Changes in Urban Communications: the Open Data Paradigm

The paper discusses the features of urban communications in the paradigm of open data. The relevance of this study is due to the fact that today there are three global trends that affect all areas of society: openness, datafication and urbanization. These trends have determined the emergence of open urban data. In turn, the development and spread of the phenomenon of urban public data identified the emergence of new forms of urban communications. Firstly, based on open data are communication projects, which provide the citizens a new way to get information about the city. In addition, such projects are able to involve citizens in the decision-making process, using their collective views and knowledge of local issues. Second, non-state associations are gaining momentum, They promote the idea of open data, involve people in the use of open data. Third, there are new formats of activities that are aimed at enhancing the work with open data. The study posed the following question: whether the open data determines the emergence of new models of urban communication? Using the method of case study we examine open urban communications paradigm in two Russian cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg. The findings support the hypothesis of transformation of urban communications in the paradigm of open data and the emergence of new urban communication models