l " p e r i o d when o r a l commun ica t i on was p r e d o m i n a n t . In t h e second p e r i o d t h e p h o n e t i c a l p h a b e t came i n t o b i e n g , v i s u a l com- m u n i c a t i o n began t o p r e v a i l o v e r o t h e r f o r m s o f commun ica t i on and book pr in t ing o r i g i n a t e d . B u t t o d a y t h e w o r l d , f u n c t i o n i n g on t h e b a s i s o f a p h o n e t i c a l p h a b e t , w r i t t e n l a n g u a g e and book p r i n t - ing, ind iv idua l l y o r i e n t e d p e r c e p t i o n and l o g i c a l l y c o n s i s t e n t thinking has e x h a u s t e d i t s e l f s i n c e t h e f i l m , r a d i o and TV have emerged. T h i s m a r k e d t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e t h i r d p e r i o d , t h a t o f e l e c t r o n i c communica t ion o r t h e TV age. A c c o r d i n g t o McLuhan, w i t h t h e s p r e a d i n g o f TV t h e w o r l d i s u n d e r g o i n g t h e m o s t p r o f o u n d r e v o l u t i o n . Space and t i m e do n o t c o u n t and t h e w o r l d i s r e d u c e d t o t h e s m a l l e s t d i m e n s i o n s p o s s i b l e . The a l l - p o w e r f u l TV i s o u s t i n g t h e w r i t t e n word, w h i c h f o r m a n y c e n t u r i e s d e t e r m i n e d t h e "dynamics o f Wes te rn c i v i l i z a t i o n " . I t a b o l i s h e s t h e f e e l i n g o f " s e l f - i d e n t i t y " , " s e l f - a u t h e n t i c i t y " o f t h e ind iv idua l , uniting a l l p e o p l e i n t o a s i n g l e b o d y in c o n t r a s t t o t h e p r i n t e d word t h a t f r a c t i o n s t h e aud ience . A r e v i v a l o f t h e o r a l t r a d i t i o n , t h e r e t u r n t o t h e v a l u e s o f t h e t r i b a l sys tem i s i n e v i d e n c e . T h a t i s why t h e book and book pr int ing a r e doomed, s t a t e s McLuhan.

In h i s f o r e c a s t s o n t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e book h e i s n o t a l o n e . F o r example, commun ica t i ons sys tems s p e c i a l i s t S . Cornberg , a r a d i c a l p r o f i e t in t h e f i e l d o f l i b r a r y t e c h n o l o g y d e c l a r e d t h a t " r e a d i n g and writ ing w i l l become o b s o l e t e s k i l l s " . ( 6 7 )

Copperman ( 4 5 ) ; W. B e l s o n (42) a l s o speaks o f t h e f lagging p o p u l a r i t y o f r e a d i n g and t h e dec rease in l i b r a r y usage .

A s i m i l a r i d e a i s p ropounded by D. Riesman ( 6 1 ) and P.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , we a r e o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h o s e s o c i a l s c i e n t i s t s , who a t t e m p t t o a s s e r t t h e " d e c l i n e " o f t h e book and f o r e c a s t t h e f u r t h e r f lagging o f i t s r o l e i n t h e sys tem o f s o c i a l commun ica t i on i s b a s e d m e r e l y o n t h e a n a l y s i s o f q u a n t i t a t i v e i n d i c a t o r s o f t h e i n t e r - r e l a t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t com- m u n i c a t i o n c h a n n e l s . A t y p i c a l example o f such an approach i s a s t a t e m e n t , made by t h e we l l - known f u t u r o l o g i s t A . T o f f l e r , t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t due t o t h e i n c r e d i b l e e x p a n s i o n o f knowledge, each book t ha t appears o n t h e m a r k e t c o n t a i n s a p r o g r e s s i v e l y s m a l l e r f r a c t i o n o f a l l tha t i s known (67 ) . S t i l l t h e r o l e and s i g n i f i c a n - ce o f a book a r e d e t e r m i n e d n o t so much by i t s s i z e as by t h e va- l u e and u n t r i v i a l qua l i t y o f t h e knowledge i t c o n t a i n s ,

- 1 3 -

Y e t t h e r e a l s o e x i s t s a q u i t e d i f f e r e n t app roach t o t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e p r e s e n t r o l e o f t h e book w i t h i n t h e mass communica t ions sys tem. A member o f e x p e r t s ( R . B a r k e r , R . E s c a r p i t , A . S c h l e s i n g e r ) a r e o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t t h e r e a r e n o s u f f i c i e n t g r o u n d s f o r f o r e c a s t i n g t h e " d e c l i n e " o f book c u l t u r e : w h a t we a r e w i t n e s s i n g t o d a y i s a new t u r n i n g - p o i n t i n i t s f u n c t i o n a l deve lopment . As t h e works o f R. Brower , J. C u r r a n , M. J a n o w i t z and G. McEvoy (43,48,52,55) show, t h e appearance o f new mass m e d i a does n o t u n d e r m i n e t h e p o s i t i o n o f t r a d i t i o n a l ones. The d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f f u n c t i o n s f r e e s t h e r e l a t i o n s be tween t h e mass m e d i a o f r i v a l r y (53 ,54) . The d e v e l o p - ment of new mass m e d i a does n o t i n any w a y c rowd o u t t h e conven- t i o n a l f o r m s o f communica t ion , w h a t more i t can f a v o u r t h e i r development and p o p u l a r i z a t i o n : t h u s among t h e u n e x p e c t e d e f - f e c t s o f TV, McLuhan c i t e s t h e g r e a t i n c r e a s e in t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f a number o f j o u r n a l s ( "T ime" , "Newsweek") ; t h e i r c i r c u l a t i o n s have more than d o u b l e d s i n c e TV w i t h o u t any v i s i b l e e f f o r t s a t s u b s c r i p t i o n ( 5 6 ) . The p o s i t i o n o f t h o s e a u t h o r s , who c o n s i d e r t h e compar i son o f books w i t h o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n s o u r c e s o n l y on t h e b a s i s o f q u a n t i t a t i v e c r i t e r i a t o be i n a d e q u a t e seems t o be w e l l g rounded: r e a d i n g does n o t s t a n d in t h e same f u n c t i o n a l ar ray w i t h t h e u s e o f mass med ia .

The m a s t e r i n g o f book c u l t u r e c a n sooner be c o n s i d e r e d a s i n e qua n o n f o r i nd i v idua l c o p i n g w i t h mass commun ica t i ons systems. T h i s i d e a i s s u p p o r t e d by t h e r e s u l t s o f numerous in- q u i r i e s i n t o t h e c o n n e c t i o n be tween t h e r e a d i n g o f books and t h e u s e o f o t h e r c h a n n e l s o f commun ica t i on . I t was shown t h a t t h o s e who r e g u l a r l y r e a d books u s e t h e mass m e d i a more a c t i v e l y ; t h e y a r e a l s o apt t o be more s e r i o u s and c r i t i c a l t o w a r d s t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h e y a r e o f f e r e d .

S o v i e t s c h o l a r s do n o t s h a r e t h e p e s s i m i s t i c v i e w o f t h e f u t u r e o f t h e book c i v i l i z a t i o n . The book o c c u p i e s one t h e c a r d i n a l p o s i t i o n s in modern c u l t u r e and, w h i l e i t u n d e r g o e s c e r t a i n m o d i f i c a t i o n and p romotes t h e deve lopment o f mass med ia , i t s t i l l r e t a i n s i t s dominant p o s i t i o n . A n d t h o u g h i t passes some o f i t s f u n c t i o n s t o t h e mass med ia , by n o means does i t r e t i r e i n t o t h e backg round : t h e e s s e n t i a l f u n c t i o n s o f t h e b o o k r e m a i n , m a n i f e s t i n g t h e m s e l v e s in a more a u t h e n t i c f o r m .

F o r e c a s t i n g t h e f u t u r e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e book , S o v i e t s c h o l a r s s u b s t a n t i a t e t h e i r app roach by t h e i d e a o f t h e f u r t h e r d i v i s i o n o f f u n c t i o n s w i t h i n t h e mass m e d i a sphere , t h e a c q u i - s i t i o n o f new f e a t u r e s and c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s by t h e book . Ca l l i ng i n t o q u e s t i o n a l l p r o p h e c i e s o f t h e b o o k ' s d o w n f a l l , S o v i e t s o c i a l s c i e n t i s t s p o i n t o u t that t h e s e f o r e c a s t s f a i l t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t some i m p o r t a n t s p e c i f i c f e a t u r e s o f t h e mass m e d i a b o t h in s o c i a l and p e r s o n a l a s p e c t s . P r i n t e d s o u r c e s , as compared t o t h e newer a u d i o v i s u a l med ia , r e t a i n t h e i r c h i e f advantages , C o v e r i n g and p r o c e s s i n g t h e mos t v a l u a b l e l a y e r s o f h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e , r e t a i n i n g and r e p r o d u c i n g them, t h e b o o k r e s e r v e s f o r i t s e l f t h e f u n c t i o n o f s p e c i a l i z e d f u n d a m e n t a l g e n e r a l i z a t i o n , an i n - d e p t h c r e a t i v e comprehens ion o f . r e a l i t y . A c t u a l l y t h e r e a r e p r a c t i c a l l y n o g r o u n d s f o r assuming t h a t t h i s s i t u a t i o n w i l l change due t o t h e appearance o f e s s e n t i a l l y new

t e c h n i c a l means o f s t o r i n g and commun ica t i ng s o c i a l l y mean ing- f u l i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e n e a r f u t u r e .

A p a r t f r o m t h i s , t h e p r e s s , and books in p a r t i c u l a r , boas-t o f a number o f i m p o r t a n t advantages o v e r t h e o t h e r mass m e d i a : r e a d i n g mee ts t h e c o g n i t i v e demands o f m a n mos t f u l l y and i t depends u p o n t h e ind iv idual h i m s e l f how l o n g h i s r e a d i n g s e s s i o n w i l l l a s t . He can choose t h e theme h e wan ts and h e can r e t u r n t o w h a t h e h a s r e a d in o r d e r t o g r a s p t h e mean ing o f t h e t e x t more f u l l y .

The r e s u l t s y i e l d e d by t h i s r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t make i t pos - s i b l e t o examine t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e r o l e o f t h e book in mass commun ica t i ons sys tems o n t h e b a s i s o f c o n c r e t e m a t e r i a l .

3. RESEARCH O F THE MASS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM I N THE USSR

The m u l t i - a s p e c t s t u d y of t h e mass communica t ions sys tem as a whole, and o f i t s v a r i o u s e lemen ts , began t o deveaop ex- p a n s i v e l y in t h e m i d d l e s i x t i e s , when t h e bui ld ing o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem was c o m p l e t e d in t h e USSR. S p e c i a l m e n t i o n s h o u l d be made o f t h e f o l l o w i n g p r o j e c t s : inquiry o f t h e a t t i t u d e of t h e L e n i n g r a d p o p u l a t i o n t o d i f f e r e n t mass m e d i a c a r r i e d o u t by t h e L e n i n g r a d S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ( 3 2 ) , w h i c h h e l p e d t o d e t e r m i n e t h e a t t i t u d e of r e c i p i e n t s t o w a r d s d i f f e r e n t mass m e d i a and t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h e s e c h a n n e l s a r e a c t w a l l y used : s u r v e y o f s o c i a l o p i n i o n , c a r r i e d o u t by t h e I n s t i t u t e o f S o c i o l o g i c a l S t u d i e s o f t h e USSR Academy o f S c i e n c e s in Taganrog (15) in t h e c o u r s e o f w h i c h t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e mass m e d i a and usage o f b r o a d c a s t i n f o r m a t i o n was a n a l y s e d : complex o f s t u d i e s o f c u l t u r a l a c t i v i - t i e s l a u n c h e d by t h e I n s t i t u t e o f Economics o f t h e U r a l Research C e n t r e of t h e USSR Academy o f S c i e n c e s ( 1 4 ) and a s e r i e s o f in- q u i r i e s c o n d u c t e d by t h e I n s t i t u t e f o r Socio-Economic P rob lems in L e n i n g r a d ( 1 7 ) .

S e v e r a l s t u d i e s d e a l i n g w i t h l e i s u r e t i m e y i e l d e d v a l u a b l e r e s u l t s . In t h e f i r s t p l a c e i t was t h e e x a m i n a t i o n o f l e i s u r e t i m e p r o p e r ( 6 ) ; i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d y o f t h e t i m e b u d g e t ( 3 ) ; e x a m i n a t i o n o f s o c i a l i s s u e s o f e v e r y d a y l i f e and n o n - w o r k i n g t i m e o n t h e b a s i s o f m a t e r i a l s c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e t i m e b u d g e t s o f w o r k e r s in b ig c i t i e s , o f t h e European part o f t h e USSR ( 5 ) .

The r e s e a r c h o n t h e a u d i e n c e o f d i f f e r e n t mass media, t h e TV a u d i e n c e f i r s t o f a l l , y i e l d e d s i g n i f i c a n t r e s u l t s . The exa- m i n a t i o n s o f TV a u d i e n c e s o f Moscow ( 9 ) , L e n i n g r a d ( 3 0 ) and t h e S v e r d l o v s k r e g i o n ( 1 2 ) dese rve s p e c i a l m e n t i o n .

h a v e been c a r r i e d o u t by t h e S t a t e L e n i n Library. S y s t e m a t i c Ear l ier we a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d s t u d i e s o f r e a d i n g h a b i t s , w h i c h

- 15 -

work in t h i s f i e l d i s a l s o b e i n g c a r r i e d o u t by t h e L e n i n g r a d S t a t e I n s t i t u t e o f C u l t u r e , t h e S a l t y k o v - S h c h e d r i n S t a t e P u b l i c Library in L e n i n g r a d , t h e Moscow S t a t e I n s t i t u t e o f C u l t u r e and t h e S t a t e R e p u b l i c a n J u v e n i l e Library in Moscow. S i m i l a r a c t i v i t i e s a r e a l s o c o n d u c t e d by t h e S t a t e l i b r a r i e s o f t h e U n i o n r e p u b l i c s . The S t a t e L e n i n Library a c t s as t h e c o o r d i n a t - ing c e n t r e f o r r e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t e s and agenc ies , w h i c h study t h e s e p rob lems .

S t u d i e s o f t h e newspaper a u d i e n c e make up a s p e c i a l s c i e n - t i f i c a rea . The o r i e n t a t i o n s and p r e f e r e n c e s o f u s e r s o f some c e n t r a l newspapers were e x p l o r e d by t h e I n s t i t u t e o f S o c i o l o g i c a l S t u d i e s o f t h e USSR Academy o f S c i e n c e s . S i m i l a r s u r v e y s were c o n d u c t e d in t h e E s t o n i a n SSR, B a z h k i r SSR and in o t h e r r e g i o n s of t h e c o u n t r y .

The r e s u l t s o f t h i s r e s e a r c h h e l p e d u s t o come t o a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f some i m p o r t a n t f e a t u r e s o f t h e mass m e d i a a u d i e n c e and o n t h e c o r r e l a t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t c h a n n e l s . Thus t h e f o u n d a t i o n f o r a d e t a i l e d and i n - d e p t h study o f t h e i n t e r - a c t i o n o f t h e book w i t h t h e mass m e d i a was b u i l t up,

4. RESEARCH METHODS AND MANAGEMENT

The r e s e a r c h work was s u b d i v i d e d i n t o s e v e r a l s t a g e s . A t t h e f i r s t s t a g e i t s o b j e c t was t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f s m a l l t owns - where a c o n s i d e r a b l e par t of t h e w h o l e urban p o p u l a t i o n r e s i d e s . Respondents were s e l e c t e d by s a m p l i n g f r o m d i f f e r e n t r e g i o n s w i t h r e g a r d a l s o t o such c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s as r e s p o n d e n t s ' e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l and s o c i a l and o c c u p a t i o n a l s ta tus . The breakdown o f adul t p o p u l a t i o n i n t o o c c u p a t i o n s was done in acco rdance w i t h t h e m a i n c l a s s i f i c a t i o n g r o u p s in t h e s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e : w o r k e r s , c o l l e c - t i v e f a r m e r s , o f f i c e w o r k e r s ( i n c l u d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s ) , p e n s i o n - e r s , s t u d e n t s (more than 7 y e a r s o l d ) . T a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t t h e f u n c t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e o f t owns t o make t h e sample more r e p r e s e n t - a t i v e , 24 towns s i t u a t e d in d i f f e r e n t a d m i n i s t r a t i v e and economic r e g i o n s were s e l e c t e d . The r e a l t i o n o f t h e sample t o t h e g e n e r a l s e t p r o v e d t o be o f high r e p r e s e n t a t i v i t y ( a v e r a g e e r r o r n o t more than 3 p e r c e n t ) .

The second s t a g e was d e v o t e d t o t h e c o u n t r y aud ience w h i c h g i v e s a most c l e a r p i c t u r e o f mass m e d i a i m p a c t o n book r e a d i n g . The who le v i l l a g e p o p u l a t i o n o l d e r than 7 y e a r s was t a k e n as t h e g e n e r a l s e t . The r e p r e s e n t a t i v e sample s e l e c t i o n was c a r r i e d o u t in t w o s t e p s . F i r s t p o p u l a t e d a r e a s f r o m a l l 18 a d m i n i s t r a - t i v e and economic r e g i o n s o f t h e c o u n t r y were s e l e c t e d . Then f a m i l i e s o f r e s p o n d e n t s were r a n d o m l y chosen. The maximum e r r o r a t t h i s s t a g e was 6 p e r c e n t .

- A c c o r d i n g t o t h e t y p o l o g y a d o p t e d in t h e USSR t h e s e a r e t o w n s w i t h l e s s than 50 t h o u s a n d p o p u l a t i o n .

- 16 -

A t t h e t h i r d s t a g e t h e r e s e a r c h e r s s u r v e y e d w o r k i n g p o p u l a - t i o n o f m i d d l e and l a r g e c i t i e s having i n m i n d t h e l e a d i n g r o l e o f t h i s s o c i a l c l a s s c o m p r i s i n g 60 ,5 p e r c e n t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n . I n t e r v i e w i n g o f t h e w o r k e r s was e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g f o r t h e p r e s e n t r e s e a r c h s i n c e among t h e i r c o n s i d e r a b l e number were r e - c e n t m i g r a n t s f r o m t h e c o u n t r y s i d e .

A t t h i s s t a g e t h e s e l e c t i o n was made n o t by f a m i l i e s but by i n d u s t r i a l e n t e r p r i s e s . I t c o v e r e d t h e m a j o r i n d u s t r i e s - heavy , l i g h t and i n d u s t r i a l c o n s t r u c t i o n . Work ing teams a t en- t e r p r i s e s were s e l e c t e d taking i n t o a c c o u n t t h e n a t u r e o f oc- c u p a t i o n a l tasks and t h e s k i l l o f d i f f e r e n t g r o u p s o f w o r k e r s . They were i n t e r v i e w e d i n t o t a l i n o r d e r t o g e t i n f o r m a t i o n r e c e n t m i g r a n t s as w e l l as w o r k e r s .

The b a s i c s o u r c e o f e m p i r i c a l data were i n t e r v i e w s . Some aux i l i a ry t e c h n i q u e s were u s e d depend ing on t h e t a s k s o f each s t a g e . F o r example s p e c i a l c o n t r o l r a d i o and TV t r a n s m i s s i o n s and s u r v e y s a f t e r t hem were a r r a n g e d t o f i n d o u t t h e i m p a c t o f r a d i o and TV o n r e a d i n g . A t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s d i f f e r e n t mass m e d i a and t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e p r e s t i g e were s t u d i e d by means o f q u e s t i o n - n a i r e s . The l a r g e amount o f documents thus o b t a i n e d a l l o w e d t o make a t h o r o u g h dynamic a n a l y s i s o f t h e u s e o f v a r i o u s mass m e d i a by d i f f e r e n t p o p u l a t i o n g r o u p s .

The p r e s e n t r e p o r t i s b a s e d o n t h e data o f a l l t h e t h r e e s t a g e s o f t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n . B e s i d e s t h e r e s u l t s f r o m t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o n mass m e d i a t ha t t o o k p l a c e i n t h e USSR during t h e l a s t decades have been r e v i e w e d .

5. THEORETICAL PREMISES

The i n v e s t i g a t i o n was b a s e d on a c e r t a i n number o f p r e l i m i n a r y n o t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e n a t u r e o f commun ica t i on processes ; f u n c t i o n s o f d i f f e r e n t c h a n n e l s , s p e c i f i c f e a t u r e s o f mass commun ica t i on as such and o f e a c h mass medium w i t h i n them.

U r b a n i z a t i o n was a c c e p t e d as t h e b a s i c s o c i a l p r o c e s s whose t h e o r e t i c a l m o d e l c a n s e r v e an e x p l a n a t o r y f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e study. U r b a n i z a t i o n c a n be r e g a r d e d as a soc ioeconomic and s o c i o - c u l t u r a l p r o c e s s c o n s i s t i n g o f t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f p e o p l e and means o f p r o d u c t i o n i n c i t i e s , on one hand, and t h e s p r e a d and c o n s o l i d a t i o n o f t h e urban way o f l i f e , o n t h e o t h e r . In o t h e r words as t h e r e s u l t o f t h e a c t i o n o f t h e o b j e c t i v e l a w s o f p r o - d u c t i o n n o t o n l y t h e m a t e r i a l and e v e r y d a y c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e i n t e n s i v e l y assume new f o r m s but t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f c o n s c i e n c e and s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s u n d e r g o deep t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s .

A t t h e turn o f t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y urban p o p u l a t i o n in R u s s i a was 15 p e r c e n t o f t h e t o t a l . The e n d o f t h e t w e n t i e s and t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e t h i r t i e s s a w l a r g e s c a l e s o c i a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s

- 17 -

l e a d i n g t o t h e r a p i d g r o w t h of c i t i e s . Nowadays 6 3 p e r c e n t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n d w e l l s in c i t i e s and 76 p e r c e n t work t h e r e ( 2 3 ) . In urban a r e a s more than 96 p e r c e n t o f i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i o n i s c o n c e n t r a t e d , t h e m a j o r pa r t o f i t b e i n g in c i t i e s w i t h more than 500 t h o u s a n d p e o p l e each. Annually, more than 3 m i l l i o n p e o p l e a r e r e s e t t l e d i n c i t i e s and t h i s p r o c e s s i s b e i n g i n t e n s i f i e d . The annual urban p o p u l a t i o n i n c r e a s e was 1.4 m i l l i o n in 1960- 1965, 1 . 7 in 1966-1970 and a l m o s t 2 m i l l i o n b e g i n n i n g 1970 ( 2 0 ) . U p g r a d i n g o f t h e g e n e r a l and s p e c i a l e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l and d i f - f e r e n t i a t i o n o f c u l t u r a l f o r m s a r e mos t i n t e n s i v e i n l a r g e c i t i e s .

I t s h o u l d be n o t i c e d t h a t a d o p t i o n o f t h e urban w a y o f l i f e n e e d n o t b e n e c e s s a r i l y l i n k e d w i t h m i g r a t i o n t o c i t i e s . I t i s more e s s e n t i a l when non-u rban s t r a t a a d o p t u r b a n i z e d c u l t u r a l p a t t e r n s .

U r b a n i z a t i o n a l s o r e s h a p e s a l l f o r m s o f s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s . T h e i r s t r u c t u r e mus t respond- t o t h e g r e a t e r c o m p l e x i t y o f s o c i a i l i f e , eno rmous ly i n c r e a s e d dependence o f i nd i v idua l l i f e o n t h e tempo and r h y t h m o f s o c i a l l i f e , p l u r a l i s m and f l u i d i t y o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f e x i s t e n c e .

P r e v a l e n c e o f immed ia te e x p e r i e n c e and m i g h t y i n f l u e n c e o f t h e c l o s e s t s o c i a l e n v i r o n m e n t ( m a i n l y in t h e f o r m o f t r a d i t i o n s ) was c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f o r t h e t r a d i t i o n a l w a y o f l i f e ( f o r i n s t a n c e in a g r i c u l t u r a l communes) and w r i t t e n c u l t u r e had n o p l a c e among t h o s e who l i v e d by o r a l t r a d i t i o n - . O n l y t h o s e g r o u p s t ha t have a l r e a d y l o s t t h e t r a d i t i o n a l mechanisms o f t r a n s l a t i n g s p e c i a l ex - p e r i e n c e o r a r e l o s i n g them a r e exposed t o new u r b a n - t y p e means of s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n and t o w r i t t e n t e x t s among them, T h i s i s c h a r a c - t e r i s t i c o f t h e second and t h e subsequent g e n e r a t i o n o f m i g r a n t s w h i l e t h e f i r s t one i s s t i l l o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t h e o l d p r e m i g r a t i o n p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v i o u r and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f r e a l i t y .

H. D i a s Bordenave summarized v a s t m a t e r i a l on p e n e t r a t i o n of mass m e d i a t o t h e c o u n t r y s i d e in many c o u n t r i e s t o show that t h e highly i n t e n s i v e u s e o f v a r i o u s c h a n n e l s s t r o n g l y c o r r e l a t e s w i t h s o c i a l and c d t u r a l deve lopment o f t h e v i l l a g e ( 5 0 ) .

U r b a n l i f e i s dynamic. A n urban r e s i d e n t o f t e n f i n d s h i m s e l f in s i t u a t i o n s c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e changed ways o f e x i s t e n c e . T r a d i t i o n s and cus tomary r u l e s s a n c t i f i e d by t h e a u t h o r i t y o f e l d e r s c a n ' t a lways s e r v e as s u f f i c i e n t o r i e n t a t i o n . I n d i v i d u a l

- O r a l commun ica t i on was h i s t o r i c a l l y t h e f i r s t and i t p r e v a i l e d i n p r i m i t i v e communal s o c i e t i e s , when human c o l l e c t i v i t i e s were s m a l l and s o c i a l e x p e r i e n c e was r a t e r u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d . Cu l tu ra l h e r i t a g e was t r a n s l a t e d t h r o u g h i m i t a t i o n o f t h e s t e r e o t y p e d p a t t e r n s o f b e h a v i o u r as w e l l as immed ia te o r a l commun ica t i on . Writing appeared a t a l a t e r s t a g e , The w r i t t e n t e x t d i f f e r s f r o m speech in such a way that i t does n o t r e q u i r e d i r e c t con- t a c t s and t h e r e f o r e i s more a b s t r a c t and can e x p r e s s u n i v e r s a l mean ings .

- 18 -

e x p e r i e n c e i s more and more s u p p o r t e d and s u b s t i t u t e d by know- l e d g e b r o u g h t a b o u t t h r o u g h p e r i o d i c a l s , r a d i o , TV, m o v i e s and books . In c i t i e s w i t h g r o w i n g d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f a c t i v i t i e s and s p e c i a l i z a t i o n s o f r e l a t i o n s h i p s ( f o r example, p r o f e s s i o n a l ) , a u n i v e r s a l sys tem o f mass commun ica t i on i s fo rmed.

Mass commun ica t i on t e x t s f u l f i l an i n t e g r a t i v e f u n c t i o n They c a n work i f p e o p l e o f whom " t h e mass aud ience" c o n s i s t s have more o r l e s s same s o c i a l ( p o l i t i c a l , n a t i o n a l , o c c u p a t i o n a l , c u l t u r a l , e t c . ) e x p e r i e n c e and access t o a c e r t a i n l e v e l o f e d u c a t i o n and consumpt ion o f c u l t u r a l v a l u e s . The h i s t o r i c a l y f i r s t e l e m e n t o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem were p e r i o d i c a l s (newspapers, magaz ines ) and mass c i r c u l a t i o n f i c t i o n . R a d i o and TV come t o t h e scene much l a t e r - . They came t o b e i n g in r e s p o n s e t o t h e i n a b i l i t y o f p e r i o d i c a l s t o s e r v e f u l l y t h e i n f o r m a t i o n n e e d o f a l l s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l l a y e r s i n a r a p i d l y u r b a n i z i n g and d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g s o c i e t y . In such a s o c i e t y an e v e r g r o w i n g par t o f t h e p o p u l a c e l e a v e s c u s t o m a r y ways o f l i f e and means o f c u l t u r a l t r a n s l a t i o n but a t t h e same t i m e i t c a n ' t c o m p l e t e l y pass f r o m i m m e d i a t e i n t e r p e r s o n a l f o r m s o f c u l t u r a l exchange t o highly g e n e r a l i z e d and r a t i o n a l i z e d w r i t t e n f o r m s , Such g r o u p s n e e d t e x t s r e p r o d u c i n g c o n c r e t e s i t u a t i o n s and mass p r o d u c t i o n o f s u c h t e x t s i s r e a l i z e d by r a d i o , TV and mov ies .

S oc i o c u l t u r a l d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n b r e a k s t h e communic a t i on f l o w i n t o a mass s t r e a m a d d r e s s e d t o an u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d a u d i e n c e and a s p e c i a l i z e d s t r e a m r e c e i v e d by that part o f t h e a u d i e n c e w h i c h i s more p r e p a r e d , B o t h s t r e a m s b e l o n g t o t h e modern t y p e u r b a n i z e d c u l t u r e M u l t i l e v e l e d n a t u r e o f w r i t t e n c u l t u r e i s thus s t r e n g t h - ened and p e r p e t u a t e d . I t s l e v e l s d i f f e r a c c o r d i n g t o t h e degree o f u n i v e r s a l i t y and g e n e r a l i t y f r o m s p e c i a l i z e d messages; addres- s e d p o t e n t i a l l y t o everyone, t o t h o s e having s p e c i f i c mean ings and a d d r e s s e d t o a n a r r o w l y d e f i n e d a u d i e n c e o f e x p e r t s . One end o f t h e c o n t i n u u m i s r e p r e s e n t e d by mass p e r i o d i c a l s , t h e o t h e r by s c i e n t i f i c j o u r n a l s . Many p u b l i c a t i o n s f a l l i n between and some o f them f u n c t i o n as mass m e d i a w h i l e o t h e r s do n o t .

In mass commun ica t i on r e s e a r c h a l l p u b l i c a t i o n s as a who le o r even t h e book as such a r e r e g a r d e d as an e lemen t o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons system. However i t c o n c e a l s t h e m u l t i l e v e l e d na- t u r e o f w r i t t e n c u l t u r e . We i n s i s t o n v i e w i n g o n l y p e r i o d i c a l s as an e l e m e n t o f t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem and even that b e i n g l e s s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f o r i t than r a d i o and TV. The p e r i o d i c a l

- We p r o c e d e f r o m t h e n o t i o n tha t o n l y newspapers, r a d i o and TV have a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f mass communica t ion . Schoo ls , c u l t u r a l e d u c a t i o n a l a g e n c i e s g t h e a t r e s a r e e x c l u d e d because t h e y o p e r a t e t h r o u g h immed ia te communica t ion . The case o f m o v i e s i s more c o m p l i c a t e d . The e x i s t i n g sys tem o f f i l m d i s - t r i b u t i o n does n o t p r o v i d e f o r t h e s i m u l t a n e o u s s h o w i n g o f t h e sa- me message t o t h e a u d i e n c e a t l a r g e , so t h e m o v i e s e x e m p l i f y mass commun ica t i on c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s i n t h e i r " m i t i g a t e d " f o r m . The same thing c m be sa id o f magaz ines whose i m p a c t i s l e s s i n s t a n t a n e o u s . B e s i d e s t h e r e a r e s p e c i a l j o u r n a l s w i t h s p e c i f i c f u n c t i o n s and n a r r o w aud iences ,

- 19 -

p r e s s has a l e s s e r aud ience, i t s i n f o r m a t i o n i s n o t a lways r e - c e i v e d s i m u l t a n e o u s l y w i t h i t s t r a n s m i s s i o n and i t s messages a r e more s p e c i a l i z e d . P o p u l a r f i c t i o n , books on h o u s e k e e p i n g e t c . a r e f u n c t i o n a l l y c l o s e t o mass communica t ion . The f u n c t i o n i n g o f s p e c i a l i z e d books, be t h e y s c i e n t i f i c , t e x t - b o o k s o r l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m , i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t . Thus in o u r t y p o l o g i c s e r i e s r e a d i n g o f some books can be compared t o T V v i e w i n g and r a d i o l i s t e n i n g w h i l e r e a d i n g o f t h e o t h e r s r e p r e s e n t s a n o t h e r k ind o f communica t ive a c t i v i t y . I t d e t e r m i n e s t h e p l a c e o f a book in t h e mass communica t ions sys tem and i t s f u n c t i o n i n g w i t h i n i t .

F u n c t i o n a l d i f f e r e n c e s be tween mass m e d i a and books have been m e n t i o n e d by some a u t h o r s ( M. McLuhan among them ) . B u t t h e y have n o t become an o b j e c t o f e x p e r i m e n t s . So t h i s s t u d y i s one o f t h e f i r s t v e n t u r e s o f t h e kind.

6. THE PLACE O F BOOKS AND MASS MEDIA I N THE LEISURE TIME

BUDGET

The r e l a t i o n s h i p between books and mass m e d i a can be m o s t c l e a r l y seen when s t u d y i n g l e i s u r e t i m e b u d g e t s . The amount o f l e i s u r e t i m e i s t a k e n c o n s t a n t so t h a t one k ind o f l e i s u r e ac - t i v i t y can i n c r e a s e o n l y due t o r e d u c t i o n s f o r o t h e r ones, It i s na tu ra l t o s u g g e s t t h a t t o some g r o u p s a t l e a s t d i f f u s i o n o f t e l e v i s i o n m u s t have an i m p a c t on book r e a d i n g . O f c o u r s e t h e f a c t t ha t r e a d i n g , TV v i e w i n g and r a d i o l i s t e n i n g may a l l be secondary a c t i v i t i e s p a r a l l e l t o some o t h e r ones m u s t be k e p t i n m i n d . S t i l l t i m e e x p e n d i t u r e f o r each o f them g r e a t l y depends on t h e g e n e r a l s t r u c t u r e o f l e i s u r e t i m e .

The i n t e r n a t i o n a l study o f urban p o p u l a t i o n s l e i s u r e t i m e b u d g e t s c a r r i e d o u t i n 1964-1971 ( 6 8 ) showed tha t t h i s i s t r u e f o r m a n y c o u n t r i e s .

TIME EXPENDITURES

( i n m i n u t e s p e r day f o r one p e r s o n )

Mass m e d i a B e l - Bu lga - GDR USSR USA F r a n c e FRG Czechos l . g i u m r i a

r a d i o 8 20 4 10 4 5 TV ( a t home) 8 1 14 80 33 9 1 55 TV ( o u t o f

home) 3 2 1 5 1 3 14 newspapers 16 14 13 15 24

1 2 5 6 4 2 29 7

m agaz in e s books 14 2 1

3 9 1

f i l m s 4 10 1 15 a l l mass m e d i a 1 3 1 79 108 113 13

5

7 11 61 64

2 2 12 13 12 3

20 4

98 116

5 3

- 20 -

Our r e s e a r c h and t h e secondary a n a l y s e s o f o t h e r S o v i e t s o c i o l o g i c a l s t u d i e s (5 ,6 ,14) c o n f i r m t h e p i c t u r e . The n e x t t a b l e shows t h e ave rage t i m e d e v o t e d d a i l y t o v a r i o u s lands o f communica t ion a c t i v i t y ( i n h o u r s ) :

urban d w e l l e r s v i l l a g e r s

Books & magaz ines 0.8 0.6

Newspapers 0.4 0.3 TV 1.4 2.0

A s we see t h e t i m e f o r TV i s n e g a t i v e l y c o r r e l a t e d w i t h r e a d i n g .

During o u r s u r v e y t h e t e l e v i e w e r s e x p r e s s e d t h e i r v i e w t h a t TV w a t c h i n g r e d u c e d t i m e o f r a d i o l i s t e n i n g and mov ie - g o i n g and tha t r e a d i n g i n g e n e r a l was a l s o i n f l u e n c e d but l e s s . A n d t h o u g h some o f t h e r e s p o n d e n t s c o n s i d e r t ha t TV had a p o s i t i v e i m p a c t on t h e s e o t h e r k inds o f a c t i v i t i e s t h e g r o u p s e x p r e s s i n g such o p p o s i t e o p i n i o n s r e l a t e as 5: 1,

The marked d i f f e r e n c e s in t h e s t r u c t u r e o f l e i s u r e t i m e a r e c l o s e l y l i n k e d t o t h e degree o f u r b a n i z a t i o n o f t h e p o p u l a - t e d a r e a s u n d e r study. In c i t i e s where t h e p r i n t e d word has become a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f e a t u r e o f t h e w a y o f l i f e TV i s l e s s t ime-consuming and i t s i n f l u e n c e on r e a d i n g i s l e s s n o t i c e a b l e , The v i l l a g e i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t . There, in s p i t e o f urban in- f l u e n c e s , w r i t t e n c u l t u r e and books as i t s s p e c i f i c e lemen t do n o t occupy such a p r o m i n e n t p l a c e . T h i s i s c o n f i r m e d by t h e s u r v e y among d i f f e r e n t g e n e r a t i o n s o f m i g r a n t s a t i n d u s t r i a l e n t e r p r i s e s : 40 .7 p e r c e n t o f c i t y - b o r n w o r k e r s and o n l y 2 3 . 5 p e r c e n t o f c o u n t r y - b o r n w o r k e r s r e a d someth ing t h e day b e f o r e t h e i n t e r v i e w . In t h e s i t u a t i o n o f a d r a s t i c b r e a k w i t h t h e c o u n t r y w a y o f l i f e TV assumes t h e r o l e o f t h e t r a n s l a t o r o f s o c i a l norms and b e h a v i o u r p a t t e r n s . T h e r e f o r e a c e r t a i n par t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n whose p r a c t i c e s w i t h g e n e r a l i z e d and a b s t r a c t p r i n t e d i n f o r m a t i o n a r e l e s s f i r m i s eager t o u s e " e a s i e r " , "more natura l " , "more habi tual" communica t ive c h a n n e l s such as r a d i o , TV, f i l m s .

In t h e c o u n t r y , r e g u l a r r e a d i n g and v i s i t i n g l i b r a r i e s i s t y p i c a l f o r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e g r o u p s exposed t o f o r m a l so- c i a l i z a t i o n (a t s c h o o l s and s p e c i a l i z e d e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s ) and o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s urban c u l t u r e , f o r example, s c h o o l c h i l d r e n and v i l l a g e i n t e l l e c t u a l s . Magazines and e s p e c i a l l y newspapers play a far g r e a t e r r o l e than books , P r a c t i c a l l y e v e r y f a m i l y s u b s c r i b e s t o a newspaper .

A t t h e same t i m e v i l l a g e r s a r e l e s s exposed t o r a d i o and f i l m s , and tha t i s why t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between r e a d i n g and TV v i e w i n g i s more o b v i o u s h e r e . It can be a s c e r t a i n e d t ha t in t h e

- 2 1 -

c o u n t r y TV was f a r ahead o f o t h e r c h a n n e l s in i t s d i f f u s i o n and s e r v e d as t h e d e c i s i v e f a c t o r i n a l t e r i n g t h e s t r u c t u r e and in- t e n s i t y o f t h e u s e o f o t h e r mass med ia . I f compared t o s m a l l c i t y r e s i d e n t s , t h e r e a r e one and a h a l f t i m e s as m a n y p e o p l e w a t c h i n g TV d a i l y in v i l l a g e s , t h o u g h t h e p e r c a p i t a d i s t r i b u t i o n o f TV s e t s i s r o u g h l y t h e same. V i l l a g e r s u s e 1 . 2 more t i m e on TV than c i t y d w e l l e r s i n g e n e r a l . O n weekdays urban w o r k e r s spend abou t 2 h o u r s w a t c h i n g TV i n compar i son t o 2.6 h o u r s f o r sovkhoz w o r k e r s . The c o r r e s p o n d i n g f i g u r e s f o r urban and v i l l a g e i n t e l - l e c t u a l s a r e 1 . 7 and 2.2 h o u r s .

W i t h t h e d i f f u s i o n o f d a i l y TV v i e w i n g in t h e c o u n t r y a number o f r e a d e r s g r o u p s i n d i c a t e r e d u c t i o n i n t h e i r r e a d i n g a c t i v i t i e s . Thus 30 p e r c e n t o f v i l l a g e n o n - v i e w e r s and o n l y 24 p e r c e n t o f t h o s e who wa tch TV d a i l y r e a d books e v e r y day. The f o l l o w i n g t a b l e h e l p s t o see t h e c o r r e l a t i o n be tween t i m e f o r r e a d i n g and f o r T V w a t c h i n g among v i l l a g e r s .

Groups o f r e a d e r s ( a c c o r d i n g t o t h e t i m e u s e d f o r TV, h o u r s )

Do n o t l e s s l e s s l e s s l e s s l e s s l e s s w a t c h than than than than than than

O P 5 1 2 3 4 5 Average r e a d i n g t i m e ( m i n u t e s ) 66 55 46 49 49 68 6 1

S i z e o f t h e g r o u p ( p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e g e n e r a l number o f t h e r e a d e r ) 41 4 8 25 1 2 8 2

I t c a n b e seen t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e r e a d e r s ( t h o s e who w a t c h TV f r o m l t o : 3 h o u r s da i ly , o r 27 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e s p o n d e n t s ) s p e n t f o r r e a d i n g 17 m i n u t e s l e s s than non-wa tche rs ( 4 1 p e r c e n t ) . I t means tha t a m a j o r part o f r e a d e r s r e d u c e s t h e i r r e a d i n g as t h e r e s u l t t o TV w a t c h i n g .

T h i s r e d u c t i o n concerns f i r s t o f a l l book r e a d i n g as a more t i m e consuming k ind. The r e s p o n d e n t s were asked t o name t h e kind and t h e t i m e o f r e a d i n g on t h e eve o f t h e i n t e r v i e w . The r e s u l t s a r e shown b e l o w :

- 22 -

C o m b i n a t i o n s o f d i f f e r e n t k i n d s o f p u b l i c a t i o n s

Newspa- Newspa- NewsPo& Magaz. Newsp. Mag. Book p e r b a - per&ma- book &book g a z i n e & g a z i n e b o o k

Average t i m e 0.45 0.77 1.42 ( h o u r s ) 2.07 0.85 1.65 -

S i z e o f t h e g r o u p ( p e r - c e n t a g e o f a l l t h o s e who r e a d o n t h e eve o f t h e in- t e r v i ew ) 5 16 10 0.4 47 4 17

The number o f newspaper r e a d e r s and t i m e s p e n t o n p e r i o d i - c a l s , a c c o r d i n g t o o u r r e s u l t s , does n o t decrease u n d e r t h e TV i m p a c t .

S u r v e y s i n v i l l a g e s that f i r s t c o u l d n o t r e g u l a r l y r e c e i v e TV programs but t h a t l a t e r were a b l e t o show t h a t t h e above de- p e n d e n c i e s were n o t j u s t a mere c o r r e l a t i o n but a c a u s a l r e l a t i o n A f t e r buying a TV s e t v i l l a g e r s r e a d f e w e r books , e s p e c i a l l y f i c t i o n . T h i s i s e x e m p l i f i e d by t h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e (100 p e r c e n t r e a d e r s o f each t y p e o f p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l ) :

A f t e r buying TV r e a d i r g b e c a m e

l e s s o f t e n more o f t e n

Newspaper

F i c t i o n

10.3 16.8

6.4 4.3

However we think i t i m p o r t a n t t o emphasize t ha t TV i n f l u e n c e on r e a d i n g i s n o t u n i d i r e c t i o n a l . T h e r e a r e i n d i c a t i o n s o f a s t i m u l a t i n g i m p a c t as w e l l . Thus, due t o TV t h e t i m e g i v e n t o c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t y as a who le i n c r e a s e s a t t h e c o s t o f a comp le te - l y i n a c t i v e l e i s u r e and h o u s e h o l d l a b o u r .

I t m u s t b e added t h a t t h e TV d i f f u s i o n p r o m o t e d a u d i e n c e d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n v i l l a g e s . The r e d u c t i o n o f r e a d i n g a c t i v i t i e s t o o k p l a c e m a i n l y among t h o s e g r o u p s whose e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l , g e n e r a l c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t y and r e a d i n g p r a c t i c e s were a l r e a d y c o m p a r a t i v e l y weak. H a b i t u a l r e a d e r s w i t h high e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l show a marked s t i m u l a t i n g e f f e c t o f TV.

I t i s w e l l known tha t in t h e USSR t h e e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n g rows rap id l y . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e 1897 census 73 p e r c e n t o f t h e Russian p e o p l e more than 9 y e a r o l d were i l l i t e r a t e . In t h e c o u r s e o f s o c i a l i s t c o n s t r u c t i o n t h e who le sys tem o f p e o p l e ' s e d u c a t i o n has been r a d i c a l l y r e f o r m e d . W i t h a minimum o f y e a r s o f c o m p u l s o r y e d u c a t i o n , mass i l l i t e r a c y has been e l i m i n a t e d .

- 23 -

T h a t i s why t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n when TV sometimes n e g a t i v e l y i n f l u e n c e s r e a d i n g p r a c t i c e s c a n ' t b e c o n s i d e r e d f i n a l . In t h e l o n g run deve lopment o f c u l t u r a l n e e d s w i l l p romote i n t e r e s t i n r e a d i n g and change r e l a t i o n s h i p s be tween v a r i o u s f o r m s o f l e i s u r e .

7. FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF MASS MEDIA AND BOOKS

The c o m p a r a t i v e ana lys is o f t i m e e x p e n d i t u r e s f o r r e a d i n g and mass m e d i a i s n o t enough t o see t h e mean ing o f t h e r e l e v a n t p r o c e s s e s . The i n v e s t i g a t i o n h a s r e v e a l e d d i f f e r e n c e s be tween s e p a r a t e m e d i a o f commun ica t i on and between t h e s e and b o o k s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e ways o f t r a n s m i t t i n g i n f o r m a t i o n , i t s c o n t e n t and i t s f u n c t i o n a l mean ing .

The c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f mass m e d i a a c c o r d i n g t o means o f t r a n s m i s s i o n i s g e n e r a l l y accep ted . T h e r e a r e v i d e o (newspapers , magazines, b o o k s ) , a u d i o ( r a d i o ) and a u d i o - v i d e o (TV) means. The means o f t r a n s m i s s i o n i n f l u e n c e m a n y s i g n i f i c a n t a s p e c t s o f t h e commun ica t i ve p r o c e s s and among them t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e t r a n s - m i t t e d messages. The l a t t e r m u s t b e c o n g r u e n t w i t h t h e c h a n n e l ' s t e c h n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s and c o r r e l a t e w i t h t h e s p e c i f i t y o f p e o p l e ' s p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n b e i n g t r a n s m i t t e d t h r o u g h i t . In i t s turn t h e f o r m o f t r a n s m i s s i o n and c o n t e x t u a l f e a t u r e s o f t h e mean ings d e t e r m i n e f u n c t i o n s o f t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g c h a n n e l s .

Mass m e d i a c a n b e c l a s s i f i e d a c c o r d i n g t o t h e t i m e n e c e s s a r y f o r o b t a i n i n g i n f o r m a t i o n . F o r example, t h e newspaper r e q u i r e s t h a t consumers have f r e e t i m e but t h i s t i m e i s n o t f i x e d .

U s i n g r a d i o and t o a c e r t a i n e x t e n t TV a l l o w s p a r a l l e l ac- t i v i t i e s such a s housework : one can f o r example, l i s t e n t o m u s i c and do t h e housework . O n t h e o t h e r hand, we m u s t d i s t i n g u i s h books t h a t can b e r e a d w i t h any degree o f r e g u l a r i t y and in any a r b i t r a r i l y chosen p e r i o d o f t h e day and mass m e d i a f u n c t i o n i n g a c c o r d i n g t o r i g i d s c h e d u l e s . The v e r y f a c t o f r e g u l a r u s e o f t h e c h a n n e l (somet imes on d e f i n i t e t i m e m a r k e d as t h e b e g i n n i n g o r t h e e n d o f t h e day o r t h e week, t h u s c r e a t i n g a d e f i n i t e f rame- work f o r e v e r y d a y a c t i v i t y ) c o n t a i n s i m p o r t a n t i n f o r m a t i o n i n r e s p e c t t o t h e r h y t h m o f t h e c o u n t r y ' s s o c i a l l i f e (newspapers a r e r e a d in t h e m o r n i n g o r a f t e r work h o u r s ; - r a d i o i s l i s t e n e d t o i n t h e m o r n i n g ; TV news p r o g r a m "Time" i s w a t c h e d a t 9 p.m. e t c . ) . In o t h e r words, t h e c o n t a c t w i t h mass commun ica t i ons c h a n n e l s i s c o n s t a n t and r e g u l a r . Thus in 1979 i n L e n i n g r a d , 80 p e r c e n t o f r e s p o n d e n t s r e a d newspapers d a i l y ( 1 7 ) ; in s m a l l t owns 89 p e r c e n t o f t h e 97 p e r c e n t o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n who a r e s u b s c r i b e r s r e a d newspapers s e v e r a l t i m e s a week: 89 p e r c e n t o f t h e 9 7 p e r c e n t

- The d a i l y r o u n d - u p o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p o l i t i c a l economic and c u l t u r a l e v e n t s i n t h e USSR and t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d .

- 2 4 -

who a r e r a d i o owners l i s t e n t o i t s e v e r a l t i m e s a week and 66 p e r c e n t o f t h e 67 p e r c e n t who own t e l e v i s i o n s e t s u s e d t h e i r s e t s s e v e r a l t i m e s a week. A t t h e same t i m e books a r e r e a d es- s e n t i a l l y l e s s r e g u l a r l y . Though 89 p e r c e n t r e a d books, o n l y 47 p e r c e n t do i t s e v e r a l t i m e s a week. The d i f f e r e n c e i s s t i l l more o b v i o u s i f we compare max imum r e g u l a r i t i e s . In s m a l l towns d a i l y book r e a d i n g i s f o u n d among 2 1 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e s p o n d e n t s w h i l e TV i s wa tched d a i l y by 47 p e r c e n t . In g r o u p s o f w o r k e r s and c o l l e c t i v e f a r m e r s t h i s c o n t r a s t i s even g r e a t e r - r e s p e c t i v e l y 14 and 53 p e r c e n t and 7 and 37 p e r c e n t , The r e v e r s e d r e l a t i o n - sh ip i s f o u n d o n l y w i t h s t u d e n t s o f whom 36 p e r c e n t a r e d a i l y book r e a d e r s and 28 p e r c e n t a r e da i l y t e l e v i s i o n v i e w e r s , In t h e v i l l a g e t h e gap i s t h e w i d e s t . D a i l y v i e w e r s h e r e compr i se - 75 p e r c e n t o f r e s p o n d e n t s and d a i l y r e a d e r s a r e 25 p e r c e n t .

The above data a t t e s t t h a t u s i n g mass m e d i a i s a more c o n s t a n t and r e g u l a r a c t i v i t y w i t h an o r d e r e d s o c i a l r h y t h m w h i l e r e a d i n g i s a more s e l e c t i v e i nd i v idua l p rocess .

E q u a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t a r e t h e d i f f e r e n c e s be tween t h e d i f f e r e n t mass m e d i a and between t h o s e and books w h i c h a r i s e f r o m t h e d i f - f e r e n t c u l t u r a l b a c k g r o u n d o f v a r i o u s aud iences . TV p e r c e p t i o n , f o r example, appears t o be a more t r a d i t i o n a l and in t h i s sense more 'In atur a l " a c t i v i t y r e s e m b l i n g e i t h e r i n t e r p e r s o n a l commun i c a - t i o n ( a n n o u n c e r ' s speech) o r o b s e r v a t i o n o f s i t u a t i o n s o f r e a l l i f e (TV pe r fo rmances , f i l m s ) . Such a c t i v i t i e s a r e i n h e r e n t t o e v e r y man. The p e r c e p t i o n o f r a d i o programs i s o f t h e same kind. In b o t h cases t h e l i s t e n e r o r t h e v i e w e r " t a k e s par t " i n t h e t r a n s m i t t e d s i t u a t i o n in w h i c h a l l t h e r o l e s a r e r a t h e r c l e a r l y d e f i n e d and i m m e d i a t e l y r e p r e s e n t e d . The v i e w e r ( l i s t e n e r ) in- t e r p r e t s t h e i r purposes , m o t i v e s e t c . in a cus tomary way; A p r i n t e d t e x t i s o r g a n i z e d on more c o m p l i c a t e d l i n e s . I t i s g e n e r a l i z e d , a b s t r a c t , r a t i o n a l . To u n d e r s t a n d i t one needs s p e c i a l t r a in ing ( m o s t l y t h r o u g h f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n ) and i t i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e "natural" submers ion i n t o TV and r a d i o w o r l d s . In consequence TV and r a d i o r e a c h a l m o s t a l l t h e p o p u l a - t i o n w h i l e t h e u t l i z a t i o n o f newspapers, magazines and e s p e c i a l l y books i s c o n f i n e d c h i e f l y t o s c h o o l g r a d u a t e s ( w i t h n o l e s s than 7 y e a r s e d u c a t i o n ) . S c h o o l l e a r n i n g brings f o r t h t h e a b i l i t y t o a n a l y s e , t o d e a l w i t h g e n e r a l i z e d p a t t e r n s w h i c h makes o f r e a d i n g n o t o n l y a t e c h n i c a l p r o c e d u r e but a p r o c e s s o f comprehending t h e t e x t . Though p e o p l e w i t h h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l u s e books a l o n g s i d e o t h e r mass media, p r i n t e d m a t e r i a l s a r e t h e i r m a i n in- f o r m a t i o n c h a n n e l . The s u r v e y among c i t y r e s i d e n t s p r o d u c e d t h e f o l l o w i n g data as t o w h a t mass m e d i a t h e y u s e d t h e day b e f o r e t h e i n t e r v i e w :

- 2 5 -

(100 p e r c e n t i s t h e t o t a l number o f r e s p o n d e n t s in each e d u c a t i o n a l g r o u p )

N on - comple t e Complete H i g h e r s c h o o l e d u c a t . s c h o o l ed . e d u c a t i o n

% % % Newspapers 53 8 5 91 Magaz ines 28 43 55 Books 28 5 3 55 TV 6 2 6 2 56 R a d i o 65 6 2 54

D a t a on a c t u a l b e h a v i o u r c o i n c i d e w i t h t h o s e on t h e a u d i e n c e ' s p r e f e r e n c e s . The most e d u c a t e d g r o u p s a r e l e a s t o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s TV, Twenty f o u r p e r c e n t o f s t u d e n t s and t h i r t y t h r e e p e r c e n t o f i n t e l l e c t u a l s b e l o n g i n g t o v a r i o u s g r o u p s named i t as t h e i r m a j o r s o u r c e w h i l e t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g f i g u r e s were t h i r t y n i n e p e r c e n t f o r w o r k e r s and f o r t y t w o p e r c e n t f o r house- w i v e s .

The d i f f e r e n c e s be tween mass m e d i a t a k e n as a w h o l e and between each o f t hem and b o o k s a r e n o t l e s s i n r e s p e c t t o c o n t e x t u a l n a t u r e o f t h e t r a n s m i t t e d i n f o r m a t i o n and c o r r e s p o n d - ing e x p e c t a t i o n s o f d i f f e r e n t a u d i e n c e s . N a t u r a l l y , s o c i o - p o l i t i - c a l and soc io -economic i t e m s a r e w i d e l y r e p r e s e n t e d i n TV p rog rams ( f o r example, t h e news r o u n d up " T i m e " i s among t h e m o s t p o p u l a r ) as w e l l as i n r a d i o t r a n s m i s s i o n s and n e w s p r i n t . N e v e r t h e l e s s t e l e v i s i o n i s s ingu la r f o r i t s v i v i d n e s s and e m o t i o n a l c h a r g e . I t i s n o t e w o r t h y t h a t i n v i l l a g e s f o r t y p e r c e n t o f TV-v iewers p r e f e r f i l m s , t h i r t y t h r e e p e r c e n t p r e f e r v a r i e t y shows, t h i r t y one p e r - c e n t s p o r t s e v e n t s , t w e n t y s i x p e r c e n t t r a v e l o g u e s .

The same r e l a t i v e v a l u e s a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f o r s m a l l t owns as w e l l . Among s u c h r e g u l a r l y t r a n s m i t t e d programs t h e r e a r e ( b e s i d e s t h e a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d "T ime" ) t h e d i s c u s s i o n p r o g r a m f o r y o u t h "The D i s p u t e - C l u b " ( g r o u p d i s c u s s i o n s t o g e t h e r w i t h s c h o l a r s and c u l t u r a l f i g u r e s o n v a r i o u s a c t u a l p r o b l e m s ) : "Obv ious- I n c r e d i b l e " ( o n p r o b l e m s o f modern s c i e n c e ) ; " C i n e m a t r a v e l Club" ( a b o u t d i f f e r e n t c o u n t r i e s and p e o p l e s and v a r i o u s c u l t u r e monuments); "Cinemapanorama" ( f r a g m e n t s f r o m new f i l m s , t a l k s w i t h a c t o r s and p r o d u c e r s ) : " T h e a t r i c a l M e e t i n g s " and " T h e a t r i c a l P o s t e r " ( a r o u n d up o f new s t a g e p r o d u c t i o n s and r o l e s ) ; "Sunbow", " A r t s o f t h e P e o p l e s o f t h e Wor ld" , " F o l k M u s i c o f t h e USSR P e o p l e s " (p rog rams on f o l k a r t s ) : " M u s i c a l K i o s k " (new r e c o r d s , t a l k s w i t h composers and p e r f o r m e r s ) . The s p e c i a l p rog rams f o r a n a r r o w aud ience ( e d u c a t i o n a l o r t h e l i k e ) a r e v i e w e d by n o more than 5-10 p e r c e n t o f t h e p u b l i c .

- 26 -

In c o n t r a s t t o T V ' s v i v i d n e s s and e m o t i o n a l i t y , n e w s p r i n t i s more a n a l y t i c , deep and comprehens ive i n i t s d e a l i n g w i t h t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t s o c i a l i s s u e s . I n newspapers r e a d e r s l o o k p r i m a r i l y f o r i n f o r m a t i o n on p o l i t i c a l e v e n t s . F o r example, 33 and 32 p e r c e n t o f v i l l a g e r s pay m a i n a t t e n t i o n t o a r t i c l e s on r e s p e c t i v e l y f o r e i g n and domes t i c p o l i t i c s w h i l e 6 p e r c e n t o n l y l o o k f o r s p o r t i n g e v e n t s and t h i s l a s t g r o u p r e a d s e x c l u s i v e - l y s p o r t s t o p i c s .

The above p e c u l i a r i t i e s o f mass m e d i a b o i l down t o t h e con- c l u s i o n t ha t each s e p a r a t e c h a n n e l and a l l o f them t a k e n t o g e t h e r a r e o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t r a n s m i t t i n g mean ings o f d i f f e r e n t c o n t e n t u n l i k e books w h i c h a r e a more s p e c i f i c means o f commun ica t i on ( w h a t i s meant h e r e i s n o t t h e e x i s t e n c e o f d i f f e r e n t c o n c r e t e books and c o n c r e t e p rograms, a r t i c l e s e t c . but t h e f u n c t i o n a l s p e c i f i c i t y o f t h e c h a n n e l s ) . As we have a l r e a d y s a i d mass m e d i a convey a c t u a l i n f o r m a t i o n o f g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t w h i l e i n f o r m - a t i o n c o n t a i n e d in books s t a n d s f a r t h e r , sometimes v e r y f a r , f r o m t h e p r e s e n t and i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y e v e r y o n e ' s c o n c e r n . R e a d i n g o f f i c t i o n supposes that in p r i n c i p l e i t i s p o s s i b l e t o a t t a c h d i f f e r e n t mean ings t o t h i s o r t h a t c l a s s i c a l o r , on t h e c o n t r a r y , highly modern and d e b a t a b l e s u b j e c t . A n d f i n a l l y , books s t o r e s p e c i a l knowledge n e c e s s a r y f o r s c i e n t i f i c work, s t u d y , s e l f e d u c a t i o n and p e r s o n a l c u l t u r a l development. T h e r e f o r e books t e n d t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e t h e aud ience, t o s e l e c t t h o s e o u t o f i t who a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e i r s p e c i a l s u b j e c t s and, i n t h e case o f c l a s - s i c a l o r " c o m p l i c a t e d " l i t e r a t u r e , i n n e r e x p e r i e n c e and i n d e p e n d e n t v a l u e judgement. The f o l l o w i n g f a c t i s i l l u s t r a t i v e o f t h e s e d i f - f e r e n c e s . Some o f t h e t e l e v i s i o n programs, s u c h as v a r i e t y p e r - fo rmances, t r a v e l s , and "Time" news p r o g r a m a r e wathched by 75 p e r c e n t o f t h e v i e w e r s o r more, w h i l e i nd i v idua l books ( o r even who le t o p i c a l s e r i a l s o r k i n d s o f l i t e r a t u r e ) G e seldom r e a d by h a l f o f t h e a u d i e n c e ( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f t h o s e who a r e i n schoo l p rog rams) .

I f one a c c e p t s t h e above f u n c t i o n a l d i s t i n c t i o n s be tween books and mass m e d i a t h e sphere o f t h e i r i n t e r a c t i o n becomes c l e a r .

O u r r e s u l t s show that , p r a c t i c a l l y speak ing , TV anci r a d i o do n o t i n f l u e n c e s p e c i a l l i t e r a t u r e r e a d i n g . They can i n f l u e n c e o n l y r e a d i n g o f books whose mean ing i s c l o s e t o t ha t t r a n s m i t t e d by mass med ia , f o r example, f i c t i o n and e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e l a r g e - s c a l e n o v e l s w h i c h t r e a t i n e p i c t e r m s t h e k e y h i s t o r i c a l e v e n t s o f o u r p a s t . They c o v e r e x t r e m e l y v a s t p e r i o d s and speak abou t d e c i s i v e moments and turning p o i n t s i n t h e l i f e o f t h e s t a t e and t h e nat ion. B i o g r a p h i c books abou t o u t s t a n d i n g h i s t o r i c f i g u r e s and t r a v e l des- c r i p t i o n s a r e a l s o c l o s e t o t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g mass m e d i a p rograms wi fh r e g a r d t o t h e i r f u n c t i o n i n g and c o n t e n t . R e a d i n g of such books may b e r e d u c e d due t o t h e u t i l i z a t i o n o f mass med ia , s i n c e i n f o r m - a t i o n consumers f i n d in them r e a d y a v a i l a b l e s u b s t i t u t e s f o r f i c t i o n

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l i t e r a r y p r o d u c t s ( c i n e m a and TV f i l m s , r a d i o p l a y s ) , However, some o t h e r b o o k s a r e r e a d more i n t e n s i v e l y i f t h e y a r e " s w i t c h e d " t o a mass commun ica t i ons sys tem. Then t h e book a c q u i r e s t h e p r o p e r t i e s o f a mass message, f o r i t t r a n s m i t s t h e mos t fundament - a l and i n t e g r a t i v e u n i v e r s a l v a l u e s and norms o f t h e s o c i a l s y s t e m t o a b r o a d u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d a u d i e n c e i n a r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t t i m e . T h r e e f o r m s o f s u c h " s w i t c h i n g " c a n b e d i s t i n g u i s h e d t h o u g h i n p r a c t i c e t h e y can be combined. The f i r s t one i s mass p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e book (more than 500 t h o u s a n d c o p i e s ) o r i t s pr in t ing i n a p e r i o d i c a l ( a newspaper , a mass magaz ine , "Newspaper-Novel" ) . A s a r e s u l t t h e book o b t a i n s w i d e c i r c u l a t i o n and o f t e n s i m u l t a n e o u s p o p u l a r i t y (books o f t h i s s o r t were f o u n d t o make a g r o u p o f l i t e r a r y w o r k s m o s t w i d e l y r e a d i n s m a l l t owns as w e l l as i n v i l - l a g e s ) . The second f o r m i s p u b l i c i z i n g o f a book in newspapers , by r a d i o o r TV. In a l m o s t a l l o f t h e above m e n t i o n e d TV p rog rams a p p r o p r i a t e l i t e r a t u r e i s recommended and u n d o u b t e d l y s t i m u l a t e s r e a d i n g a c t i v i t i e s . Twen ty one p e r c e n t o f t h e v i l l a g e r e s p o n d e n t s named a u d i o - v i s u a l means as t h e s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n on books t h e y were r e a d i n g a t t h e moment. A l m o s t one f i f t h o f t h e r e q u e s t s f o r a s p e c i f i c book i n a v i l l a g e l i b ra ry were due t o r a d i o o r TV i n f l u e n c e . I n E s t o n i a a s p e c i a l e x p e r i m e n t was c a r r i e d o u t w i t h a s u r v e y made a f t e r t h e TV t r a n s m i s s i o n a b o u t t h e a u t h o r o f t h e l o c a l l i t e r a r y c l a s s i c , O. Lu ts . The s u r v e y showed a 50 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e i n t h e demand f o r h i s books ( 4 ) .

M a k i n g a book i n t o a s c r e e n - p l a y o r r a d i o - p l a y c a n b e c o n s i d - e r e d t h e t h i r d and, as o u r f i n d i n g s show, t h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e f o r m o f " s w i t c h i n g " b o o k s t o t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem, The f o l - l o w i n g c o n s i d e r a t i o n s a r e r e l e v a n t h e r e , A s a r u l e c u l t u r a l pat- t e r n s t r a n s l a t e d by mass m e d i a have been w o r k e d o u t and t a k e n shape w i t h i n t h e c o n t e n t o f w r i t t e n c u l t u r e ( f i r s t o f a l l i n b o o k s ) . Mass m e d i a b o r r o w them ready-made and t r a n s f o r m them but due t o t h e high a u t h o r i t y o f t h e w r i t t e n c u l t u r e t h e s e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s do n o t l o s e t h e i r high standing. Thus l i t e r a t u r e p l a y s t h e r o l e o f a s t r u c t u r i n g f a c t o r f o r mass commun ica t i ons . A l l f i l m s and most o f r a d i o and TV p rog rams a r e b a s e d o n l i t e r a r y t e x t s ( s c e n a r i o s ) . B u t t h i s f e a t u r e i s m o s t p r o m i n e n t i n d r a m a t i z a t i o n s f o r f i l m s and r a d i o plays. O n t h e one hand a r e books m o s t a u t h o r - i t a t i v e and s i g n i f i c a n t w i t h mass r e a d e r s t h a t a r e d r a m a t i z e d and t h e s e d r a m a t i z a t i o n s become m o s t p o p u l a r , O n t h e o t h e r hand, d r a m a t i z a t i o n i n c r e a s e s t h e c i r c u l a t i o n o f t h e book . I t becomes b e t t e r known than books n o t i n c l u d e d i n t h e mass commun ica t i ons system. The p o p u l a r i t y o f l e n g t h y b o o k s o f c o n t e m p o r a r y S o v i e t w r i t e r s ( A . I v a n o v , P. P r o s k u r i n ) o n k e y s t a g e s and e v e n t s o f o u r r e c e n t h i s t o r y i s thus q u i t e c o m p r e h e n s i b l e . L o n g s e r i a l f i l m s and TV d r a m a t i z a t i o n s b a s e d on t h e i r works were b e i n g shown j u s t a t t h e p e r i o d o f o u r s u r v e y . One o f t h e s e b o o k s (A . I v a n o v ' s "The Shadows D i s a p p e a r a t Noon" ) p r o v e d t o b e m o s t w e l l known and w i d e l y r e a d among v i l l a g e r s ; 69 p e r c e n t o f t hem had h e a r d a b o u t i t and 41 p e r c e n t had r e a d i t . A f t e r t h e d r a m a t i z a t i o n o f "The F o r s y t e Saga" by J. G a l s w o r t h y was shown on t e l e v i s i o n , r e a d e r s ' i n t e r e s t i n t h i s s e r i e s g r e w m a r k e d l y .

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The f a t e o f a book w i t h t h e r e a d e r s may be d i f f e r e n t l y in- f l u e n c e d by i t s d r a m a t i z a t i o n d e p e n d i n g on t h e n a t u r e o f t h e o r i g i n a l and t h e i n t e n t i o n s o f t h e d r a m a t i z e d v e r s i o n . I t i s a l s o d i f f e r e n t w i t h v a r i o u s s o c i o - c u l t u r a l g r o u p s . T h a t i s w h y i t i s n o t easy t o draw any g e n e r a l c o n c l u s i o n s i n t h i s f i e l d . I t was d i s c o v e r e d t ha t 47 p e r c e n t o f r e s p o n d e n t s i n s m a l l t owns w o u l d l i k e t o r e a d t h e o r i g i n a l a f t e r s e e i n g i t s d r a m a t i z e d v e r s i o n , a n o t h e r 47 p e r c e n t d i d n o t r e v e a l such an i n c l i n a t i o n , t h e r e m a i n i n g 6 p e r c e n t sa id tha t some f i l m s make them w i s h t o r e a d t h e book w h i l e o t h e r s do n o t . N e v e r t h e l e s s a deeper ana- l y s i s o f o u r f i n d i n g s shows t h a t t h e d r a m a t i z a t i o n s e r v e s a s t i m u l a t i n g f a c t o r f o r t h e a c t i v e pa r t o f t h e a u d i e n c e who a r e s t i m u l a t e d t o a c q u a i n t t h e m s e l v e s w i t h o r t o r e r e a d t h e o r i g i n a l . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , p e o p l e who r e a d i r r e g u l a r l y and l i t t l e a r e s a t i s f i e d w i t h s e e i n g t h e f i l m o r TV v e r s i o n .

So i t may b e c o n c l u d e d t h a t f o r s o c i o l o g i c a l p u r p o s e s i t i s more e x p e d i e n t t o r e g a r d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s be tween r e a d i n g and mass m e d i a n o t i n t e r m s o f s t r e n g t h e n i n g o r weaken ing o f t h e i r t i e s but i n t e r m s o f f u n c t i o n a l d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f t h e w r i t t e n c u l t u r e . C o r r e s p o n d i n g l y i t presupposes d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f t h e a u d i e n c e i n t o s t r a t a a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i r p r e f e r e n t i a l o r i e n t a t i o n t o t h e v a l u e mean ing o f t h e w r i t t e n word o r o f o t h e r t y p e s o f commun ica t i on .

8 . THE PRESTIGE O F BOOKS

The p r e s t i g e o f books mus t be c o n s i d e r e d t h e i r i m p o r t a n t as- p e c t d e t e r m i n i n g th& i r r o l e in t h e mass commun ica t i ons sys tem. T h e i r high v a l u e h a s a l w a y s been an o u t s t a n d i n g f e a t u r e o f R u s s i a n c u l t u r e . The book was synonymous w i t h t h e high c u l t u r a l l e v e l o f a l l t h e s t r a t a o f R u s s i a n s o c i e t y , Many p r e r e v o l u t i o n a r y in- v e s t i g a t i o n s a t t e s t t o t h i s f a c t , Even t h e i l l i t e r a t e who were t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n t r e a t e d books w i t h r e s p e c t and v e n e r a t i o n ,

O u r s u r v e y s demons t ra te t h a t nowadays books occupy a v e r y i m - p o r t a n t p l a c e among t h e S o c i e t p e o p l e ' s i n t e l l e c t u a l v a l u e s , TV and o t h e r mass m e d i a c a n n o t compete w i t h books in t h i s r e s p e c t but on t h e c o n t r a r y t h e y h e l p t o emphasize t h e i r high v a l u e s t a t u s . R e a d i n g i s t h e m o s t p r e s t i g e o u s l e i s u r e a c t i v i t y w i t h a l l p o p u l a t i o n g r o u p s . F o r example, l e t us compare f a v o r i t e l e i s u r e a c t i v i t i e s o f v i l l a g e r s and s m a l l t own r e s i d e n t s (100 p e r c e n t a r e t h e r e s p o n d e n t s who answered t h e q u e s t i o n a b o u t t h e i r h o b b i e s ) :

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R e a d i n g TV- Mov ie - R a d i o - v i e w i n g g o i n g li s t e n ing

S m a l l t o w n r e s i d e n t s 70 26 42 1 0

V i l l a g e r s 62 31 15 4

D i s s i m i l a r i t i e s o f t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s as t o t h e i r p r e s t i g e were made e s p e c i a l l y c l e a r i n answers t o t h e p r o j e c t i v e q u e s t i o n : "How w o u l d y o u u t i l i z e e x t r a l e i s u r e t i m e i f such were g i v e n t o you?" In s m a l l towns, 40 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e s p o n d - e n t s m e n t i o n e d r e a d i n g and o n l y 6 p e r c e n t TV-v iew ing . Among w o r k e r s , 36 p e r c e n t named r e a d i n g , 11 p e r c e n t m o v i e s and 3 p e r - c e n t TV. Such p r o j e c t i v e q u e s t i o n s m a y b e c o n s i d e r e d t h e mos t r e l i a b l e i n s t r u m e n t f o r d i s c o v e r i n g t h e p r e s t i g e v a l u e o f s e p a r a t e l e i s u r e a c t i v i t i e s . They d e f i n i t e l y c o n f i r m t h e high p l a c e o f r e a d i n g i n t h e sys tem o f v a l u e o r i e n t a t i o n .

H a v i n g compared t h e r e s u l t s o f s e v e r a l s t u d i e s we a s c e r t a i n e d t h a t f o r t h e l a s t 5 y e a r s t h e p r e s t i g e o f r e a d i n g and o r i e n t a t i o n t o w a r d s r e a d i n g has been c o n t i n u o u s l y g r o w i n g s t r o n g e r w h i l e t h e a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s T V - v i e w i n g r e m a i n e d c o n s t a n t . Only t h e a t r e - g o i n g and v i s i t s t o c o n c e r t s , museums and e x h i b i t i o n s became as highly s i g n i f i c a n t and p r e s t i g e o u s as r e a d i n g :

1973 19 78 ( p e r c e n t 1

Those who w o u l d l i k e t o have more t i m e f o r r e a d i n g 5 1 59

The same f o r T V - v i e w i n g 44 44

The same f o r t h e a t r e - g o i n g , c o n c e r t s , museums, e x h i b i t i on s 46 59

B u t i t s h o u l d be n o t e d t ha t t h e a t r e , museums, e t c . have d i f - f e r e n t p r e s t i g e w i t h v a r i o u s s o c i a l g r o u p s w h i l e r e a d i n g i s uni- f o r m e l y t h e m o s t p r e f e r e n t i a l a c t i v i t y . TV d i s s e m i n a t i o n has r e d u c e d t h e r e a l t i m e e x p e n d i t u r e s f o r r e a d i n g but i t s p r e s t i g e h a s become even h i g h e r .

We have a l s o u n d e r t a k e n an a t t e m p t t o l e a r n p e o p l e ' s v i e w s on t h e r o l e o f r e a d i n g i n t h e l i f e o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n . N i n e t y one p e r c e n t o f t h e v i l l a g e r s who gave a d e f i n i t e answer were s u r e t h a t once grown, t h e i r c h i l d r e n w o u l d r e a d more than t h e i r p a r e n t s . The o p p o s i t e o p i n i o n was e x p r e s s e d by 3.5 p e r c e n t . The m a j o r i t y

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b e l i e v e d t h a t books c o u l d n o t o n l y be o u t d a t e d by new and t e c h - n i c a l l y more i n g e n i o u s mass m e d i a but t,hat t h e y w o u l d play an even h i g h e r r o l e i n t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n ' s l i f e . P e o p l e a r e apt t o i d e n t i f y t h e m s e l v e s w i t h t h e i r c h i l d r e n and t o c o r r e l a t e w i t h them t h e m a i n e v e n t s o f t h e i r l i v e s . And t h o u g h such judgements a r e a m a t e u r i s h and c a n n o t be a b a s i s f o r f o r e c a s t s t h e y once again p r o v e tha t books b e l o n g t o t h e f u n d a m e n t a l v a l u e s w h i c h a r e p a s s e d o n t o s u c c e e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n s p r o v i d i n g f o r t h e con- t i n u a n c e o f t h e c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n .

The high p r e s t i g e o f books i n t h e USSR a c c o u n t s f o r t h e u n a n i m i t y o f o u r r e s p o n d e n t s . The p reponderance o f t h o s e who b e l i e v e i n r e a d i n g ' s i n c r e a s i n g r o l e i s t h e g r o u n d f o r f u r t h e r s p r e a d o f r e a d i n g p r a c t i c e s among a l l t h e c u l t u r a l s t r a t a .

t h e v e r y s i t u a t i o n o f t h e i n t e r v i e w s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e word- ing o f t h e answers. S p e a k i n g o f t h e i r a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d s books , r e a d e r s u s e d a h i g h f l o w n s t y l e and p o s i t i v e e m o t i o n a l e p i t h e t s . M e t a p h o r i c l a n g u a g e e x p r e s s i n g t h e high v a l u e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f r e a d i n g s h a r p l y c o n t r a s t e d w i t h e v e r y d a y p a r l a n c e : "Read ing i s o u r da i l y b r e a d " , " W i t h o u t books l i f e i s hardly w o r t h l i v ing" e t c .

The high s y m b o l i c s t a t u s o f r e a d i n g was r e f l e c t e d a l s o in

In i n t e r p r e t i n g t h e above data we p rocede f r o m t h e n o t i o n tha t t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f books and r e a d i n g a c t i v i t i e s i s one o f t h e m a j o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f a way o f l i f e .

The l e a d i n g t r e n d o f s o c i a l deve lopment i n t h e USSR i s t h e e l i m i n a t i o n o f s o c i a l h e t e r o g e n e i t y , o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n be tween p h y s i c a l and m e n t a l work, be tween c o u n t r y and c i t y , and t h e m u t u a l i n f l u e n c e and e n r i c h m e n t o f n a t i o n a l c u l t u r e s . However, t h e c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y o f d i f f e r e n t g roups , each w i t h i t s own c u l t u r a l s t a t u s and c u l t u r a l s t a n d a r d s and norms, i s n o t l e v e l e d down. S t i l l t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g m a j o r i t y o f t h e s e g r o u p s do n o t d o u b t t h e high v a l u e o f r e a d i n g . I t i s r e a s o n a b l e t o s u g g e s t tha t h e r e we mee t a v a l u e o f a h i g h e r o r d e r w h i c h i s s t r o n g e r than most i nd i v idua l and g r o u p v a l u e s . Thus t h e high s i g n i f i c - ance of books and r e a d i n g i s a f a c t o r o f s o c i o - c u l t u r a l i n t e - g r a t i o n .

The p r e s t i g e o f r e a d i n g i n f l u e n c e s t h e r e a d e r ' s b e h a v i o u r i n a c o m p l i c a t e d and sometimes c o n t r a d i c t o r y way. O n one hand, a p e r s o n ' s r e a d i n g needs, t h e c o n t e n t and i n t e n s i t y o f h i s r e a d - ing do n o t c o i n c i d e w i t h t h e p r e s t i g e e v a l u a t i o n s and sometimes c o n f l i c t w i t h t hem ( f o r i n s t a n c e , TV i s n o t p r e s t i g e o u s but consumes more t i m e than r e a d i n g ) . T h i s r e l a t i v e autonomy o f p r e s t i g e e v a l u a t i o n s i n d i c a t e d t o t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r tha t h e i s d e a l i n g w i t h v a l u e s tha t have n o one-to-one c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h a c t u a l b e h a v i o u r .

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O n t h e o t h e r hand i t i s u s u a l f o r a r e a d e r t o base h f s c h o i c e and judgement o n t h e g e n e r a l no rm o f good t a s t e , t o be o r i e n t e d t o " a u t h e n t i c " , " p r o g r e s s i v e " , " r e a l " v i e w s , as h e u n d e r s t a n d s them, and on a d v i c e f r o m l i b r a r i a n s , t e a c h e r s , mass m e d i a and so on . An i nd i v idua l i s o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t h e l e v e l o f c u l t u r a l c o n s u m p t i o n w h i c h c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e p r e v a i l - ing s o c i a l no rms . The o r i e n t a t i o n t o good t a s t e thus becomes a means o f supplying t h e r e a d e r w i t h high s t a n d a r d l i t e r a r y p r o - d u c t s .

In S o v i e t s o c i e t y t h e a l l - r o u n d h a r m o n i c deve lopment o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y i s a p r e r e q u i s i t e o f s o c i a l p r o g r e s s . So t h e high p r e s t i g e o f b o o k s m a y b e seen as a p r e r e q u i s i t e o f s o c i a l p r o - g r e s s . So t h e high p r e s t i g e o f b o o k s m a y b e seen as a p r e - r e q u i s i t e f o r e d u c a t i n g p e o p l e t o t h e v a l u e s o f c u l t u r e , f o r i t s deve lopment and d i s s e m i n a t i o n

F u r t h e r s o c i a l and economic t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s w i l l r a i s e t h e p r e s t i g e o f b o o k s s t i l l h i g h e r as w e l l as t h e i r a c t u a l r o l e in t h e l i f e o f t h e p e o p l e . I t i s a s i n e qua n o n c o n d i t i o n f o r c u l t u r a l p r o g r e s s and modern c i v i l i z a t i o n and t h e i r t r u e i n d i c a t o r .

CONCLUS I ON

It seems w o r t h w h i l e t o d i s c u s s w h a t i s t y p i c a l and w h a t i s

I t i s w r i t t e n in t h e " C h a r t e r o f t h e b o o k " : I r . . . t h e r o l e

u n i q u e i n t h e t r e n d s r e v e a l e d above.

o f books c a n b e r e i n f o r c e d by t h e a d o p t i o n o f p o l i c i e s d e s i g n e d t o encourage t h e w i d e s t p o s s i b l e u s e o f t h e p r i n t e d word" (41) . The mass d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f r e a d i n g p r a c t i c e s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f o r t h e USSR and t h e high s i g n i f i c a n c e o f b o o k s i s a r e s u l t o f t h e c o n s i s t e n t c u l t u r a l p o l i c y o f t h e S o v i e t s t a t e . From t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g o f S o v i e t power book deve lopment was c o n s i d e r e d a part o f c u l t u r e building, book c i r c u l a t i o n was emphas ized as a t o o l f o r bringing a b o u t s o c i a l changes and a l l t h e n e c e s s a r y c o n d i - t i o n s f o r making b o o k s a part o f l i f e f o r m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e . O f primary i m p o r t a n c e h e r e were t h e ach ievemen ts o f t h e c u l t u r a l r e v o l u t i o n t h a t t o o k p l a c e during t h e f i r s t decade a f t e r t h e G r e a t Oc tober s o c i a l i s t r e v o l u t i o n . The i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t e n y e a r s o f u n i v e r s a l c o m p u l s o r y e d u c a t i o n was t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n of t h e p o l i c y o f bringing w r i t t e n c u l t u r e t o a l l s t r a t a o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n . A n d f i n a l l y i t was t h e e x p a n s i o n o f t h e urban way o f l i f e w h i c h i n c l u d e s , c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e n a t i o n a l t r a d i t i o n , book r e a d i n g and buying as i t s i n d i s p e n s a b l e component (mass m e d i a d i d n o t b e l o n g t o t h e n a t i o n a l h e r i t a g e and e n t e r e d t h e urban c u l t u r e as a new and i n t e r n a t i o n a l e l e m e n t ) .

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The m a i n t a r g e t o f t h e study was t o c l a r i f y t h e f u n c t i o n a l s p e c i f i c s o f mass m e d i a as compared t o books . C l e a r d i f f e r e n t i a - t i o n o f t h e f u n c t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t c h a n n e l s a l l o w s one t o d e f i n e and t o s e t t l e i n a p l a n n e d manner, t h e p r o b l e m s o f i n t e r a c t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t commun ica t i on m e d i a i n t h e i r qual i ty as s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l mechanisms. More than that , i t i s e x a c t l y t h e p l a n n e d n a t u r e o f s o c i a l i s t c u l t u r e deve lopment o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t h e n e e d s o f s o c i e t y as w e l l as o f ind iv idua l g r o u p s that makes i t p o s s i b l e t o r e a c h an opt imum c o m b i n a t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g and i n t e g r a t i n g f a c t o r s i n t h e sphere o f s o c i a l commun ica t i on and t o a v o i d u s e l e s s d u p l i c a t i o n and c o n f u s i o n o f i t s v a r i o u s f o r m s and f u n c t i o n s .

The i n v e s t i g a t i o n has p r o v i d e d us w i t h t h e f ind ings w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n and t r e n d s . I t has been es- t a b l i s h e d that n o t i c e a b l e a l t e r a t i o n s i n t h e l e i s u r e t i m e s t r u c t u r e have t a k e n p l a c e a f t e r r a d i o and e s p e c i a l l y TV became b r o a d l y d i s s e m i n a t e d . O n t h e s u r f a c e i t was r e f l e c t e d i n t h e f a c t that c e r t a i n g r o u p s came t o spend l e s s t i m e on r e a d i n g a f t e r t h e y g o t accus tomed t o t h e new c h a n n e l s o f commun ica t i on . How- e v e r t h i s phenomenon g i v e s n o g r o u n d f o r p e s s i m i s t i c f o r e c a s t s s i n c e i t i s but one a s p e c t o f t h e i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween TV and books , t h e o t h e r a s p e c t b e i n g tha t r a d i o and TV a r e n o t o n l y " s u b s t i t u t e s " f o r books but p r o p a g a n d i z e r s as w e l l . It m u s t a l s o be remembered tha t a t t h e p r e s e n t s t a g e t h e d i s s e m i n a t i o n of TV goes hand in hand w i t h t h e g r o w t h o f t h e e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l . U r b a n i z a t i o n p r o c e s s e s i n t h e c o n t e x t o f w h i c h we have d i s c u s s e d t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p be tween books and mass m e d i a l e a d t o e l i m i n a t i n g e s s e n t i a l d i f f e r e n c e s be tween urban and rura l ways o f l i f e , in- c r e a s i n g t h e e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l w h i c h h e l p s t o p r e c l u d e i n d i s c r i - m i n a t e TV w a t c h i n g . So i n t h e USSR d i f f e r e n t mass med ia . and b o o k s do n o t compete be tween themse lves .

Having a n a l y s e d in d e p t h s p e c i f i c f u n c t i o n s o f v a r i o u s chan- n e l s we d i s c o v e r e d that t h e book i s an e f f e c t i v e means o f s o c i a l commun ica t i on w h i c h c a n b e s u b s t i t u t e d f o r n e i t h e r by n e w s p r i n t , n o r by r a d i o o r TV. The p r i o r i t y o f books in m a t t e r s o f educa- t i o n and upbringing i s s e l f e v i d e n t . In e m o t i o n a l , r e c r e a t i o n a l and e n t e r t a i n m e n t f i e l d s a u d i o - v i s u a l c h a n n e l s sometimes do compete w i t h books , y e t n e v e r t h e l e s s t h e b o o k ' s p o s i t i o n r e m a i n s e x t r e m e l y f i r m . S u f f i c e i t t o say t h a t many s o c i a l i s t s o c i e t y ' s f u n d a m e n t a l v a l u e s and norms a r e i n c u l c a t e d t h r o u g h l i t e r a r y f i c t i o n ; books a r e one o f t h e c h i e f e l e m e n t s in t h e s c h o o l methods o f e d u c a t i o n . No wonder t h e n tha t t h e s o c i a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f b o o k s i s h i g h e r than t h a t o f mass med ia .

D u r i n g t h e l a s t decades book consumpt ion i n t h e USSR has c o n s i d e r a b l y i n c r e a s e d . The number o f p e o p l e u t i l i z i n g w r i t t e n c u l t u r a l p r o d u c t s and, w h i c h i s even more i m p o r t a n t , o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t h e w r i t t e n c u l t u r e , g rew s e v e r a l t i m e s o v e r . T o g e t h e r

- 33 -

w i t h t h e r i s e o f g e n e r a l w e l l - b e i n g and b e t t e r h o u s i n g c o n d i - t i o n s i t has l e d t o a g r e a t s p r e a d o f r e a d i n g p r a c t i c e s , book buying and c o l l e c t i n g . I n v e s t i g a t i o n s c a r r i e d o u t by t h e USSR S t a t e Commi t tee on Publishing, Printing and t h e Book T r a d e showed that in 1966 37.3 p e r c e n t o f home l i b ra ry h o l d e r s had more than 100 books e a c h and in 1978 t h e c o r r e s p o n d i n g f i g u r e was a l r e a d y 55.8 ( 3 3 ) . Now we l i v e i n t h e s i t u a t i o n o f mass consumer demand f o r books . Works o f t h e c l a s s i c s , even when p u b l i s h e d i n m i l l i o n s o f c o p i e s , do n o t m e e t t h i s demand.

The A l l - U n i o n v o l u n t a r y a s s o c i a t i o n o f book l o v e r s c r e a t e d i n 1974 has 14 m i l l i o n members i n 1982 .

F u r t h e r g r o w t h o f t h e demand can be e x p e c t e d a l o n g s i d e w i t h a c e r t a i n r e d u c t i o n o f t h e p o p u l a r i t y o f TV due t o t h e i n c r e a s e i n t h e e d u c a t i o n a l l e v e l . The demand o f r e a d e r s w i l l p e r i o d i c a l l y o v e r r u n t h e supply p o s s i b i l i t i e s . B u t i t w i l l t o u c h n o t t h e who le of book p r o d u c t i o n , o r even c e r t a i n k inds o f books , but o n l y s p e c i f i c t i t l e s a t t r a c t i n g t h e i n t e r e s t o f m i l l i o n s and thus f u n c - t i o n i n g l i k e mass med ia , as an " i n t e r m e d i a t e l ink" between b o o k s and v a r i o u s commun ica t i on med ia . We s u g g e s t t ha t t h i s burning s o c i a l p r o b l e m w i l l compel t h e s e a r c h f o r new s o l u t i o n s c o n s i s t - ing o f t h e c r e a t i o n o f d i f f e r e n t t e c h n i c a l , economic and s o c i a l p r e m i s e s f o r t h e c o n s u m p t i o n o f t h e s e e x t r a - p o p u l a r b o o k s w h i c h a r e c h a r a c t e r i z e d f o r mass commun ica t i ons f u n c t i o n i n g .

Though t h e data a t o u r d i s p o s a l c a n n o t h e l p f o r e c a s t t h e t i m e t a b l e and c o n c r e t e f o r m s o f t h e change, t h e s i t u a t i o n as des- c r i b e d i t a l l o w s one t o be o p t i m i s t i c a b o u t t h e f u t u r e . Books t e n d t o p r e s e r v e t h e i r p l a c e as t h e t r a d i t i o n a l t r a n s m i t t e r o f t h e mos t i m p o r t a n t ach ievemen ts o f human c u l t u r e and thus t h e de- mand o f m i l l i o n s o f r e a d e r s w i l l b e met .

The ach ievemen ts o f t h e USSR in c u l t u r a l f i e l d s a r e w i d e l y known and may b e hoped tha t a s i t u a t i o n s i m i l a r t o one a n a l i z e d above w i l l emerge, f o r example, i n some o f t h e d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s . We mean s u c h f e a t u r e s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c f o r v a r i o u s s t a g e s o f s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l p r o g r e s s as t h e high s o c i a l S i g - n i f i c a n c e o f l i t e r a t u r e , sharp i n c r e a s e in consumer demand f o r books, f u n c t i o n i n g o f some books o n t h e same l i n e s as mass m e d i a , e t c . In some cases t h e s i t u a t i o n c a n b e d i f f e r e n t due t o l o c a l s p e c i f i c s and h i s t o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n s where t h e book c u l t u r e i s l e s s d e v e l o p e d than r a d i o and TV. In t h o s e cases , mass com- m u n i c a t i o n s sys tems may d e v e l o p as t h e p r e f e r e n t i a l c h a n n e l o f ae s t h e t i c s and e d u c a t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n and c o n s e q u e n t l y a part o f them w i l l become s i m i l a r t o b o o k s in t h e i r f o r m and f u n c t i o n - ing.