Peculiarities of the political media discourse as a factor in forming reputational capital of the heads of subjects of the Russian Federation (by the example of the Central Federal District regions)
- DOI
- 10.5922/vestnikhum-2025-3-8
- Pages
- 96-108
Abstract
The article examines the influence of the political media discourse of regional leaders on the formation of their reputational capital within a centralized political system. Using the example of the subjects of the Central Federal District, the authors analyze the relationship between the content of governors’ public speeches and their public perception. The study is based on a content analysis of materials from federal mass media and social networks, which made it possible to identify various strategies of media communication employed by regional leaders. It is established that formal alignment with the information agenda of the federal center is not a sufficient condition for building positive reputational capital. The key finding of the research indicates that governors who combine moderate adherence to nationwide themes with active engagement in solving local problems achieve the greatest success in strengthening their public image. Excessive orientation toward the federal agenda, on the contrary, often leads to a decline in reputational indicators. The proposed methodology for analyzing media discourse can serve as a tool for assessing the effectiveness of communication strategies of regional elites. The study emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach that takes into account the specific characteristics of territories in shaping the public image of political authority.