According to the absolute data of the quantitative and qualitative analyses the following trend can be traced: the number of publications mentioning ASR decreased, which is due to long New Year’s and Christmas holidays. However, last month witnessed an increase in the number of mass media mentioning ASR, which testifies to the growth of mass media interest in the company’s activities.
Summary
January: Summing up the outcomes one can point out the following significant peculiarities: according to the absolute data of the quantitative and qualitative analyses the following trend can be traced: the number of ASR related materials decreased, which is due to long New Year’s and Christmas holidays. However, last month witnessed an increase in the number of mass media mentioning ASR, which testifies to the growth of mass media interest in the company’s activities; in January the share of neutral publications was predominant – news and comments by ASR members dominated the source pool.
The Parliament proceedings concerning self regulation in the construction industry, which were hosted by the State Duma on January, the 22nd , became the key issue of the month, which gave rise to numerous publications, moreover, one can point out that this event was covered both by federal and regional mass media.
Generally, the fact is that this event has exerted significant influence upon the positive character of the information field related to the Association.
Analyzing the other issues related to ASR activities, which were covered by mass media it is possible to state that the company’s activities are basically perceived positively. Mass media gave wide coverage to the comments by the top management and representatives of the Association, practically all significant issues are commented on, the activities of the Builders Association of Russia are reflected in a proper way.
There are still no problematic and negative materials, which contributes to the positive image of the company.
General dynamics of the ASR activities coverage
Figure 1. shows the chronological diagram concerning references to the Builders Association of Russia in Russia's mass media pool (all sources of information).
Analyzing the overall average one can notice that in the first half of January information editions were not very active. Almost complete absence of mass media publications is connected, first of all, with New Year’s and Christmas holidays, traditionally celebrated within the first ten-day period of January. The second half of January witnessed positive dynamics in the number of publications from 5-7 publications daily at the beginning of January up to 10-13 publication at the end of it.
Figure 1. (ASR publications dynamics, January, 2007)
The diagram shows a sharp increase in interest displayed by mess media in ASR activities beginning from January, the 22nd. The Parliament proceedings concerning self regulation in the construction industry, which were hosted by the State Duma on January, the 22nd resulted in a wide resonance in mass media. The following issues were discussed most frequently in information publications:
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self regulation in the construction industry;
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implementation of the national program “Affordable and comfortable housing”;
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dynamics of real estate prices
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prolongation of licensing in the construction industry up to July, the 1st, 2007.
As for the rest, all “peaks” and “sinks” are wholly due to the temporal factor: i.e., an increase in mass media activities occurs at the beginning of the week, the time characterized by “accumulation” of news, while “sinks” are registered at weekends.
Qualitative analysis of information field
Figure 2 shows a pie diagram containing different types of mass media, which provided an area-specific coverage.
As one can learn from the diagram, Internet editions (48 per cent; 62 per cent - last month) still dominate the information pool. Electronic mass media, the greatest percentage of which being area-specific sources, remain providers of current information on a par with news agencies, giving coverage to all important issues related to ASR and the construction industry in general.
Figure 2. Massmediastructure
(News agencies – 22 %, TV and radio – 1 %, Federal press – 10 %, Regional press – 4 %, Internet editions – 48 %, Area-specific press – 15 %).
The share of news agencies (22 per cent) in comparison with the previous month (9 per cent) increased, this information pool was the first to give coverage to the outcomes of the Parliament proceedings in the State Duma, as well as Putin’s enactment of the law “On declaring void certain provisions of RF legislative acts”, which stipulates, in particular, prolongation of licensing in the construction industry up to July, the 1st.
Federal printed editions (10 per cent, 12 per cent – last month) still retain leading positions in terms of analytical articles giving a comprehensive coverage to ASR activities. Besides, due to its specific character this mass media pool serves as a provider of various interviews, which, in their turn, more or less penetrate other types of mass media. One can say that it is the federal press that exerts the greatest influence upon ASR information image. In December the Association was mentioned in federal editions in connection with the Parliament proceedings concerning self regulation in the construction industry, which were hosted by the State Duma on January, the 22nd.
The number of publications in the area-specific press (15 per cent, 9 per cent – last month) increased considerably: these editions give coverage to the most remarkable events in the construction industry and conduct market analyses in some way or other referring to the Builders Association of Russia. In January the area-specific press paid special attention to the forecasts for the next year and current events.
The share of the regional press (4 per cent, 5 per cent in December) remained practically unchanged. The regional editions gave the widest coverage to the following issues: the Parliament proceedings concerning self regulation in the construction industry, house price dynamics in regions and prolongation of licensing in the construction industry. Figure 3 shows the regions characterized by the greatest activity displayed by press in December.
Figure 3. (St. Petersburg - 10, Ufa - 3, Vladivostok - 3, Ekaterinburg-2, Tyumen-2, Chelyabinsk-3.)
TV and radio are represented by the program “Parlamentskiy Chas” (Parliamentary Hour), which focused the greatest attention upon self regulation in the construction industry, while ASR President Nikolai Koshman commented on the program.
The total number of references within the period under consideration amounted to 104; in comparison with December (199) January witnessed a twofold decrease in the number of references.
Basically, January witnessed neutral references in mass media. The references were dominated by news. Negative references were not traced in the mass media information pool within the period under consideration.
Figure 4. Structure of references – Positive – 21 %, Neutral – 79 %.
Personalities: the main players in the information field
ASR President Nikolai Koshman became the leading newsmaker of January. The considerable part of materials published within the period under consideration was based upon his remarks and comments.
Figure 5. ASRNewsmaking. N. Koshman – 49, V. Ponomarev – 9, A. Samoilov – 5, V. Shvets – 3, M. Burlyakov – 2, V. Drokin – 1, P. Goryachkin – 1, S. Frolov -1.
Practically all materials dedicated to the draft law on self regulating organizations actively quoted ASR President. Taking into account the fact that coverage of the above mentioned draft law in mass media can be considered key issue of the month in terms of the quantity of the references, it is perfectly clear that the greatest percentage of all publications mentioning ASR and Nikolai Koshman quoted his comments on the issue:
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I had to build a great deal during the Soviet time and I can say with certainty that then the state made its licensees responsible for everything: sometimes the dialogue ended in the question about your party membership card. But now the situation has changed and the market conditions contradict the system of state regulation.
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The interest-holder will be protected by insurers and the compensation fund. The amount of the compensation fund has not been specified in the document yet, it will be determined by its authors in two weeks. It is quite possible that the cost of the entrance ticket will differ for different companies. The larger the company is the less money it should contribute to the fund, as its financial position is quite stable.
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If the inspecting authority were contractually responsible for poor construction quality, moreover, in the amount of the actual damage, the quality of constructed buildings and facilities would be undoubtedly improved. At the present moment it is responsible for nothing.
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Nowadays the construction community possesses all necessary resources for regulating the industry, solving national and regional tasks in the construction industry. A self regulating organization is able to create the situation when construction companies are responsible before consumers of their services by working out mechanisms of corporate responsibility, establishing compensation funds, introducing the scheme of compulsory insurance of construction risks, etc.
On the 23rd of January during the session of the presidium of the council for implementation of national programs under the RF President First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev charged corresponding departments with drawing up documents concerning introduction of the uniform construction expertise within a 10-day period. Mass media quoted N. Koshman who agrees with D. Medvedev:
ASR Vice President Vladimir Ponomarev occupied the second position among the newsmakers of the month. The majority of his comments are devoted to implementation of the national program “Affordable houses”:
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The program barely defines the notion of comfortable and affordable houses. It completely lacks such sections as providing poor citizens with municipal housing facilities. Furthermore, it ignores the experience, including that of Russia, in forming a rental housing sector. The main stress is laid upon purchasing”, – Vladimir Ponomarev claimed. “Thus, in order not to turn a good initiative of the RF Government into another embarrassment the concept of the national housing program should be thoroughly reconsidered and complemented with regard to the opinions of the business community and experts in the construction industry. If we fail to work out the mechanism of cooperation between the state and the business sphere we will have to forget about implementation of the national program” ASR Vice President summed up.
President of ASR Legal Support Department A. Samoilov occupied the third position in newsmakers top 3 with his comments on implementation of the national program “Affordable houses”:
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Being a lawyer, it is difficult for me to estimate the economic outcomes. In general I appreciate the national program “Affordable and comfortable houses”. I can say that within the framework of self regulation also administrative tasks can be solved more efficiently. One can expect the national program to be implemented more efficiently too. According to official sources 95 per cent of construction companies (98 per cent – according to our own sources) are privately owned. It is the state that initiates national programs. It is private business that implements them. There is no other way to implement national programs.
Source: PR and Information Analysis Department of ASR.