International Marketing of Russian News Agencies on the African Media Market

This research paper is written on a topical issue and is devoted to the analysis of the presence of Russian news agencies on the African media market. Russian-African relations are gaining new momentum in the political, economic and social spheres. Additional impetus is given to them by developing contacts in the media sphere. One of the most important tasks facing the Russian and African media is to overcome stereotypes formed due to linguistic, cultural and historical differences and also overcome politic and economic difficulties. According to the results of the 2023 Russia-Africa summit, we can observe that the great potential of the Russian-African information cooperation has not received a full-scaled realization yet. This paper analyzes the media market of African countries, identifies the features and limitations for Russian news agencies to enter this market, and examines the agenda of Russian agencies. Based on the data obtained from the Factiva database, at least one Russian news agency issued more than 300 news items about 12 countries of the African continent in 2023, which signals that Russia's media penetration in Africa is rising. Based on in-depth interviews with experts, recommendations are proposed to strengthen the presence of Russian news agencies on the African market. The author also suggests the promotion guidelines, including cooperation with local information agencies and establishing podcasts that will serve as a new channel of communication.