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Press
Russian people read a lot. Nearly every family subscribes to at least one newspaper. Newspapers are more popular than magazines. They are sold nearly everywhere: in special kiosks, book stores, underground stations and news stalls in the street. There are daily, weekly, evening and Sunday papers.
National papers circulate throughout the country. Some of them are official, some are private. The freedom of the press is claimed to be the basis of democracy and most national newspapers are considered to be ‘independent’. Actually, they all either support or sympathize with a political party. National papers print articles on both national and international news, culture and sport reviews. British national newspapers may be classified as either ‘quality’ or ‘popular’ ones. But this deviation does not exist in Russia.
There are many periodicals specializing in business, sports, culture etc. Business newspapers are: ‘The Commersant’, ‘The Business-Inform’, ‘The Business Visit’ and others. Most of them are private. Some papers try to attract readers with gossip columns, pictures, sensational series and crossword puzzles. It is the so called ‘Yellow Press’ and it’s better not to take their information for granted. Advertising newspapers are mostly gratuitous and are distributed at the entrance of underground stations.
Many regions and cities have their local newspapers (‘The Moscow News’, ‘The St. Petersburg News’), which print local news as well as major national events. Foreign language papers are available in the hotel-lobbies and airports. The most popular English language paper in St. Petersburg is ‘St. Petersburg Times’.
Radio
Radio is popular with the people of all ages. There are three official radio stations and numerous commercial ones. You can tune in any station you like on FM, short waves, middle or long waves. Different radio stations broadcast all kinds of programmes: newscasts, sport casts, culture, popular-science or music. Music programmes are especially popular with the young people. I also like listening to music over the radio. I usually tune in one of the special music stations, such as ‘Radio Rocks’, ‘Modern’, ‘Europe +’ and others. The listeners’ request programmes are extremely popular with the middle-aged and old people. Some stations broadcast all kinds of contests in which every listener may take part.
Television
Most information about current events we get from television. There are three main TV channels (‘ORT’, ‘Russia’ and ‘Petersburg’) and a great variety of second-rate ones. Modern television offers programmes to all tastes: the News and soap operas, educational, popular-science and entertainment programmes, animated cartoons and action films. The News is televised once in every three hours.
Many people get irritated by the great amount of action films and soaps on TV, because most of them are rubbish. Besides, many people disapprove of advertising on TV, which seems to be a real disaster. Adverts precede and follow every programme, and sometimes even penetrate into it. As for me, I don’t think there’s any sense in disapproving it, because advertising can’t be avoided. On the one hand, it often gets on my nerves, but on the other hand, it provides TV stations with necessary income. We are to put up with the fact that modern television won’t survive without it.
Frankly speaking, I seldom watch TV and I prefer popular-science programmes to all the other ones. They give me a chance to see the countries I’ve never been to and will never get to. They help me to learn more about animals, galaxies and ancient civilizations. Television educates people and, in my opinion, that is its main advantage.
mass media — средства массовой информации
to subscribe to a newspaper — выписывать газету
news stall /stand — газетный латок на улице
daily / weekly / evening / Sunday papers — ежедневные / еженедельные / вечерние / воскресные газеты
a daily / weekly / monthly — ежедневное / еженедельное / ежемесячное издание
national / local newspapers — общие / местные газеты
official / private newspapers — государственные /частные газеты
to support or sympathize with a political party — поддерживать или сочувствовать политической партии
an article — статья
national and international news — государственные и международные новости
culture review — обзор новостей культуры
sport review — спортивный обзор
quality newspapers — газеты для более образованной части общества, «интеллектуалов»
popular newspapers — газеты, рассчитанные на широкого читателя
deviation — разделение
periodicals — периодические издания
gossip column — колонка сплетен
sensational series — сенсационные, скандальные заметки
crossword puzzle — кроссворд
to take something for granted — принимать что-либо на веру
advertising newspapers — рекламные газеты
gratuitous — бесплатный
local news — новости местного значения
major national events — важнейшие события из жизни страны
foreign language papers — иноязычные газеты
to be available — быть доступным
to tune in a station — настроить приемник на радиостанцию
to broadcast — транслировать
newscasts — передача новостей
sport casts — спортивная передача
to listen to something over the radio — слушать что-либо по радио
listeners’ request programme — программа по заявкам радиослушателей
middle-aged people — люди среднего возраста
current events — текущие события
second-rate — второстепенный
soap opera (= soap) — мыльная опера
educational / popular-science / entertainment programme — образовательная / научно-популярная / развлекательная программа
animated cartoon — мультипликационный фильм
action film — боевик
to televise — передавать по телевидению
once in every three hours — каждые три часа
to get on one’s nerves — действовать на нервы кому-либо
income — доход
to put up with something — примириться с чем-либо
