Media and mobility in Estonian society   Meedia ja maailm: Eesti inimeste meedia- ja rändekogemus Triin Vihalemm

The main points of talk The role of mass media in migration The dual role of media in the adaptation and integration into host society Issues related with media & mobility and media & integration in Estonian society Does the ICT development „reduce“ population in Estonia via initiating migration? Whether and how can media help to bring people back to Estonia? What is the impact of Russian media to the integration of Russian-speaking population?

The role of mass media in migration Significant contribution to the models explaining the mechanisms of migration, together with economic, political and cultural factors Getting to know about new places and people Personalised devices and imaginations Weak networks Accessible and multimodal communication channels between those who left and those who stayed at home Less homesickness and loneliness

Media in shaping migration in Estonia ? Effects of networking are likely important in shaping migration in Estonia Every second inhabitant has social media friend(s) or family member(s) living abroad The connection between foreign media content following and migration plans appears among young population Interest towards mediated travel impressions has no connection with migration plans

Interest towards other countries in local media

Estonian mobile population* * Lived/worked abroad more than six months, ready to leave Estonia permanently or temporarily

Particularities of media consumption of mobile population Foreign media contents are followed more frequently compared to whole population Mobile population follows frequently social media and Internet news portals, less interested in contents produced by local media institutions (PSB; newspapers) No habit to follow Estonian news every day More developed prosumption practices

Estonian-speakers’ media menu is local and mostly monolingual Russian-speaking audience has geo-culturally and linguistically more heterogeneous media menu

The dual role of mass media in integration into host society PRO Adaptation in the host society is easier because the information and relationship networks provided by those who arrived and settled earlier CONTRA Ethnic enclaves Virtually expanded and maintained transnationalism – living in two or more social systems PRO New opportunities, innovation and hybridity CONTRA Tiresome parallelism, weakening of civic identity during political crises

Patterns of identity and integration among Estonian Russian-speaking population

Transnationalism index across identity and integration groups of Estonian Russian-speaking population Aggregated index variable: following Russian and other foreign media channels; social media contacts abroad; visits abroad; acquaintances abroad

Conclusions ITC impact is significant in shaping mobility of Estonian population Media and mobility are mutually reproductive among younger and educated population Traditional media production can support the return of mobile population mainly via shaping the „domestic“ public discourses and norms that, in turn, find further interpretation in social networks Extensive following of foreign media itself does not hinder integration of Russian-speaking population into host society, but makes their assimilation less likely Independent news following habit as part of civic competence?

Survey „Me.The World.Media“ was financed by Archimedes, IUT20-38AP14 Thank you! Survey „Me.The World.Media“ was financed by Archimedes, IUT20-38AP14