The influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine

Introduction: The paper's objective is to study the influence of regional online media on public opinion formation under martial law in Ukraine. Methods: Methods such as a questionnaire-based survey, online media monitoring, and content analysis were used in the study. Statistical methods of data analysis included the Pearson correlation coefficient. Reliability coefficient Cronbach's alpha enabled verification of tools and methods' reliability.Results: The study revealed that regional online media hold a certain level of trust, with 40% of respondents relying on the information they provide. However, 20% believe the topics do not meet their interests, 30% criticize the lack of unique content, and 40% think the media do not influence their views. Regional media demonstrate the ability to impact social processes: 50% of respondents noted an influence on public opinion, 45% on government perception, 60% on information security, and 70% on language policy. An analysis of war coverage shows that nationwide outlets like Ukrainska Pravda, BBC Ukraine, and Radio Svoboda focus on military actions, humanitarian issues, and political contexts. The correlation coefficient between nationwide and regional media ranges from 0.45 to 0.93, indicating a moderate positive correlation and differences in their war coverage approaches.Conclusions: The study demonstrated the significant influence of regional online media on public opinion formation, but under conditions of war, this role does not prevail over the role of central mass media. Further research should concentrate on studying the factors promoting the efficiency of information delivery by online media.