Cedar, an independent think tank specializing in data-driven research on Russia, has published a new research by Alesya Sokolova titled “What Do Russians Read?”. The research, supported by Dialogue Office for Civil Society Cooperation, analyzes how Russian audiences engage with political content on Telegram — currently the country’s primary platform for accessing news beyond state control.
We invite you to read the full research at the link below on the Cedar website.
In the context of increasing censorship and repression of independent journalism in Russia, understanding the mechanisms of information consumption is crucial for supporting free and accurate reporting. Telegram has emerged as a critical channel for both independent and state-aligned narratives, making it a key battleground for public opinion.
Drawing on a combination of content analysis and a representative national phone survey, the study provides new insights into the informational habits of Russian Telegram users.
Key Findings
- 44% of people reading Telegram channels in Russia read "pro-government" media, and 14% read "oppositional" ones, as determined by a telephone survey.
- In addition to "pro-government" and "oppositional" news media, there is a group of "neutral" channels, among whose audience there are people with less radical positions, and sometimes both supporters and opponents of the war.
- "Neutral" channels focus more on everyday news, such as the economy (with attention to domestic, not international, events), emergencies (fires, utility failures, abnormal weather changes), health news, food, and science.
- "Oppositional" media tend to cover a narrower range of topics compared to "pro-government" and "neutral" channels. Specifically, the variety of subjects covered by "oppositional" channels is about 60-70% smaller than that of "pro-government" channels and 30-50% smaller than that of "neutral" channels. "Oppositional" channels focus on issues that are not covered by other media (e.g., repression and the consequences of war), and the range of these issues is quite limited.
- Posts in "oppositional" channels are, on average, 30% less positive than in "pro-government" channels and 15% more negative. "Neutral" channels fall between "pro-government" and "oppositional" ones on this parameter.
- Channels with more positive content tend to be more popular (p = 0.02). For "pro-government" media, this is achieved by presenting Russia in a positive light, but the correlation between popularity and positive tone also exists among "oppositional" media (p = 0.05).
- The level of emotionality in the content is not correlated with popularity: both neutral channels in their coverage of events and channels with more emotional presentation can be popular. The share of content about the war is also not correlated with popularity.
- To expand their audience, independent media can:
- Cover a broader range of topics
- Focus more on everyday issues: economy (price spikes and interest rates), emergencies in Russia, health-related news
- Create more positive content: news about culture, animals, life stories, as well as selections of films, photos, music, and memes.
Based on these findings, the report offers practical recommendations for independent media organizations aiming to expand their reach. These include broadening thematic coverage beyond traditional political topics, emphasizing issues that directly affect daily life, and incorporating more positive and culturally resonant content.
About Cedar
After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has become a closed country, making traditional research increasingly difficult. Cedar is an independent think tank dedicated to providing data-driven research about Russia to the academic and expert community. Its team — composed of independent researchers, data scientists, and journalists working in exile — applies digital methods such as web scraping, OSINT, and critical analysis of official statistics to collect and process information about Russia. Cedar’s goal is to enable civil society and government institutions to make more informed decisions by offering transparent, ethically gathered data and analysis. The project was co-founded by Arnold Khachaturov, head of the data department at Novaya Gazeta Europe, and senior researcher Alesya Sokolova, an expert in propaganda studies and social media data.
