The text of mass communication in the modern media cultural space

Kuptsova Irina Aleksandrovna ORCID: 0000-0002-3830-0776 Doctor of Cultural Studies Professor; Department of Media Education; Moscow State Pedagogical University 115470, Russia, Moscow, Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya str., 16-18, room 209 ki-06@list.ru

Vladimirova Tatyana Nikolaevna Doctor of Pedagogy Vice-Rector for Public Relations; Director of the Institute of Journalism, Communications and Media Education; Moscow State Pedagogical University 109240, Russia, Moscow, Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya str., 16-18, office 10 tn.vladimirova@mpgu.su

Introduction. Media space, mass culture, media communication. The current stage of development of society, which forms a high-tech environment for human life, is ambiguous and contradictory. First of all, this is reflected in the transformation of the socio-cultural space, where mass culture plays a decisive role, acting as a key factor determining the vital activity of huge masses of the population and having a planetary scale. It is generated by objective processes of socio-economic modernization of society. "Mass culture in a post–industrial society is an invariant of everyday culture, which is characterized by an increasing internal stratification depending on the ideas and attitudes of its producers, on the one hand, and consumer preferences and requests, on the other. It is a translator of specific, specialized knowledge, patterns, norms between different cultures; at the same time, it is a structured, dynamically developing ambiguous phenomenon that becomes more complicated, demassifies in accordance with consumer requests and creates new forms and directions in its evolution" ^{[1, pp. 40, 98]}.

The rapid development of information and communication technologies has led to the penetration of the convergence process into modern mass media. This led to changes in the organizational and content aspects of the media, turning them "into a single information and communication space, which includes both analog and network media, as well as social networks, mobile messengers (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram) and other forms of web communications" ^{[2, p. 323]}. In this regard, we note the transformation of the media that has taken place, which from the means of broadcasting information, its simple transmission from authors to consumers, have turned into full-fledged mass communication media with interactivity, mainly existing and transmitting information in real time and creating conditions for receiving instant feedback from users (from SMS voting to the opportunity to show approval/disapproval and comment on the material).

Mass communication media form a special global sphere, defined as a media cultural space. It is characterized by fundamentally different relationships between the consumer of information content and the source of information, the professional and informational communication community, the author and the recipient. Due to the rapid development of technology, a systemic transformation of the media cultural space is taking place, the formation of the structure of "new" media based on non-professional media creation, an amateur method of producing information, entertainment, cultural, educational and other content. This, in turn, affects the state of a number of professional fields, including journalism. At a time when any user of Internet technologies can, if desired, act as a source of information, "network authors" and citizen journalists appear, which leads to a noticeable erosion of the journalistic profession.

Media text in the structure of mass communication: from traditional forms to artificial intelligence products. The media cultural space is constantly expanding, involving traditional and generating new types of art. Thus, photography contains an important basis for the formation of artistic taste and aesthetic principles, its expressive means are able to influence the formation of personality. Photography is especially necessary from the point of view of documentalism. The absolute accessibility of photo production, opened up by digital technologies, has led to the emergence of a multimillion-dollar army of documentary photographers, ordinary non-professional smartphone users who produce billions of images every day, capturing both private and public life. This process is accompanied by an avalanche of photo content: from sending photos in private correspondence, publishing them on social networks, to using photos taken by users in professional media. The so–called photo stocks are replenished daily - voluminous virtual banks of photos created by both professionals and amateur photographers, which are freely available and open for use. It is also important to include artificial intelligence technologies in the process of creating visual content, which often appears in the form of a more or less skilful imitation of real photography. The development of artificial intelligence leads not only to the need to analyze what is already happening, but also to attempts to comprehend options for scenarios of the near future in which generated images can become dominant, a "new reality" and compete with the art of photography. Already, the content created based on requests to artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing in volume and significantly improving in quality. Let's assume that very little time will pass and the texts, images and videos generated by computer programs will be almost indistinguishable from what was created by man. So far, highly artistic works that arise as a result of creative spontaneous human activity, which cannot be algorithmized, can be excluded from this series. Thus, the content generated by artificial intelligence becomes a prominent part and tool in the activities of mass media, developing a type of communication that can be conditionally designated as "human – machine/ human – artificial intelligence". These are all kinds of bots that are created to conduct chats with users, voice assistants, various online services for the selection and stratification of information necessary for a person. The user receives answers to his requests from a computer program and, in fact, interacts with it.

The modern media cultural space based on synthesis and hybrid use includes, without exaggeration, all types and genres of art, and all its levels – from elite and classical to samples of popular culture, including kitsch. The growing trend of interactivity of mass media, actively promoted by new media, has led to a reduction in the distance between media products and the target audience.

Analyzing the specific features of the phenomenon of mass culture, researcher E.N. Litvinova believes that there are three forms of QMS impact on the target audience: "Broadcasting aesthetic values to millions of audiences is one of the forms of mass communication media impact on modern culture. Another form of influence is the non–reproductive, creative, productive aspects of mass communication. And the third, most significant point determining the influence of mass communication media on the formation of modern culture is that, due to their technical nature, they not only provided the possibility of mass coverage of numerically dispersed audiences, documentary fixation and demonstration of material, but also contributed to a number of new aesthetic qualities that have been comprehended in various areas of cultural activity, firmly enter the arsenal of modern culture" ^{[3, p. 196]}.

One of the main characteristics of the modern media cultural space is the dominance of the visual way of transmitting information and building communication. This is confirmed by the rapid development of social networks based on the broadcast of photo content and video materials (from long videos, which are typical for the RuTube platform, to three-minute clips in TikTok, which are the absolute leaders in viewing). At the same time, the consumer of media products mostly does not read, ponders and realizes the information, but looks at it, often in continuous mode, flipping through social media feeds, visiting the pages of the media and individual users. A media text arises, which is defined by the Russian scientist G.Ya. Solganik, as follows: "a media text is a specific type of text that belongs to the mass media and is distinguished by a special type of authorship (i.e., the producer of speech and the subject of speech are the same person), and is also characterized by a special textual modality (open speech, multiple manifestation the author's "I") and is intended for a wide audience" ^{[4, p. 15]}. In other words, media text is a form of communication that is used in the field of mass communications to communicate and disseminate information. It includes such types of content as articles of journalistic and journalistic genre, advertising texts, television programs, web articles, radio broadcasts and special reports. Media text is one of the main categories in media linguistics, media journalism, media culture and media education, and its study helps to better understand the role and influence of mass communications on modern society and culture. Thus, the question arises about the structure, nature, content of the modern media space and new forms and features of the text of mass communication.

The text of mass communication in the context of modern media culture. Taking into account the current situation, the study of the problem of the functioning of mass communication in the modern media cultural environment is of particular importance. Mass media are distributors of samples of both modern and classical culture; they influence the creative process, endowing it with new properties, reaching the audience by providing materials in various media formats; which gives them a number of new ethical and aesthetic qualities. At the same time, according to researcher Yu.A. Lugova, "the basic spiritual and practical constructions of the semantic-semiotic space of modern mass communication are media culture (media culture) as a general and media text (media text) as a private matter" ^[5].

Media culture is a complex of material and intellectual values associated with the media, as well as a system of their creation and functioning in society in a certain historical period. In the context of media culture, mass communication has various manifestations and influences the audience, acting as "a system of levels of development of a person's personality capable of perceiving, analyzing, evaluating media text, engaging in media creation, assimilating new knowledge in the field of mass media" ^{[6, p. 26]}.

Researcher L.R. Fakhrtdinova believes that "media culture is a mixture of communication and information tools created by people in the process of their formation, media culture consists of the creation and transmission of information. Media culture is used to shape personality and public opinion" ^[7]. Scientists of the Moscow Pedagogical State University V.A. Slavin and Y.V. Soldatkin argue that "media culture is a phenomenon of the modern information society, a set of information and communication tools that unite different aspects of public life: education, politics, culture, art and much more" ^{[8, pp. 291-292]}.

The text of mass communication has some universal characteristics, which makes it possible to use conceptual and categorical tools from various fields of socio-humanitarian knowledge, such as philosophy, cultural studies, media studies, sociology, psycholinguistics and hermeneutics, to make sense of it. In this context, the media text can be considered as a component of media culture, since the way and forms of information transmission not only reflect the inner world of a person and his culture, but also are keepers of culture, sources of knowledge about the national character and mentality of the people. Media culture, formed through mass communication, is a dialectical sum of various media texts – carriers of meanings, rituals, skills, techniques, ways of communication and behavior of people. This leads to a systemic transformation of the media structure, to fundamental integration consequences. I.M. Dzyaloshinsky points out some of them: "1) the audience is changing; 2) the whole system of authorship is changing; 3) from feedback through interactivity to dialogue" ^{[9, pp. 74-76]}. And this leads to the fact that intertextuality is growing exponentially. Further, I.M. Dzyaloshinsky notes that the linguistic component of modern media is changing, there is: "1) simplification of content based on its perception by a wide target audience; 2) structural and compositional simplicity of texts caused by the fact that the recipient, after one glance, must decide whether he needs this or that information; 3) transformation of language communication, reducing the use of a number of linguistic norms" ^{[9, p. 80]}. Thus, there is a transformation of both the form and content of mass communication reflected in media texts.

This circumstance, combined with the enormous amount of information received by a modern person from various sources, led to the realization of the need to form new supra-professional competencies in the field of media.

Media education in the structure of mass communications. Among the types of functional literacy necessary for every modern person, information literacy is highlighted. A number of researchers, following the definition given by UNESCO, emphasize the importance of media and information literacy. To solve the problems of the formation of this literacy, it is necessary to train, first of all, teachers and journalists.

Researcher I.V. Zhilavskaya, defining the essence of media education and significantly expanding the traditional interpretation of the concept of "media", noted: "Today we are talking about media education in relation to all kinds of media texts. By media text (media text, media construct) we mean a message in any kind of media, in which various forms of creating and perceiving information merge to obtain a new synergetic meaning. A media text is a communicative act involving both sides of communication. The media text is a literary work, a newspaper article, a TV show, a music video, an art installation, an advertising leaflet, a film, an SMS message, etc." ^{[10, pp. 7-8]}.

The process of mastering human knowledge about media and its place in the media world is called media education, it also includes the development of a wide range of media competencies and conscious interaction with the media, allowing a person to fully self-actualize in the information society based on humanistic and value ideals. Media education allows you to recognize explicit and hidden meanings in media texts, evaluate them in accordance with social norms and established values. The inclusion of the concept of "values" is a fundamental aspect of the current stage of development. The axiological nature of media education is due to the fact that the central element of the mass communication system is a person with all his ideals and values that determine his life position. In the process of media education, a personality is formed and its ethical development takes place in the context of an information flow, which often represents various points of view pursuing their economic, political and ideological interests. Interaction with the cultural environment, communication with other people directly affects the processes of socialization and inculturation, comprehensive formation and development of personality. The same applies to the world of media: the variety of stories forms value categories, meaningful attitudes of life, and provides the basis for self-development in the modern socio-cultural environment. One of the tasks of modern media education, in terms of training media specialists, is the formation of professional competencies for the creation and dissemination of media texts reflecting the value and semantic complex of Russian culture, which is based on the historical and cultural heritage and traditions of the peoples of Russia.

The ability to analyze the content of media content, not only from the point of view of its humanitarian environmental friendliness and tolerance, but also from the standpoint of preserving and developing traditional spiritual and moral values of Russian civilization, is an integral competence of both a teacher and a media specialist. The formation of relevant knowledge, skills and abilities occurs both in the process of media education and when students are involved in patriotic, educational, cultural and leisure projects that act as a means of educating the educational environment of an educational organization.

In summary, it can be noted that the text remains the leading means of mass communication. Information transmission formats are being transformed, the concept of the text itself is expanding, but the main thing remains the content and meanings that are transmitted in the media space and form the media culture of modern society, and ultimately future generations. Currently, the mass media are undergoing drastic changes that researchers and practitioners have yet to comprehend.