The relevance of the research is determined by the need to analyze transformations of mass communication caused by the formation of a «synergistically complex reality» (N.I. Lapin). Consequences of digitalization also form a complex communicative discourse characterized by the synergy of traditional and new media into a single environment of media consumption. It is shown that the main factors of the formation of synergistically complex media consumption are the digital metamorphosis of the world (W. Beck), mass self-communication (M. Castells) – they largely determine specifics of modern communicative discourse, which acts as an agent of the socialization of youth and the formation of national human capital. Taking into account the inherent consequences of these processes for new Russia, the authors propose a sovereign model of synergistically complex media consumption, corresponding with the genotype of Russian culture. The proposed model takes into account cultural and civilizational conditionality of media consumption.

The article analyzes the communication approach in the humanities as one of the key methodological strategies of contemporary social-philosophical inquiry. It demonstrates that from the second half of the twentieth to the early twenty-first century communication has been reconceptualized not as an auxiliary channel of information transmission but as a fundamental principle of social and cultural organization that shapes forms of knowledge, identity, and symbolic practices. The paper reconstructs the main trajectories in the development of the communication approach: the media-ontological (M. McLuhan, F. Kittler), the normative-discursive (J. Habermas), and the mediatization-oriented (A. Hepp, Couldry, J. van Dijck). Particular attention is paid to the development of the communication approach within the Russian humanities, especially in the works of S. V. Tikhonova, where communication is conceptualized as a communication space endowed with its own structure, dynamics, and ontological status. Drawing on contemporary social-philosophical studies of historical memory, digital identity, medicine, law, and ideology, the article demonstrates the heuristic potential of the communication approach as an «umbrella» interdisciplinary methodology. It concludes that under conditions of digitalization and mediatization of the humanities, the communication approach enables a shift in analytical focus from the reconstruction of objects and contents to the examination of the conditions of production, circulation, and social validation of meanings, thereby providing an adequate framework for analyzing contemporary social processes.

The article analyzes communication-based governance technologies for enhancing the tourism attractiveness of the Hero City of Novorossiysk in the context of the digitalization of the tourism sector. The underlying problem is defined as a gap between the territory’s strong resource potential (coastal location, mountainous landscape, industrial and port identity, a high concentration of wineries, and heroic-historical heritage) and the city’s limited «visibility» in the regional and federal tourism agenda. The study aims to substantiate which managerial decisions and communication instruments make it possible to translate territorial resources into sustainable tourist demand and to develop a hospitality cluster not only around classical landmarks but also around everyday urban practices. The theoretical framework integrates approaches from the sociology of management, urban studies, and communicology: the city is treated as a system of meanings and public communications in which governance technologies operate through institutionalized channels of the public sphere and digital platforms. The empirical base includes statistical indicators and development documents (2015-2025), observations of municipal governance practices, as well as an analysis of digital services and communication products (digitized routes, a tourism portal, and event programs). The findings show that the most promising trajectories for Novorossiysk are patriotic, historical, and family-oriented tourism, as well as enogastronomic and industrial tourism; their development requires an integrated communication architecture oriented toward trust, safety, and civic co-participation. The practical contribution of the paper lies in proposing a platform-oriented model of communication governance for a tourism cluster and a set of measurable performance indicators. The study also identifies external shocks (environmental and transport-related) that increase the importance of risk communication and interagency coordination within the public sphere.

The work is devoted to the analysis of infographics as a type of journalistic text and its use in regional online media. The aim is to identify the relationships in the use of infographics in Yekaterinburg online media publications, as well as to analyze audience reactions to various types of infographics. An empirical study conducted by the method of content analysis of publications in the telegram channel of the Yekaterinburg media E1.RU Published during 2023 (n = 160) revealed the specifics of using various types of infographics. A connection was found between the use of different types of infographics and certain topics for which they were prepared, differences in audience reactions to infographic publications were described, and the specifics of involving channel readers in infographic publications in terms of commenting activity were identified. Based on the analysis of the revealed patterns, recommendations on the use of infographics in online media are formulated. The results obtained will be useful in the development of regional online media in the telegram channel format.

The article focuses on the study of Russian wine consumer behavior, with a particular emphasis on their attitudes towards domestic wine. The research was conducted  using a survey analysis based on Q-methodology. Factor analysis carried out in Statistica 7 software revealed three factors that were subsequently used to form three distinct segments of wine consumers characterized by different perceptions of Russian-produced wines: «Skeptics», «Advocates» and «Interested». Then the author explores the specific communication strategies for each of these segments, examining their needs, objectives, preferred communication channels, and key messages (communication mix). The initial hypotheses posited at the beginning of the study – that there exists a group of wine consumers who harbor significant prejudices against domestically produced wines and tend to avoid consuming them in favor of imported varieties, as well as another segment interested in exploring wine culture and eager to expand their knowledge about wine. These hypotheses were fully confirmed during the course of this research.

This article examines the specific application of neurogenerative technologies in the production of visual content serving as an element of political media communication. It is noted that the emergence of synthetic technologies opens new prospects for the creation of video content in demand in the media practices of modern Russian television companies. The authors find that generative media content is actively used as a tool for visualizing complex  political processes, facilitating their perception and offering original ways of understanding the political agenda. Thus, synthetic media content acts not as a replacement for documentary images, but as an expanded media language, complementing traditional journalistic genres and approaches to understanding reality. The empirical basis for the study was video footage from the RT television channel, one of the key global media holdings mastering AI technologies and integrating neurogenerative content into political media communications. In the course of the study, the authors confirm the hypothesis that RT uses synthetic media content not so much to imitate documentary authenticity, but rather to reinforce key points, increase emotional impact, and structure the political narrative. Synthetic elements serve as tools for visualizing abstract concepts, modeling hypothetical situations, and creating emotional resonance, while the channel strives for transparency by labeling the synthetic nature of the media content it posts.

This article describes the main components of the media communications industry, presenting the genesis of their development and the process of leadership development. It provides an overview of industry practices in the 20th and 21st centuries in the United States, England, and France, as well as the history of the PR industry in Russia from the 1990s to the 2020s.

This article publishes the results of representative expert surveys conducted by the Association of Public Relations Consulting Companies (AKOS) to assess the contribution of leading players in the professional communications market. Corporate and author-specific criteria for this assessment are presented, along with a qualitative analysis of the characteristics of domestic and international PR industry leaders. The essential characteristics of the domestic PR services market and the factors that contribute to its leaders’ success are identified.

This study examines the application of storytelling in socio-political advertising, using the campaign Heroes of Russia implemented by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation as a case study. The relevance of the research is determined by the growing role of socio-political advertising in shaping public opinion and the need to analyse its communicative mechanisms. In the contemporary media environment, where information is predominantly perceived through emotional engagement, storytelling has become one of the key tools for effective audience influence. The object of the study is the socio-political advertising campaign Heroes of Russia, while the subject of the research is the use of storytelling as a tool for shaping public opinion and patriotic attitudes. The aim of the study is to analyse the mechanisms of storytelling in socio-political advertising, with a particular focus on the impact of narrative, visual, and interactive elements on audience engagement. To achieve this aim, the study addresses the following objectives: identifying the key components of storytelling; analyzing their emotional impact; assessing the effectiveness of storytelling based on media presence data and sociological survey results; and examining the role of digital interactive elements in deepening audience interaction with content. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach and includes content analysis of advertising materials, analysis of the campaign’s media presence using a media monitoring system, a sociological survey, and the calculation of the potential audience reach of outdoor advertising based on demographic data. The article presents an original analytical approach to assessing audience engagement in a socio-political advertising campaign, grounded in an integrated analysis of visual-narrative structure, media metrics, and sociological survey data. The findings indicate that storytelling based on real-life narratives and supplemented by interactive digital elements enhances the emotional perception of patriotic meanings, increases trust in the conveyed images, and contributes to the formation of sustainable patriotic attitudes. The practical significance of the study lies in the applicability of the identified patterns to the design and implementation of socio-political advertising campaigns.

The article discusses modern scientific and practical approaches to personal brand audit in a digital context. Based on an analysis of the literature on marketing communications, brand and reputation management, and digital media research, the article offers a conceptual framework for understanding personal brand auditing as a systematic diagnostic process. The author’s understanding of personal brand audit is proposed, a set of structural components of personal brands subject to audit is defined, and modern measurement methodologies are characterized. The authors propose approaches to auditing the following components of a personal brand: the communicated architecture of personal identity, brand consistency, the topography of the digital footprint of the brand carrier, the architecture of interaction with the audience, perception by stakeholders, and representation in search engines.

This study analyzes the portrayal of pensioners on the official websites of Russia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the Social Fund of Russia. As a first attempt to track shifts in the state’s perception of the older generation, it employs content analysis of news section publications from the past decade. The research aims to correlate discourse dynamics with political developments, particularly following the pension age increase and the launch of the «Active Longevity» program. The analysis investigates the attributes assigned to pensioners in state rhetoric, considering the concept of traditional values, and examines how this narrative aligns with demographic strategies. It also compares the constructed images across the two agencies, including visual components. The findings reveal no unified image. The narrative splits: pensioners are depicted both as bearers of traditional family values and as socially active individuals striving for a vibrant post-retirement life. Consequently, their role lacks a definitive characterization, encompassing contradictory attributes.

The widespread use of streaming in contemporary society makes researchers consider the increasing number of facets of this complex social phenomenon with distinct media, social-cultural, technological, and economic characteristics. Since Chinese streaming platforms were created and became popular much earlier than in other countries, the presented description of streaming focuses on the Chinese approach to its development and regulation. The article describes the components of streaming that make this type of broadcasting significant for sociological study, the main types of streaming and the institutional structure of the Chinese streaming industry (key players, scale of public engagement, segmentation of streaming channels audiences, etc.). The authors identify the key trends in the development of the streaming industry in China (competition between national and international broadcasts, huge reach and commercial success, interaction between corporations and the state in content moderation, etc.) using TikTok as an example, since it determined the phenomenal success of Chinese streamers in the international online space and became an instrument of China’s «soft power». The article highlights the key areas of government regulation of streaming in China: economically, authorities are interested in developing the streaming industry as a driver of economic growth and a tool for job creation (especially at the regional level), while politically and ideologically, they strictly control streaming by legally prohibiting some content and encouraging streaming platforms to implement self-regulation measures. Thus, the directions of government and public regulation of streaming depend on its value content and objective ideological and technological capabilities for its control, and there are clear opportunities for applying Chinese experience to Russian realities.

The article examines the transformation of Government Relations (GR) practices in Russia since the mid-2020s. Based on the analysis of industry research and a series of expert interviews with GR-specialists, key trends, risks and barriers are identified. It was found that the key trends were the growing importance of informal communications, the expansion of the range of interested industries (especially IT) and the mixed use of digital and offline tools with the dominance of personal contacts. The main risks include regulatory challenges, bureaucratization, and a shortage of qualified personnel. The study confirms that large business focuses on social investment and systemic interaction with government, while medium-sized businesses face barriers in the form of bureaucratic inertia, the lobbying advantage of large players and a lack of trust from the state. The conclusion is made about the priority of building trusting relationships between business and government for successful GR-activities.

The concepts of «information society», «digital revolution», and «digital transformation» are integrating into scientific and socio-political discourse, becoming the focus of research attention, analysis, and interpretation of current trends and tendencies in changing social space, social structure, models and mechanisms of social interaction, and the dynamics and consequences of digitalization in various spheres of public life. In the context of global digital transformation and the emergence of a new social reality, there is an urgent need for institutional government structures to develop a comprehensive and adequate response. This process requires identifying optimal parameters that will ensure the sustainable development of a public administration system functioning as a dynamic social and communicative system.

 The authors emphasize that contemporary socio-political realities require a deep and comprehensive understanding of the place and role of strategic communications in the context of power relations and information exchanges. These processes, occurring within the context of digital transformation, have a significant impact on the effectiveness of public institutions and require careful analysis from the perspective of management theory and practice. Thus, the study of strategic communications in the context of digital transformation is a relevant and significant task requiring an interdisciplinary approach and the integration of knowledge from various scientific fields.

The article is devoted to the study of the role of public diplomacy projects in the border regions in the context of the escalation of the conflict, namely, the assessment of the impact of the sociocultural dimension of public diplomacy on the development of cross-border cooperation. The empirical basis of this work is based on the results of the study «Problems and Trends in the Formation of Information Security in the EAEU Regions», conducted in January-March 2025 in the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the Belgorod and Kursk Regions (N=1500). The results of the study revealed a deep contradiction in public expectations and official priorities in the border regions in the context of sociocultural security. It has been established that the development of a safe information space requires the creation of a safe regional information and cultural space for its citizens. The population sees the main sociocultural risks in the loss of traditional values and historical memory, as well as in the destructive influence of information.

The article examines the transformation of the discourse on education as an instrument of «soft power» in response to the significant geopolitical challenges Russia has faced in recent years. Drawing on a source base that includes key works on «soft power» published between 2000 and 2025, official Russian political documents, and statistical data on the influx of international students to Russia, the authors trace the evolution of the discourse surrounding the application of «soft power» – and education as a «soft power» resource – within the Russian socio-political sphere. The development of this discourse is analyzed across three primary dimensions: the realm of academic and policy research, the sphere of normative political documents, and the field of actual practices. The concept of «soft power», introduced in the 1990s by American political scientist Joseph Nye and initially defined as the ability to achieve desired outcomes through the attractiveness of a country’s values and culture, has been expanded and somewhat redefined over the past thirty years. Higher education remains a significant soft power resource and has been actively integrated into the process of internationalization since the early 2000s. Leveraging both its advantageous geopolitical position and the extensive network of professional educational ties established during the Soviet era; Russia seeks to transform this potential into an effective mechanism for building a positive international image. In alignment with shifting geopolitical realities, the focus of Russia’s educational engagement is also changing, increasingly directed toward influencing the states of the post-Soviet space and the countries of the Global South.

The article examines the role of consulting support in the development of corporate communications in the modern media space in the context of digital transformation. Theoretical approaches to understanding corporate communications and their evolution in the media environment are considered, and the functions and areas of work of consultants are analyzed. A practical case study of Gazprom’s interaction with the international communication agency Ketchum is presented, demonstrating the effectiveness of external consulting in the development of corporate communications. The main areas of consulting support have been identified: the formation of a communication strategy, reputational risk management, ensuring compliance with professional standards and overseeing media relations. The study reveals the importance of consulting support for the transformation of corporate communications in a dynamic media environment.