A presentation of the best practices from the "MediaImpuls. Chelyabinsk" Regional Student Media Centre of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science was held at South Ural State University as part of the "Activate Values!" Youth Media Meeting. This event became an important platform for exchanging experiences, discussing current trends in youth media, and understanding the role of values in the modern media landscape.
The meeting was moderated by Arina Zaitseva, Candidate of Sciences (Philology), Associate Professor at the Department of Journalism, Advertising, and Public Relations of the SUSU Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Head of the Regional Student Media Centre of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
"Any media professional works with people. If a journalist doesn't understand the importance of generally accepted values, it will be difficult for them to engage with audiences and create socially relevant materials. A modern media specialist is someone who combines professional skills (the ability to write, film, and edit) with personal, spiritual qualities: patriotism, love for people, respect for one's neighbour, and an understanding of the role of family in society. This is a specialist who is both deeply spiritually developed and professionally accomplished in the media sphere," noted Arina Zaitseva.
Today, student media are becoming not only a tool for informing people but also an important channel for shaping young people's worldviews and reflecting cultural, historical, and civic values.
The presentation featured key projects implemented by members of the "MediaImpuls. Chelyabinsk" Media Centre. The Centre's editors (Dariia Populova, Marina Voronaia, and Svetlana Vasina) spoke about the specifics of creating patriotic multimedia projects at the Regional Student Media Centre. Participants were particularly drawn to a video interview "I Continue to Serve People" with the Special Military Operation hero Aleksandr Pashkeev.
The speakers emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to creating a multimedia project, including working with historical facts, a well-thought-out colour scheme, and the functionality of a longread.
The topic was continued by Iana Zaripova, a Master's degree student at the Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities, and director and cameraperson of the "Avenue of the Young" broadcast program on SUSU-TV. In her presentation, she explored the theme of the "Unity of Nations" in the "Avenue of the Young" student infotainment television program, which features a whole series of materials titled the "Kaleidoscope of Cultures". Important elements include not only the choice of topics but also the tone of delivery, the characters, and the program's visuals, which are able to attract audience.
""Avenue of the Young" is a program about everything that concerns today's youth: we cover science, trends, and even memes. The topic of national unity is especially important to me, and it needs to be discussed in countries where representatives of different nationalities study and work side by side. Through our work, we strive to demonstrate the importance of sincerely respecting every guest of our country and every citizen, regardless of their nationality. In the "Avenue of the Young" program, we touch not only the topic of national unity but also all 17 traditional Russian values. We believe it is important to convey these values through media content, especially given the current information landscape's abundance of negativity. We believe that media can make the world a better place by highlighting positive initiatives," said Iana Zaripova.
SUSU Radio reporters Olesia Mishina and Violetta Kononova shared their experience in creating audio content. Together with students from the "Heart of the Urals" Advanced Engineering School, they had created a "Founders of SUSU" series of historical podcasts, dedicated to the people who had pioneered the university's founding. The speakers discussed in detail the specifics of working with archival materials, identifying characters, and constructing an audio narrative. The podcast format allows for a trusting dialogue with the listener and a deeper understanding of the values underlying historical topics.
The news format can also go beyond simply providing information, becoming a tool for shaping the spiritual and moral values of the student community. Olga Sadchikova, a student at the Institute of Media, Social Sciences and Humanities and the editor of the "SUSU News" broadcast program on SUSU-TV, spoke about this. She presented the topic "Event-based Student Television News as a Platform for Representing Values" and emphasized the role of student television news programs as a platform for representing values.
"The goal of the "SUSU News" youth news program is to create and shape a positive agenda and represent values. In a climate of information overload, student media become a filter that convey not just facts, but the meanings and values that are important to young people and the university. SUSU is a multinational university with a rich history, so the values of unity, strong family, and preserving historical memory are the foundation of the program. By conveying these fundamental values, the program shapes the SUSU's image as a "University of New Opportunities, Traditions, and Unity"," Olga Sadchikova emphasized.
Modern student media have a great potential not only in communications but also in shaping the values of young people. Students actively asked questions, discussed the presented cases, and shared their own experiences.
Holding such meetings promotes the development of professional competencies among future journalists, media specialists, and content creators, and strengthens the collaboration between student media organizations from different universities.