<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The present article highlights the importance of the comparative longitudinal study of massmediated content in comparing the evolution of public spheres in neighbouring countries. In order to contextualize our research on the Estonian media system, we simultaneously conducted a similar study on Finnish and Russian newspapers of the same period. The 20<sup>th</sup> century was a period of rapid change in Estonian society and, compared with Finnish and Russian newspapers, Estonian newspapers paid more attention to issues that were labelled as “cultural”. In the Estonian press the understanding that ‘culture’ is important prevailed, as it was one of the most stable elements of content throughout the century. The significance of governance-politics and economics depended on the political situation and historical context. The interpretation of data is based on the binaries “centre” vs. “periphery” and “self-reference” vs. “other-reference”.</p></abstract>

The present article highlights the importance of the comparative longitudinal study of massmediated content in comparing the evolution of public spheres in neighbouring countries. In order to contextualize our research on the Estonian media system, we simultaneously conducted a similar study on Finnish and Russian newspapers of the same period. The 20th century was a period of rapid change in Estonian society and, compared with Finnish and Russian newspapers, Estonian newspapers paid more attention to issues that were labelled as “cultural”. In the Estonian press the understanding that ‘culture’ is important prevailed, as it was one of the most stable elements of content throughout the century. The significance of governance-politics and economics depended on the political situation and historical context. The interpretation of data is based on the binaries “centre” vs. “periphery” and “self-reference” vs. “other-reference”.

The Centrality of Culture in the 20th Century Estonian Press

Nordicom Review

A Longitudinal Study in Comparison with Finland and Russia

The present article highlights the importance of the comparative longitudinal study of massmediated content in comparing the evolution of public spheres in...

The Centrality of Culture in the 20th Century Estonian Press

Published Online: May 21, 2013

Page range: 103 - 117

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nor-2013-0017

Keywords
media studies, longitude, content analysis, culture, system theory, Soviet Union, Estonia, Russia, Finland

This content is open access.

The Centrality of Culture in the 20th Century Estonian Press

Published Online: May 21, 2013

Page range: 103 - 117

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nor-2013-0017

Keywordsmedia studies, longitude, content analysis, culture, system theory, Soviet Union, Estonia, Russia, Finland

This content is open access.

Keywords
media studies, longitude, content analysis, culture, system theory, Soviet Union, Estonia, Russia, Finland