The most popular newspapers in Belarus

Dear readers, who of us is not interested in the news? Or doesn’t read various types of information on the Internet, social networks, spending sometimes not minutes, but hours of his valuable time every day. This process has even got a definition — surfing the Internet. Everything is clear here: you took the phone (tablet, laptop), opened the browser and «swam across the information seas and oceans». But some 50 years ago, every person on Earth in order to expand their horizons, receive news, or just to stay informed about the state of affairs in their town, the state had to pick up a print publication and read through the pages from typed text by hand. (Author's note — according to Wikipedia, 1969 is the beginning of the birth of the World Wide Web).

Themes of Belarusian Newspapers

Today, in the post-offices you can find the catalog of all the print media that can be subscribed monthly. The range of print media (hereinafter referred to as the media) is not inferior to the number of items sold in a large supermarket, — there are more than a thousand of them. All publications are divided according to the subject. In total, 23 items are presented:

— State and law;

— Business;

— Economics and finance;

— General political and literary and artistic publications;

— Education. Pedagogy;

— Children and youth publications;

— Health. Medicine;

— Scientific and popular science publications;

— Editions of universal content;

— Fantasy. Detective;

— Advertising publications;

— Editions for women. Editions for men;

— Private household. Agriculture. Ecology. Forest household;

— Computer editions. Television. Radio. Communication

— Equipment. Industry. Building;

— Cars. Transport;

— Culture. Art. Literature;

— Sports. Travels. Tourism;

— Leisure. TV shows with announcements;

— Armed forces. Law enforcement agencies;

— Social protection of the population. Editions for the disabled. Occupational Safety and Health;

— Religious publications;

— Nature. The world of animals and plants;

The Amount of Belarusian Newspapers and Magazines

According to the statistics, in 2020, 722 newspapers and 851 magazines are published in Belarus. The print media in Belarus are published mainly in Belarusian and Russian languages, although there are publications in English, Polish, Ukrainian and German as well. The most influential in the country are the newspapers «SB.Belarus segodnya» and «Respublika». Local issues of major Russian newspapers «Komsomolskaya Pravda» and «Argumenty i Fakty» are also popular in Belarus. In total, more than 4 thousand foreign print media are distributed in Belarus, including from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia. Well, as we see, Belarusians read. And this is undoubtedly pleasing.

We will conduct a kind of comparative analysis of the most popular newspapers (magazines) currently published in Belarus. Many publications have electronic versions in the form of web pages as well as printed versions.

The Most Popular Republican Newspapers:

«Komsomolskaya Pravda» in Belarus.

Perhaps one of the most circulated daily newspapers in Belarus. The publication includes such sections as:

— news of the economy,

— an overview of political events,

— gossip column,

— entertaining tests,

— contests for visitors,

— photos of famous personalities and significant events in the country,

— poster

— coronavirus

— Check your spring — the editorial office organizes a unique expedition to check the quality of water in the country's natural sources.

The print edition has a multi-colored format for the presentation of material, which facilitates its perception when reading. It is worth noting separately the selection and nature of the presentation of the material — the editorial staff is able to maintain a balance of serious news with information and entertainment content. In general this is a Russian publication that has its own division in Belarus. The publication has the website(www.kp.by), trying to keep up to date, it is also represented in many social networks. Moreover, the publication is presented as an application that can be downloaded to devices of different platforms. The website even has its own radio. Periodically, the edition draws prizes among its subscribers.

«SB.Belarus segodnya» (www.sb.by/fresh).

The newspaper belongs to the publishing house «Belarus segodnya». It comes out four times a week. It has in its arsenal the following permanent sections:

— Union. Belarus — Russia

— political information

— journalistic investigations

— international projects

— social policy

— operational reporting

— culture

— correspondent network

This publication has a pronounced political orientation in the choice of material, uses colorful design in the layout of the printed version, according to the statistics, the circulation of 190,000 copies, which indicates a rather significant position in the field of journalism in the country.

«Respublika» (www.sb.by/respublika).

This publication also belongs to the holding «Belarus segodnya». It comes out four times a week. It covers political events taking place inside the country. Has the following headings:

— my world — coverage of events of a global planetary scale, philosophical discussions of the authors about the modern world order;

— economy — does not need to be introduced;

— my country — sketches on historical subjects through the prism of modern society;

— technologies — the latest developments of Belarusian scientists that can change the world;

— story;

— business people — reports about representatives of interesting professions and their process of their formation on the labor path;

— top-topic — illuminates the most pressing issues of various kinds concerning all residents of the country. For example, «why our rivers are shallow».

— culture — includes a poster of the most significant events and highlights attractive offers in the tourism sector.

«Arguments and Facts» (www.aif.by)

A major Russian publication with a division in Belarus. It covers issues of society, health, a useful choice — current recommendations to customers of various categories of goods, rubric «question—answer».

Special projects of the publication deserve special attention:

— We read in Belarusian;

— KRAYAZNAŬCHAYA KAZKA — an audio project that arose with the help of readers of the publication, 10 famous Belarusians took part in it, who read fairy tales dedicated to the appearance of Belarusian cities and rivers.

— Around the world with «AIF»

Nasha Niva (www.nn.by).

The monthly Belarusian socio-political and literary newspaper of a democratic direction. The publication is published exclusively in Belarusian; since 2018 it has moved to the Internet resource.

Permanent rubrics:

— News: government, enonomics, society, incidents, peace, sports, opinions, blog "New Belarus" — deserves special attention, as the authors expose in their articles the real state of affairs using modern tools: video content, graphics, presentations, humorous sketches;

— Little by little: health, fashion, food, science and technology, home, weather, useful information, selfie contest, special project — Belarus in the 2000th (the editorial office recalls the events and phenomena that became the symbol of the 2000s).

— culture and tests for reader awareness in various fields of knowledge.

Internet Editions of Belarus

All major publishers have their own web resources. In addition to the above, the following media should be mentioned:

• Belta

• Naviny

• TUT.by

• Telegraf

• Khartiya'97

• Partizan

• AFN

• Interfax

• Yezhednevnik

• Avto-biznes

• Kompyuternyye vesti

Regional Newspapers of the Country:

— Evening Brest;

— Evening Grodno;

— Brest courier;

— Gomel truth;

— Bobruisk courier;

— Evening Minsk;

— Minsk courier;

— Vitebsk news;

— Ostrovets truth;

— and many others.

How to Subscribe to Print Media?

All newspapers and magazines can be subscribed in several ways. I will try to highlight all possible options so that everyone can choose the most suitable for themselves.

Ways to subscribe to newspapers:

1. Subscription in post offices is issued throughout the country. The subscriber is issued a receipt confirming the right to receive a specific print media within a certain period.

2. Subscription to a subscription box or «on demand» in post offices.

3. Subscription at home. By calling the post office that serves you, you can invite the postman to your home at a time convenient for you to subscribe.

4. Subscription at the kiosks of «Soyuzpechat».

5. Subscription through the «Internet — Subscription» system on the Belpochta website (www.belpost.by) using bank payment cards, as well as using EasyPay electronic money.

6. Subscription on the websites of publications that have an electronic version. By clicking on the «subscription» link you will see a brief instruction on how to make a payment.

7. Using the modern service «Belkiosk» (www.belkiosk.by) — a kind of virtual kiosk. With it, you can buy numbers of popular publications and subscribe. A very useful service that saves time, so you do not have to go anywhere to make a purchase, and the money and cost of the pdf — version of the publication are noticeably lower than the «paper analogue».

Where to Buy Newspapers in Belarus?

With this question, everything is simple, in the republic's newsagents, bookstores, at the post office, at automobile and railway stations. Minsk residents can find some publications in the «Vitalyur» hypermarkets, in grocery stores near the house.

Photo: img.golos.io, vminsk.by, iti.bsuir.by, sovbez.by.