Modern Facets of a Small Town’s Daily Life Covered by the Regional Press

Author

Batsvin Andrii

a postgraduate student of M. Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine).

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4733-6670

Modern Facets of a Small Town’s Daily Life Covered
by the Regional Press

Abstract

The significance of local periodicals as a source of information about the everyday life of residents in the small town of Halych during Ukraine’s independence period (1991–2016) is investigated in the article. The research materials include issues of the newspapers Halych Word (Halytske Slovo) and Dniester Wave (Dnistrova Khvylia), reflecting the social, cultural, economic, and everyday aspects of the community life.

The author is analysing thematic sections of the published works, which reveal a wide range of issues, from social and administrative-economic processes to cultural and religious practices. For instance, the newspaper sections of the 1990s, such as Our Calendar and Our Interviews, have been focused on personal and local events, while in the 2000s, materials on public administration, education, healthcare, and youth activities prevail. In the editions of the 2010s, the focus has been shifted towards issues of charity, spirituality, and the relevant social topics. Attention is also paid to administrative and economic processes, covering entrepreneurial activities, legislative changes, and infrastructure projects.

Special emphasis is placed on the press’s significance in reflecting the cultural life and festive traditions of the town. The newspapers have published materials on cultural events, including festivals, choral academies, exhibitions, and sports events as tools for local identity formation.

The everyday challenges, such as infrastructure and utility issues, those have caused tension among residents, are highlighted in the editions. Examples of coverage the social injustices, such as discrepancies in tariffs and disorder in residential areas are considered.

The importance of local press as a «chronicle» of everyday life, which not only documents significant events but also forms public opinion, fosters social cohesion, and preserves cultural heritage, is emphasized in the study. Newspaper published works inform the population about current events as well as contribute to the formation of value orientations, highlighting the community’s problems and achievements. Owing to its structure and thematic diversity, the local periodicals have become a vital tool in forming historical memory, preserving local identity, and adapting the community to contemporary social changes.

Keywords

local periodicals, everyday life, Halych, cultural identity, social processes.

References

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