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The specifics of regional media operations, interaction between journalists and the expert community, content promotion in the digital environment, and the implementation of Decree No. 630 were discussed at an off-site creative meeting of regional media editors-in-chief in Ushachi. The Assistant to the President – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region, Sergey Levkovich, emphasized the special role of the media in ensuring the information sovereignty and security of the state:

– In the age of high technology development, the information field is filling up at an incredible pace. The term "information warfare" has entered our vocabulary. In many countries, media are used as weapons, which are, unfortunately, quite effective. Our task is to competently present truthful information for the benefit of people, society, and the state. The President also emphasized the role of the media at the media forum, noting that the future of the country depends, in part, on journalists. Today, the media are part of the state's security system.

The Head of the Main Department of Ideological Work and Youth Affairs of the Regional Executive Committee, Marina Novitskaya, noted that the Ushachi district was not chosen for the meeting of regional media by chance. The district newspaper "Patriot" has one of the highest subscription rates in the republic per capita – 225 copies per thousand inhabitants. Every fourth person in Ushachi subscribes to it, and the newspaper is read in every family.

– The information space is changing dynamically. Time constantly demands new approaches from the media. The number of information flows and their means of expression is growing, which means the need for competent selection and interpretation of events and facts, and analysis of their causes and possible consequences is also increasing.

We live in a competitive environment: hundreds of periodicals and TV channels are available to consumers. That is precisely why regional media are developing and promoting their own high-quality content, – concluded the region's chief ideologist.

Dmitry Sinyavsky, a design and layout expert, senior lecturer at the Department of Periodical Press and Web Journalism of Belarusian State University, who prepares analytics for the Ministry of Information in his field, gave an overall positive assessment of the development dynamics of Vitebsk region's regional media.

Chief editors of regional media shared their best practices and experience in specific areas with their colleagues. For example, Elena Kirillova, chief editor of the district newspaper "Golos Rossonshchiny," spoke about the creation and promotion of a district Telegram channel. Currently, the newspaper has over 1.7 thousand subscribers on the messenger, while the region's population is just over 8 thousand residents. Andrey Pankrat, chief editor of the district newspaper "Vestnik Glubochchiny," conducted an analysis and discussed how journalists work with problematic and critical materials, and their interaction with local authorities to resolve pressing issues raised in regional media.

Diana Kurilo, chief editor of the newspaper "Vit'bichi," shared her experience of the editorial office's cooperation with the expert community, including analysts, the deputy corps, representatives of civil society, and heads of enterprises and organizations.

The creative forum for regional journalists continued with a press tour of the Ushachsky district. You can read about why you should visit and what to see in this beautiful corner of Vitebsk region in upcoming issues of "Vitebskiye Vesti" or watch videos on our social media.