Propaganda, critical media literacy and participation : tracing memories of the Soviet media

The role of media is crucial in promoting the public sphere and determining the forms of civic participation. In the post-Soviet context, the relationship between media audiences and the legacy of propaganda-driven media is of particular importance from the perspectives of media history and democratic development. The post-Soviet media environment was shaped by particular political traditions and notions of citizenship. The Soviet mass media was subordinated to the state ideology as its main instrument, enabling the state authorities to impose their propaganda and keep control over the population. On the other hand, contemporary civil cultures and active public participation is being shaped by citizens’ memories of their media practices then and now. Effective civic participation can only be realized by developing critical reflection towards the past, identifying and articulating personal perspectives towards the propaganda and its effect on the citizens’ societal participation. The main aim of the article is to explore the relationship between democratic participation and critical media literacy. We underscore media literacy in Lithuania began developing well before the democratic transition that took off in the late 1980s; moreover, today we see what is termed as a process of democratization of memory of the Soviet past. Oral history research shows that citizens express well-defined critiques of the power manipulation and propaganda persuasion in the media during the Soviet era. Reconstructions of the individual strategies of watching Soviet television in the past and comparing them to the present practices reveal critical media literacy skills as an important prerequisite for democratic and deliberative participationSocialinių mokslų fakultetasViešosios komunikacijos katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta