Television Media System of the Tomsk Region in 1990–2020: Unknown Pages of the History of Tomsk Journalism

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of the television media system of the Tomsk region from 1990 to 2020. This period is considered critical due to the formation of a unique media situation known as the «Tomsk media anomaly». During this time, many subjects of the media system were active, but not all of them were studied, resulting in a fragmented description of the television media system. The aim of this study is to identify trends in the transformation of the television broadcasting system and determine their causes. To achieve this, an interdisciplinary methodology was used, which combined historical and sociological approaches, such as historical source studies, the method of in-depth interviews. Empirical material sources included the register of licenses for television and radio broadcasting of the Tomsk Oblast Department of Roskomnadzor, electronic extracts from the registry of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, and 12 interviews with representatives of Tomsk television companies. The study reveals that during 1990–2020 about 30 legally independent and separate subjects of television broadcasting operated in the Tomsk region. Two typological groups were identified: a television company and a production studio. It also indicates the trends of transformation from growth in 1990 due to socio-political reasons to reduction in 2010 due to new economic conditions are revealed.