Secondly, the major requirement of advertisers for media is that they provide the maximum possible exposure to the consumer. As such, this type of dependence encourages mass media to expand their audience of readers, viewers and listeners by providing a quality product on a competitive media market. Dependence on state funding means dependence on officials with a vested interest in preserving their power and stabilizing the existing order. This inevitably leads to interference in editorial policy, various forms of censorship, and deprivation of press freedom. Advertisers are not interested in interfering with press content, as this can lead to reduced circulation or audiences.
Officials provide funds for the purpose of influencing the information made public by the media.
The budget is the basis of local governmental policy, and the manner in which it is distributed can say more about that policy than any analysis of the public addresses given by a regional leader. Table 1 presents data on regional budgets in which money is earmarked for mass media. The share of the overall budget earmarked for media is a significant indicator of local government policy. For purposes of comparison, we will divide the various territorial entities into groups, and rank them in decreasing order within each group according to the percentage of the budget earmarked for mass media. Percentage of overall budget earmarked for mass media Group 1.