MINSK, 23 March (BelTA) – Today mass media are becoming a factor of national security. Belarusian Deputy Information Minister Igor Buzovsky made the statement during the international science and practice conference held on 23 March to discuss historical memory and patriotism as the most important and fundamental values of the Belarusian society and the state, as factors of consolidation in the face of modern challenges and threats, BelTA has learned.
The official said: “In crisis periods of history people are particularly susceptible to indoctrination. They easily respond to new stimuli and ideas and are more amenable to information impact. Nowadays information is shared fast and intensively. Social networks and news websites play the prevailing role as sources of information. Belarus' media field is rather saturated and diverse these days. At the same time state-run mass media occupy only one third of this field. Which once again underlines the importance of preserving historical memory and of promoting the state information policy as a whole.”
In his words, it would be justifiable to note that the main core function of mass media is no longer informational and rebroadcasting. To influence and deliberately affect are the main functions now. “Mass media are no longer means to distribute information to the general public. They are becoming means of mass impact, one of the factors of crucial importance for Belarus' national security. The society that intends to preserve its originality and historical continuity should bear in mind this definition,” the deputy information minister noted.
Igor Buzovsky stressed that a lot is being done in Belarus to preserve historical memory. “It is the job of mass media to broadly and professionally present all this large-scale work to the general public, particularly to young Belarusians. All of us should work together on it: the family, the school, mass media, members of the parliament, the scientific community so that we would have means to live and what we should live for,” he concluded.
The conference took place in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. The conference focused on preserving historical memory and on patriotic education in Belarus. Members of the parliament, representatives of the executive branch of government, scientists, university students, and foreign guests took part in the conference.
The conference has been organized with assistance of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Belarus.
