Psychological influence is one of the key elements of modern social media. The variety of platforms and content, differing in thematic focus, number of followers, and popularity, provides users with numerous opportunities to consider a particular issue from different perspectives, taking into account the opinions of multiple influencers. However, it is also important to recognize that social media is not only a platform for entertainment but also a certain mechanism that allows the owner, through their media channel and authority (even if only in the eyes of a limited number of users), to influence decision-making and actions. The aim of our work is to analyze the phenomenon of psychological influence on society. The task before us is to analyze the influence of methods and forms of psychological impact on conscious choice during the electoral process. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that over the years we are faced with increasingly serious influences on our consciousness, as development does not stand still; each new election period presents society with new and novel mechanisms and ideas through which an ordinary person’s political consciousness, perception, and, ultimately, the final decision on the ballot change. It is also worth noting that the internet, social networks, and media have become an integral part of our lives, making society highly vulnerable to the problem of influence, the methods and mechanisms of which are developing faster and faster, taking on new forms.

Keywords: psychological impact, media, social networks, content, influencers, social media, electoral process, elections, political participation.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Simonovich N.N., Eremkin M.P. The psychological impact of social media during the electoral process. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 5–9. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp016

Based on a comparative analysis of the practice of dividend payments of Russian and foreign media corporations, taking into account the specifics of the industry and the volatility of their income, the article identifies the features of the dividend policy of public media companies. The paper considers the concept of dividend policy and its content from the point of view of interpretation by domestic scientists. The theoretical aspects and approaches to the formation of the dividend policy of public companies that play a key role in corporate governance and attracting investments of public companies are listed, and the definition of the optimal dividend strategy is given. Analysis of the dividend policy of the resource extraction sector, companies with high income from production activities is most often found in the literature. But the study of the features of the dividend policy of media companies is practically not mentioned, so this is of particular interest and becomes relevant. The dividend policy of Russian media companies is in the process of development and formation. Therefore, the dividend policy of large US media companies was analyzed, which, on the contrary, adhere to the dividend strategy for a long period of time.

Keywords: dividends, dividend policy, stock, shareholders, revenue, net profit, financial statements, market value of the company.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Gizdatov R.I. Features of the dividend policy of public media companies. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 10–17. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp017

The 21st century is characterized by the continued rapid development of digital technologies. The media industry is the fastest growing sector of modern business and is most subject to structural changes, evolution of media and communication methods. One of these changes is the emergence of synthetic media and the introduction of neural networks and artificial intelligence into the communication process. These technologies trigger a new round of media space development, as they provide an opportunity to generate new types of content and have a qualitative impact on the industry. The possibilities of synthetic media in the future may open completely new vectors of industry development and generate new formats of textual and audiovisual content due to the “out-of-the-box thinking” of artificial intelligence and neural networks. Synthetic media have the potential for development and are at the stage of initial formation, but despite this, they are already capable of generating content not only indistinguishable from human-generated content, but in some cases even superior to it.

Keywords: media business, synthetic media, neural networks, artificial intelligence.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Melnikov M.D. Opportunities and limitations of synthetic media in the production of content. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 18–23. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp018

In the context of constant changes and transformations in the world, the question about the nature and character of communications is more topical than ever. We know that the purpose of any communication is to exchange information, which today represents the center and main resource of the modern world. The modern man can not do without constant exchange of information and monitoring. It should be noted that with the development of technology, communication is increasingly going online. An additional push to this trend was certainly given by the coronavirus pandemic, when people simply could not get out at home. The Internet has changed the way communications are made. Not only did it provide another channel, but the dynamics of communication have also changed due to the unique combination of characteristics of the Internet itself. The development of technology has spurred the spread of dark media — the media that mediates communication between reality and the otherworld.

Keywords: communication, dark media, SMS, artificial intelligence.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Shuvalova M.V. Dark media and its impact on modern society. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 24–27. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp019

Today, many companies have begun to actively use motion design tools to promote content, with the most popular being the motion poster. Motion posters have become a powerful tool for promoting concerts and cultural events, which determines the relevance of the study. The purpose of this article is to identify the features and problems of using motion posters by concert agencies in Russia, as well as to develop author’s recommendations for improving this process. The subject of the study is the promotion of Red Events concerts using motion posters. Thus, this article examines the use of motion posters by the Russian concert agency Red Events, emphasizing their effectiveness in attracting the attention of the audience due to the combination of visual and auditory elements. Combining animated graphics, thematic music and fragments of performances, motion posters give an idea of ​​the atmosphere of the event, making them more memorable and attractive. Red Events creates motion posters to promote concerts and events in Russia and abroad (the article considers the example of Great Britain). However, the conducted research, based on a survey of 54 respondents, revealed several problems, including difficulties with quickly understanding the key details of the event, insufficient information about the event (for example, the lack of date and time of the concert) and problems with the readability of the text, the short duration of the motion poster video itself, etc. The lack of thematic diversity and repetitive visual content are also highlighted as disadvantages. The author’s recommendations are offered in the article to eliminate these disadvantages.

Keywords: motion posters, concerts, concert agencies, event promotion, animated graphics, visual content.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Korneeva P.A. Specifics of concert promotion using motion posters. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 28–35. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp020

This article analyzes the phenomenon of digital reputation in the context of modern digitalization and its impact on brand performance. The paper examines key characteristics of digital media, such as information accessibility, content flexibility, and interactivity, which form the foundation of digital reputation. It presents an analysis of three layers of digital reputation: digital footprint, digital cloud, and digital legacy. Particular attention is paid to the role of digital reputation for both consumers and brands, emphasizing its importance as a PR tool. As a prime example of the media phenomenon of digital reputation, the article analyzes the work of Elon Musk, exploring his strategies and techniques for building and maintaining his digital reputation.

Keywords: media reputation, digital reputation, digitalization, media, interactivity, social media, brand, PR, information, cancel culture, digital media, internet, mass media.

JEL Classification: L96, L82

For citation
Bocharova D.D. An Analysis of the Media Phenomenon of Digital Reputation in the Current Context. Media: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 36–40. https://doi.org/10.65324/mtp021