Media Use in the North Caucasus in 2009

Using its own wide network of correspondents in the North Caucasus republics, Caucasus Times has a unique opportunity to hold high-quality public opinion research in the whole North Caucasus area. Geographical location of the Caucasus Times headquarters outside Russia makes it possible to avoid interference from the Russian authorities while processing research data and publishing the results of the public opinion polls. 

 

It should also be emphasized that Caucasus Times has already an established and well-known in the area brand of an agency regularly conducting public opinion polls in the North Caucasus region.

3. PROJECT GOALS

 Primary goal of this project is further promotion of media freedom, which plays crucial role in  civil society and democratization of Russia . Informing Russian state officials, Russian public and international public about main features of media situation in the North Caucasus republics will be extremely helpful in promoting media freedom in this region and in the whole Russia .

 Another project goal is further promotion of the independent public opinion research in the region.

 4. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

 As previously, in the framework of this project Caucasus Times is going to conduct 12 public opinion polls in eight North Caucasus republics during one year. Opinion polls will be conducted on a monthly basis. Main focus of public opinion polls in 2008 will be made on general media use and use of media as a source of information. Polls will be conducted in Chechnya , Ingushetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Adygea, North Ossetia as well as in Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. “Face to face” methodology will be applied with standard questionnaires including 6-7 blocks of questions depending on the nature of research. Sample size is 400 persons (200 men and 200 women; age 16+). In the course of the public opinion research Caucasus Times is going to focus not only on general media use, but also on specific media problems for each republic. Media behavior and preferences of the population and the level of their trust to various central and local media outlets (TV, radio, newspapers, Internet) will also be analyzed.