Russian propaganda in Czech media

The thesis examines the presence of manipulative techniques in selected Czech websites with focus on the news coverage of the Crimean crisis in 2014. The website research is based on the combination of quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Frame analysis of topics is used for a deeper insight to the issue. The research sample includes following websites: ac24.cz, Voice of Russia (czech.ruvr.ru), Protiproud.cz and euportal.cz. The thesis also contains the theoretical anchorage of terms as disinformation, hybrid warfare and balanced reporting. The thesis attends to the distinction of the terms of propaganda and manipulation. In order to fully understand the essence of the new-age Russian propaganda and its direction the thesis is also focusing on the definition of the Russian concept of soft power and its components - state- owned media, governmental agencies and so called GONGOs. The aim of the thesis is to ascertain whether the researched websites employed manipulation techniques during their news coverage of the Crimean crisis and whether we can register any thematic frameworks in their texts that are thematically inclined to Russian strategic narratives and fabricated claims. Keywords Propaganda, Russia, Crimea, Internet media, disinformation, manipulative techniques, information..