The Department of Media of the Higher School of Economics is pleased to announce the organization of an international conference Comparing media systems in BRICS countries: A review of conventional paradigms, which will be held at the Higher School of Economics on April 25-26, 2016.

The central purpose of the conference is to explore and compare media systems in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, also referred to as BRICS countries. The main focus of the conference will concern the similarities and differences among their media systems. The media systems in these BRICS countries have attracted intense scholarly interest over the last few years (Norderstreng, 2013; Sparks, 2013) which reflects the trend of reconsidering conventional paradigms in mass communication studies. The book, Comparing Media Systems by Hallin and Mancini (2004) remains an emblematic study for comparative analysis in mass communication research. However, a trend towards de-westernization of media studies (Curran and Park, 2000; Thussu, 2009) has challenged the applicability of Western media theory as the basis for examining media systems in countries outside the Western world and has consequently triggered a review of conventional paradigms in media studies.

The research into the media systems of BRICS countries has often become a new platform for elaborating new media theories and standards. The primary common attribute that binds these BRICS countries together is that they demonstrate high economic growth rates, which inevitably impacts the financial health and development of their media. However, some scholars argue that BRICS is a fictional coalition, which provides an artificial basis for any comparison, and all attempts to elaborate new theories in this respect should be considered very carefully. Although the binding of these particular countries may seem artificial, it can be a useful basis for redesigning existing paradigms, which are largely based on a strictly Western viewpoint.

This discussion provides the setting for the conference, and participants will seek to reconsider conventional paradigms by emphasizing the principle similarities and differences in the media systems of BRICS countries. The conference will provide a forum for both academics and practitioners to exchange their ideas and findings on media and journalism in BRICS countries.