Fake and Post-Truth News in the Information Agenda in the Context of the First “Wave” of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)

Abstract

The article argues the synchronized processes of diffusion of misinformation (fakeization) and spread of post-truth news in the information agenda, disposed in the context of the first “wave” of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The methods of case study, discourse analysis, and comparative analysis are applied. The empirical base is the materials of television channels (Channel One, Rossiya 1, NTV) and social networks (VKontakte and banned on  the territory of the Russian Federation Facebook, Instagram). Timeline of the study – March-June 2020. The outcomes of the study demonstrate that the above processes were due to the problematization simultaneously with the “high and low threshold” – the spread of this social precedent to the entire social space and complete lack of such experience among individuals causes social disorientation and particularly manipulative susceptibility of society – and due to the differentiated motives of the actors. Based on the author's concept of pseudo-news, it is determined that fake is  a product of mass consciousness, and post-truth – a result of the planned and deliberate tactics implemented by the powers that control media. Inspiring the processes of fakeization and post-truthization of the information agenda correlated with stable narratives of the main communication channels (the Internet and television), strengthening the established media picture, thereby constituting the qualification of conditional “heroes” and “enemies” in public opinion.