CEO of News Media Holding spoke at the SPIEF-2025 session

At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025, Maxim Iksanov, CEO of News Media Holding, spoke at the session "Media Modeling of the economy: project or image in the media — what is primary for success?". The participants discussed how modern media influence the perception of projects, form investment expectations and become an independent element of the economic process.

During the blitz, Maxim Iksanov reinterpreted a quote from Daniel Boorstin: "If nothing existed before it was shown on TV, then today — until it was written in Telegram." He noted that the media field has become a key tool for managing attention: "We don't just capture events, we frame them, give them meaning, and launch mechanisms for economic participation."

According to Iksanov, modern media is no longer a repeater. This is a massive trust infrastructure. Editorial work influences investment decisions, consumer preferences, and social trends. An example is the SHOT Verification project, which initiates investigations based on signals from the audience and influences business behavior.

During the discussion, the CEO of News Media Holding also touched upon the role of movies and TV series as a tool for shaping perception and fixing images. He stressed that "in conditions of an overabundance of news, it is the artistic formats — films and TV series — that can have the most lasting and emotional impact on the audience. This is the content that forms memory, interpretation of events and, as a result, public opinion."

The media manager noted that Russia has not yet developed a culture of long—term media investments in industry and image narratives, unlike, for example, Hollywood, where government and private structures regularly use cinema as a tool of soft power. In his opinion, it is important for Russian business to actively participate in the production of such stories, which will be able not only to promote specific products, but also to build the systemic positioning of companies and industries.

"We often think short—term, and media — especially cinema - requires investments for the long term. But it is these investments that form cultural memory, values, and trust. If we don't tell our story, it will be told for us," Iksanov concluded.

At the end of the discussion, Iksanov emphasized the need for a systematic approach to media positioning and suggested strengthening the role of proven information distribution channels. "We live in an era of media consumption, where attention is dispersed and authenticity is often questioned. The future belongs to verified content and certified channels. This is the foundation of a stable information and economic environment."