Article

Name: Editorial policy of the newspaper “Birzhevye Vedomosti” in the context of historical shift (July 1914 – October 1917)

Authors: E. E. Vakhnenko

Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

In the section Study of literature

Abstract: The paper is devoted to the specifics of the editorial policy of the popular St. Petersburg newspaper “Birzhevye Vedomosti” during World War I and the February and October revolutions of 1917. The author discerns some tendencies characteristic for the reforms in content and ideology of the newspaper. Thus, this edition can be considered as a special project of the media, reflecting the course of history and the level of the public consciousness. The newspaper was a social, political and cultural voice in the intellectual and mass readers’ audiences. The main attention is paid to the changes in the esthetic program of the editorial board in literature and political journalism. General characteristic of the reporters’ practices of well-known writers is given. The ideological positions and thematic potential of their publications, as well as their civic position, reflected in their journalistic works, questionnaires and interviews, are revealed. The author highlights the key role played by critic and writer Alexandre Izmailov in the newspaper’s reform and its popularization in the intellectual milieu. Due to the efforts of its leading writers and journalists, and with the help of influential scientists and civil servants, the “Birzhevye Vedomosti” during the war got rid of the reputation of liberal newspaper and became known as influential mass edition. The paper also provides a detailed account of the reasons for the newspaper’s crash after the revolution.

Keywords: periodicals, “Birzhevye Vedomosti”, politics of the editorial board, S. M. Propper, A. A. Izmailov

Bibliography:

Andreev L. Pust’ ne molchat poety [Let the poets not be silent]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 18 October 1915, no. 15155, pp. 2–3.

Andrey Belyy i Ivanov-Razumnik: Perepiska [Andrey Bely and Ivanov-Razumnik: Correspondence]. A. V. Lavrov, Dzh. Mal’mstad (Intr. art., comment.). St. Petersburg, Atheneum, Feniks, 1998, 736 p.

Chebotarevskaya A. Gazetnoe antuka. (Pis’mo v redaktsiyu) [Newspaper antuka. (Letter to the editor)]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 9 December 1915, no. 15259, p. 6.

Chebotarevskaya A. V zashchitu “voennoy” literatury [In defense of “military” literature]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 4 December 1915, no. 15249, p. 2.

Fedor Sologub i Anastasiya Chebotarevskaya: Perepiska s A. A. Izmaylovym [Fedor Sologub and Anastasia Chebotarevskaya: Correspondence with A. A. Izmaylov]. M. M. Pavlova (Publ.). Ezhegodnik RO Pushkinskogo Doma. 1995. St. Petersburg, 1999, p. 194–293.

Frid S. U A. I. Kuprina [Visiting A. I. Kuprin]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 17 August 1915, no. 15032, p. 2.

Iz interv’yu, lektsiy i besed A. I. Kuprina (1905–1927 gg.) [From interviews, lectures and conversations of A. I. Kuprin (1905–1927)]. In: Kuprin A. I. Poln. sobr. soch.: V 10 t. T. 11, dop. [Complete works: in 10 vols. Vol. 11, add.)]. Moscow, Voskresen’e, 2007, 560 p.

Izmaylov A. A. Perepiska s sovremennikami [Correspondence with contemporaries]. Aleksandrova A. S. (Comp.), Aleksandrova A. S., Aleksandrova E. K., Gryakalova N. Y. (pref., prep. texts and examples), St. Petersburg, “Pushkinskiy Dom” Publ., 2017, 728 p.

Kaufman A. E. Iz zhurnal’nykh vospominaniy [From journal memories]. Istoricheskiy vestnik. 1912, no. 12, p. 1067–1078.

Kolyshko I. I. Velikiy raspad. Vospominaniya [Great decay. Memories]. St. Petersburg, Nestor- Istoriya, 2009, 463 p.

Kovalevskiy M. Chemu uchit nas Angliya? [What does England teach us?]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 9 December 1915, no. 15259, p. 2.

Lukian (S. Lyuboshits). Dela pechatnye [Printing Affairs]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 6 September 1917, no. 16427, p. 3.

Lyubosh (Lyuboshits) S. “Svoboda slova” [“Freedom of speech”]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 29 September 1917, no. 16467, p. 3.

Prokof’ev S. Ministerstvo bezgramotnosti [Minitstry of Illiteracy]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 24 June 1917, no. 16301, p. 3.

Propper S. Pis’mo v redaktsiyu [Letter to the editor]. Rech’. 29 May 1916, no. 146, p. 5.

Struve P. Po povodu odnoy ankety [About one questionnaire]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 16 February 1915b, no. 14674, p. 3.

Struve P. Rossiya i angliyskaya kul’tura [Russia and English culture]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 27 November 1915a, no. 15235, p. 3.

Voloshin M. A. Sobranie sochineniy. T. 6, kn. 1. Proza 1906–1916. Ocherki, stat’i, retsenzii [Collected works. Vol. 6, bk. 1. Prose 1906–1916. Essays, articles, reviews]. Moscow, Ellis Lak, 2007, 896 p.

Voloshin M. A. Sobranie sochineniy. T. 10. Pis’ma 1913–1917 [Collected works. Vol. 10, Letters of 1913–1917]. Moscow, Ellis Lak, 2011, 832 p.

Voloshin M. Parizh i voyna. Zhertvy [Paris and the war. The victims]. Birzhevye vedomosti. 26 June 1915, no. 14927, p. 3.

Yasinskiy I. I. Roman moey zhizni: Kniga vospominaniy [The affair of my life: A book of memories]. Moscow, New Literary Observer, 2010, vol. 2, 720 p.