The specifics of the representation of communication strategies and tactics in the genre of investigative journalism

Egoshkina Violetta Aleksandrovna ORCID: 0000-0003-3173-8289 PhD in Philology Associate Professor; Department of Journalism and Media Linguistics; Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education 'Omsk State University named after F.M. Dostoevsky' 644077, Russia, Omsk region, Omsk, Mira ave., 55 v.egoshkina@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

The specifics of the investigative journalism genre

The most important thing in investigative journalism is to set a specific goal, which involves establishing the causes of specific events, situations, and processes. The purpose of the investigation may be, for example, to expose the activities of organized crime, to identify facts of corruption, abuse of office, and so on. In addition, the investigation often solves such an important task as the moral education of the audience.

As researcher A. A. Tertychny notes, "in general terms, the goals of a serious, socially important journalistic investigation can be outlined as follows: to make explicit the information that is necessary, vital for the people, but hidden from them; to fight the abuses of the powerful; to resist lawlessness so that the whole society changes for the better." ^[1].

In addition, the purpose of investigative journalism is always to draw public attention to a significant issue. Regardless of the topic and tasks facing the journalist, the investigation is always based on a high-profile event, phenomenon, or situation.

In addition, the tasks of investigative journalism include: identifying those responsible for the offense, searching for evidence, and clarifying all possible points of view about the subject of the investigation. In each individual case, the author solves more specific, particular tasks dictated by the uniqueness of the subject of study, the circumstances in which the investigation is conducted, etc.

Let's consider the specifics of genre-forming features of investigative journalism. According to A.V. Kolesnichenko, "a genre is a stable form of a work. The presence of genres allows a journalist to use ready-made templates and matrices to provide information, rather than inventing a new form for each material" ^{[2, p. 10]}. As part of a journalistic investigation, the reader is presented with the main facts, then their direct verification and the development of different versions, followed by a conclusion.

In his work "Investigative Journalism: Modern Methods and Techniques," J. Ullman explains: "The best definition of investigative journalism was given by Robert Green, former deputy managing editor of the Newsday newspaper: "This is journalistic material based, as a rule, on one's own work and initiative, on an important topic that individuals or organizations wanted I wish I could keep it a secret. There are three main elements: the journalist is conducting an investigation that was not conducted by someone else, the topic of the material is important to the reader; others are trying to hide the facts raised in the investigation from the public"" ^[3].

The boundaries of the concept of "investigative journalism" and its definition are still controversial among researchers. Some argue that the very term "investigative journalism" is tautological, since all journalism already includes investigation, identification of cause-and-effect relationships, fact-checking, etc. For example, S. G. Korkonosenko suggests that journalistic investigation is often a variant of an investigative article ^[4].

Others believe that investigative journalism is a special genre of journalistic activity. At the same time, some researchers classify investigative journalism as an analytical genre ^[5], while others consider it a separate independent genre ^[6].

Describing the genre under study, A. I. Stanko characterizes its special criteria:

- the use of forms of artistic journalism;

- the use of detective techniques in the investigation of facts;

- in-depth study of a socially significant, acute situation, based on the totality of the collected data, consideration of the subject of the investigation from different angles;

- formulation of the author's position and explanation of the information found ^[7].

Based on the generalization of various approaches to the definition of investigative journalism, we formulate the main characteristics that reveal the specifics of this genre.:

- Investigative materials are mostly devoted to hidden facts or events. But there are also cases when a journalist examines known facts, but verifies the information, during which secret information is revealed.;

- the investigation should explicate the author's position, explanation and proof of all the facts presented.;

- Various methods of information collection and analysis should be used in the investigation;

- investigation materials should be relevant to the audience;

- the results of the investigation should be focused on influencing further events in some way.;

- A journalist should not be biased during an investigation and should approach his work objectively.;

- the investigation should be exclusive, it is necessary to highlight the facts that were previously hidden.

Communicative strategy and communicative tactics: towards the definition of concepts

The terms "strategy" and "tactics" originally had nothing to do with linguistics. Of course, today they have found wide application in media linguistics, theory of speech influence, as well as in the field of management, legal practice, etc. However, the history of these concepts is related to military discourse. And this is no coincidence: for large states, the army has always been an important social institution, and in the 21st century there is an increasing militarization of language, as N. I. Pushina and O. M. Pushin write: "modern society has been using military terminology and military metaphors in communication for quite a long time. Military vocabulary is so firmly established in everyday life that it is not recognized as militarized" ^[8].

Today, there are several approaches to defining the concepts of "communicative strategy" and "communicative tactics".

A. A. Volkova defines a communicative strategy as "a dialectical process of interaction between a communicative situation and participants in speech communication" ^{[9, p. 7]}.

S. I. Vinogradov draws attention to the importance of the current communicative situation, defines strategy as "the macrointension of one or all participants in communication, conditioned by social and psychological situations" ^{[10, p. 41]}.

In this study, we will use the definitions formulated by O. S. Issers. So, a communicative strategy is "a set of speech actions aimed at solving the general communicative task of the speaker", and a communicative tactic is "one or more actions that contribute to the implementation of the strategy" ^{[11, p. 54]}.

According to the cited author, all speech strategies and tactics can be divided into basic and auxiliary ones. So, the main strategy is the one that "at this stage of communicative interaction is the most significant in terms of the hierarchy of motives and goals. In most cases, the main strategies include those that are directly related to influencing the addressee, his world model, value system, and his behavior (both physical and intellectual)" ^{[11, p. 106]}.

Auxiliary strategies allow the addressee to increase the effectiveness of speech influence on the addressee. The author, the addressee, the communication channel, the communicative context – the analysis of these components allows you to choose a strategy suitable for a certain communicative situation. O. S. Issers refers them to the group of pragmatic (communicative-situational) strategies ^{[11, p. 106]}.

It is worth noting that the genre of investigative journalism involves an explicit or implicit dialogue between the addressee and the addressee, and therefore even a newspaper publication can represent an interactive communication strategy. Our point of view is confirmed by the opinion of N. Y. Gorchakova, according to which "the relevance of the principle of dialogization of media speech is determined by the fact that the speaker is perceived by the public primarily as an interaction partner. If this expectation is not confirmed, then the effectiveness of the impact of his speech and the ability to maintain attention and interest are significantly reduced" ^{[12, p. 138]}

The following features give the dialogical character of a newspaper publication:

- assessment of the fact or event that is being discussed;

- direct and indirect appeal to the interlocutor. The set of formulas for direct direct address to the addressee is quite diverse, for example, "dear reader", "dear reader", which were frequent in the printed journalism of the USSR. The category of indirect appeals includes statements that can be defined as "we are statements" ^{[12, p. 138]}.

For effective communication and, in fact, impact, the addressee needs to possess certain skills and abilities that form the basis for building a vector of application of certain speech means of influencing the interlocutor.:

· the ability to formulate a thesis and select material;

· skills of public (including print) speaking in order to have a certain impact on the addressee;

· the ability to prove and refute;

· the ability to convince ^{[13, p. 81]}.

Thus, an intermediate conclusion can be drawn: any communicative act is subordinated to the goal of the author of the message and is aimed at forming an appropriate response from the recipient.

Yu. Shchekochikhin: at the origins of investigative journalism

Yuri Shchekochikhin is a pioneer of investigative journalism in Russia, and his publications have become the basis for many subsequent investigations, including cases of corruption in government and law enforcement agencies. He also became a symbol of the free press in Russia and a fighter for human rights.

He began his career in the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, where he led the Peer-to-Peer department dedicated to the problems of adolescents and youth. In 1972, when he joined the editorial board of the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, he created the Scarlet Sail column, which for the first time honestly and openly revealed taboo topics related to socially significant issues of concern to young people.

In 1980, he moved from the editorial office of Komsomolskaya Pravda to Literaturnaya Gazeta. At his new place of work, Yuri Shchekochikhin took up the post of special correspondent, dealing with juvenile delinquency. Later, he became head of the investigation department of Literaturnaya Gazeta.

In general, it can be said that during Yuri Shchekochikhin's work at Literaturnaya Gazeta, the publication has become more modern, active, topical, progressive and analytical. His work led to the newspaper becoming one of the leaders of Russian journalism, and Shchekochikhin himself became one of the most respected journalists and public figures in Russia.

In July 1996, Shchekochikhin was appointed deputy editor-in-chief and editor of the investigations department of the weekly newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Monday" (formerly Novaya Gazeta). O. Sultanov, G. Rozhnov, O. Lurie and A. Ivanitsky worked in his department. It should be noted that in addition to investigations, the most sought-after genre in his work at that time was journalistic commentary. Of the 127 articles he published in Novaya Gazeta, 43 were written in the genre of commentary. It was not by chance that Yuri Shchekochikhin turned to this form, since in the context of socio-political transformations it was important to react promptly, concisely and expressively to the events taking place, clarify their essence, present the facts and express his position.

Yuri Shchekochikhin died in 2003. His death is widely believed to have been related to his journalistic activities. According to the investigation, Shchekochikhin was poisoned with thallium poison, which was added to his tea in a cafe on Begovaya Street.

Explication of communication strategies and tactics in investigative journalism Shchekochikhina

Speech planning is an important component of Shchekochikhin's investigations. Thanks to the representation of various communication strategies and objectifying tactics, the journalist manages not only to analyze various socially significant issues, but also to influence readers correctly.

In our opinion, the main (cognitive) communication strategy represented in the empirical material is the strategy of a detailed, comprehensive analysis of such a phenomenon as the Soviet mafia. Shchekochikhin's goal is not just to inform readers about the existence of the mafia problem in the country, but to understand in detail when and why the mafia originated in the USSR, how it operates, how it is organized, what its structure, hierarchy and spheres of influence are, what new types of criminals and schemes of fraudulent actions have appeared, who "covers" mafia activities in the USSR. the country, how it is being fought and how the mafia affects the political, economic and social spheres in general. Thus, Y. Shchekochikhin changes the addressee's worldview by discussing a topic that was previously not accepted to speak publicly.

The main communication strategy is implemented in Y. Shchekochikhin's investigative journalism through the use of auxiliary strategies, which include strategies for drawing attention to the problem under study, argumentation, shaping the image of the mafia, and discrediting corrupt government and law enforcement officials. Since the most frequent method of collecting information in Shchekochikhin's works is interviews with experts, and sometimes with criminals themselves, we can note the representation of a dialogue strategy in his investigations.

The strategy of attracting attention to the problem under study is implemented using the following communicative tactics: nomination, solidarity with the audience, appealing to the values of the addressee.

The tactics of nomination are explicated primarily in the names of investigations. The first publication dedicated to the mafia problem is called "The Lion jumped!". Such a title does not allow the reader to immediately understand what the article is about. The author intentionally uses a metaphor to interest the addressee. The image of a lion in the Russian worldview is traditionally understood as a symbol of strength, might and authority. The lion's leap can be perceived as an unexpected, rapid action performed with effort.

During the publication, facts are revealed that cause not just surprise, but shock to the addressee. The problem of the mafia in the country, as it turns out in the investigation, is very acute, but for the vast majority of readers this fact is not known. The perfect form of the verb "jump" in the name of the investigation emphasizes that the action has already been committed, the fact of the existence of mafia groups is beyond doubt.

We also note that the lexeme "lion" is used in four more investigations published in different years: "The Lion jumped: a view from across the ocean" (the material is devoted to the problem of the mafia in the United States and its connection with Soviet criminal gangs), "Lion hunting, or Shadow Fight" (this publication is about we are talking about what attempts are being made to combat the mafia, why they are not effective and who benefits from it, how criminal groups affect the country's "shadow" economy), "Gurov left... the lion ate?" (the publication talks about the abolition of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which dealt exclusively with mafia issues, and the removal of A. Gurov, one of the key specialists, a permanent expert and a source of information for Yuri Shchekochikhin), "The Lion jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform" (the journalist sums up the fight against the mafia in the country, draws disappointing conclusions that the influence of the mafia has increased, its members are among corrupt officials and among representatives of law enforcement agencies).

The nomination of the investigation "Life is good for those who fight the mafia" also attracts attention and arouses the interest of the reader. This title is due to the dominant theme of the material – the problem of "imitation" of the fight against the mafia by corrupt officials.

The author deliberately uses irony in the nomination of the investigation, emphasizing that those who are supposed to fight the mafia are actually making a deal with it, receiving certain benefits for this, including material ones.

The title of the investigation "Hello, dear Mafia" explicates intertextual elements. First of all, it can be noted that the phrase "Hello, dear..." is a stable form of address that was used in the USSR, for example, in letters from readers to newspapers or sounded on radio and television. Moreover, the text quotes a mother of three who is seeking financial help from the leaders of criminal gangs, and her letter begins with the words "Hello, dear mafia!" In addition, it can be assumed that a line from the famous "thug" song "Murka" is updated in the nomination. In addition, the lexeme "hello" can also have a figurative meaning, emphasizing that mafia groups feel very at ease, they are not afraid of law enforcement agencies, and they conduct their activities without fear of punishment.

The nomination of the publication "Alien" cannot be immediately understood by the addressee. Its meaning is revealed at the very end of the material, when, after discussing with A. Gurov the current state of the mafia, crime in the country in general and mentioning some milestones in the biography of Alexander Ivanovich, the author of the publication comes to the conclusion that a man like Gurov remains a stranger to law enforcement agencies, despite the fact that he once headed the Main the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for combating organized crime (the reasons for his removal are described in detail in the investigation "Gurov left ... the Lion ate" in 1991), and for the scientific community (Gurov defended his doctoral thesis, but his colleagues were quite biased against him).

The tactics of solidarity with the audience are represented most often through the use of the lexemes "we", "together", as well as verbs in the plural form. The author strives to show readers that the problem of organized crime concerns everyone, it is important for him to involve the addressee in discussing this topic, establish an emotional connection with him, increase his interest in solving the problem, and show that it is possible to fight the mafia only together.:

"I'm thinking about those high-profile professionals with well-known names all over Russia who were pushed out by the System just because they didn't want to live by the new rules of the lion games. We think they'll come back someday. We hope that those who came will not be sold. Otherwise, what will our country become?" ("The Lion jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform", 2001).

The tactic of appealing to the values of the addressee is used by the author to make the reader think about the scale of the mafia problem and its impact on all spheres of society. Shchekochikhin notes the changes in public consciousness, the ongoing reassessment of values associated with the romanticization of images of bandits, and emphasizes that many young people want to join criminal circles in order to feel more authoritative and protected. Of course, all this goes against the generally accepted norms of morality, this trend is alarming for a journalist.:

"How did this happen? Who is to blame for this? What can be done? Who can do something? New laws? Or are there new people who should head all our so-called law enforcement agencies today?" ("Lev jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform", 2001);

"Recently, in the Mordovian colony, I saw dozens of young guys, ordinary fighters of criminal gangs. “They come to us, and do you think any of the bosses remember them? Everything is spent steam – no money, no transfers,” the head of the colony told me. And why, when the leaders know perfectly well that if they whistle, a hundred more of them will come running. After all, a bandit is a prestigious profession, and many of these guys are already dreaming of a marshal's baton" (Hello, Dear Mafia, 1994).

The argumentation strategy is objectified by the tactics of explanation, appealing to official sources and experts, increasing the authority of the source/expert, referring to the historical context and finding ways to solve the problem.

Using explanatory tactics, Shchekochikhin describes in detail his thoughts and arguments on the mafia and its influence, provides arguments and examples.:

"Then, in the first Lion, in '88, we constructed a kind of three-story mafia "house" in the middle of which there are shadow economy figures, from the first floor they are milked by gangsters and racketeers, and from the top, from the third, bribe officials siphon money. Today, the “house" has been rebuilt. Today, all these different "Solntsevsky", "Podolsk", "Orekhovsky", "Izmailovsky" look like Gaidar's Timurovites, who were pushed onto the playground" ("The Lion jumped into the XXI century. Already in uniform", 2001).

Explanatory tactics are also used to explain the causes and consequences of certain phenomena, such as the growth of organized crime, the involvement of government officials in mafia business, the shortage of police personnel and pressure on them from local bosses.:

"The system gave rise to the shadow economy, which, in turn, gave rise to organized crime, which led to corruption. Alas, today we are fighting the shadow. Well, one criminal group was eliminated, well, ten corrupt connections were exposed, and new ones immediately appear in their place. After all, socio-economic relations are still changing in words!" ("Lion Hunting, or Shadow Fighting?", 1990).

The tactic of appealing to official sources and experts is very common in the investigations of Y. Shchekochikhin. The author refers to official data, statistics and letters, publications in well-known publications, quotes experts, for example A.I. Gurov, cites their research, which becomes the basis for the statements of the journalist. Using this tactic allows readers to verify the objectivity and truthfulness of Y. Shchekochikhin's arguments.:

"From 1991 to 1998, 1,600,000 (one million six hundred thousand) employees left the Interior Ministry system. Last year, 9,000 employees left the Moscow police." ("Lev jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform", 2001);

"But I would like to say one more thing in the end: the criminal subculture is increasingly penetrating the youth environment, drawing more and more new guys into its orbit. And as another proof, I want to quote again – this time a long one – from the appeal of workers of correctional labor institutions in Chuvashia" ("Under the control of the Mafia", 1989).

The tactic of increasing the authority of a source / expert is used by Y. Shchekochikhin to convince the reader that this particular specialist is competent in this field, he thoroughly understands the problem, so his assessment and judgments are beyond doubt.:

"The famous Operation Clean Hands is associated with his name, which made it possible to send two thousand of the most senior Italian officials to the dock" ("Life is good for those who fight the mafia", 2000). The author mentions Operation Clean Hands and links it to the activities of Luciano Violento, Chairman of the Italian Parliament. Thus, the author manages to convince the audience of the seriousness of the problem of corruption and the importance of combating it.

"Alexander Gurov is already the head of the department, a general and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR" ("The Lion jumped into the XXI century. Already in uniform", 2001). A. Gurov quite often acts as an expert in the investigations of Y. Shchekochikhin. The reader first gets acquainted with him in the publication "The Lion jumped!" in 1988. At that time, A. Gurov was a lieutenant colonel in the militia. He continued to collaborate with the journalist and investigate the mafia problem in the country. In this investigation, Y. Shchekochikhin intentionally cites the position and title of A. Gurov in order to make his opinion more convincing and authoritative in the eyes of the audience.

Shchekochikhin uses the tactic of referring to the historical context to show the stages of the formation of organized crime in the USSR and its current state. It is important for the author to convey to the reader that the mafia in the country did not arise by chance, there were many "alarm bells" to which the competent authorities did not respond in time. Thus, the journalist emphasizes that the mafia is a serious problem that has been denied for a long time, and now it is time to fight it decisively.:

"The first signs of the mafia appeared in our country when the economic mechanism began to improve, that is, under N.S. Khrushchev. Although the scale of its activities was ridiculous by today's standards: in 1958-1959, the average damage from economic crimes in the RSFSR averaged one and a half to two million. Now a successful apartment thief has a similar annual income. So, in the sixties, it was possible to talk about individual signs of the mafia. In the seventies, it became a social phenomenon. It was then, let us recall, that this foreign word itself began to be used more and more often in our everyday vocabulary" ("The Lion jumped!", 1988).

The tactics of finding ways to solve the problem are designed to consolidate society and encourage it to fight the mafia. In earlier investigations, the author expresses the hope that the mafia will be defeated. Shchekochikhin sees the solution to the problem primarily in a public discussion of this topic.:

"Over the years of our acquaintance, we spent five or six large, per-page dialogues in Litgazeta alone, each time trying to find new points of reference for the movement of our domestic mafia" (Alien, 1995);

"Her undoing lies in glasnost. It was not for nothing that the time of stagnation turned out to be the most favorable for the mafia" ("The Lion jumped!", 1988);

"While Volga was taking Alexander Gurov to the slaughter, the editor-in-chief of Litgazeta, A.B. Chakovsky, received a call from the General secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Gorbachev, via the Kremlin and said: "Finally, someone wrote about this" ("The Lion jumped into the XXI century. Already in uniform", 2001).

The strategy of forming the image of the mafia is explicated using the following tactics: contrasting the mafia and society, mockery, indignation, consideration of information from a new angle and forecasting.

In order to reveal the essence of the mafia, to show its extremely negative impact on society, the contrast between the "ideals" of the criminal world and traditional values, principles of honesty and decency, Y. Shchekochikhin uses the tactics of contrasting the mafia and society.

In addition, the journalist insists that it is necessary to adopt the Western experience in combating organized crime, not only to eradicate mafia activities, but also to ensure that all confiscated property of criminal groups is directed to the benefit of society.: "After the trial of the famous mafia boss Rin, all his property was confiscated. His park became public. Children run around there" ("Life is good for those who fight the mafia", 2000).

Shchekochikhin bitterly states that the mafia has penetrated into all spheres of society, such a practice is vicious and does not lead to positive changes: "The Mafia is not a beautiful image, the mafia is a reality, a disease that we used to carelessly think that it does not threaten our society" ("The Lion jumped", 1988).

Shchekochikhin gives specific examples that reveal the essence of the mafia and its antisocial nature, its blatant attitude to topics sacred to our society, its impunity and indifference to generally accepted values, norms of morality and morality: "Not far from the hospital, where one great doctor is trying to save all veterans – from the Great Patriotic War to the small Afghan and Chechen – the cemetery. The central alley is not in the monuments to the victims of these wars, but to the victims of the major showdowns between the Uralmashevskys. A cemetery opens with cool monuments: one dead brother has a bird flying out of a cage, another has a Mercedes steering wheel in his hands... And – security. So that the graves would not be desecrated. And nearby, five hundred meters away, in a veteran's hospital, boys from Chechnya are lying in the corridors, and there is no money for a new building: mothers of dead soldiers run marathons so that someone gives the hospital potatoes, cabbage and a TV in the ward" ("The Lion jumped into the XXI century. Already in uniform", 2001).

Shchekochikhin uses the tactics of mockery to emphasize the absurdity of the phenomena that are taking place, which, unfortunately, have already taken root in society and people's minds. In addition, the author is outraged that even the authorities are trying to "whitewash" the image of the mafia, to prove that organized crime is not dangerous to society.:

"It would seem that this is not the case: well, what kind of "mafia" in the housing department? What kind of mafia is in the department? What's for the Cosa Nostra in the Krasnodar Region? Laughter, that's all. Rather, we put into this word our bitterness from the social injustice that we witnessed almost daily, from the inability to break through the bureaucratic walls, from the discrepancy between propaganda and the realities of life" ("The Lion jumped!", 1988).

The tactics of indignation are used by Y. Shchekochikhin to provoke an emotional reaction from the addressee, to form the same negative attitude towards the events taking place in the country as the author, to condemn the activities, or rather the inactivity, of corrupt officials who, for the sake of bribes, are ready to cooperate with the leaders of criminal gangs, to strengthen the negative attitude of society towards organized crime.:

"But what started when the victim turned out to be someone from the ruling elite, even if it was on a regional scale! The guards on duty were tearing off, sirens were blaring, the heads of district and city departments were getting out of their warm beds, and the search officers were racing at a horse trot" ("Hello, dear Mafia", 1994);

"The struggle for control, for the degree of influence, for the division of territories. That's why car bombings and shootings on our streets have become commonplace!" (Hello, Dear Mafia, 1994).

The tactic of viewing information from a new angle is used by Y. Shchekochikhin to thoroughly and comprehensively study the phenomenon of the Soviet mafia. The journalist touches on topics that were usually not advertised, writes about changes in the structure of organized crime, and reveals facts that are extremely unpleasant for a certain circle of people.:

"And it's not just that the surviving leaders or those who were officially called leaders have matured, settled down, had children and property, which they themselves are ready to protect from various "scumbags." The state machine turned out to be stronger, but not at all the same as it once seemed to us in a vague and fascinating future" ("The Lion jumped into the XXI century. Already in uniform", 2001).

Y. Shchekochikhin, using forecasting tactics, talks about the development of the mafia, about the transformations that occur in the environment of organized crime. The author shows the reader that the problem has not only not disappeared, but has become even more urgent, as mafia groups conquer new territories, influence various spheres, for example, political and economic, control drug trafficking and illegal arms trade in the country. The journalist draws attention to the fact that now it is necessary to take even tougher measures to combat organized crime before it is too late. However, it should be noted that, in general, Y. Shchekochikhin is not inclined to make optimistic forecasts. So, in the article "The Lion jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform," he compares the theses from the first publication on the mafia problem ("The Lion jumped!") and the current state of affairs in the country. Many of A. Gurov's statements and Y. Shchekochikhin's own assumptions now seem naive and ridiculous to the author.:

"And therefore, when the transition to the market begins, the mafia will have to find its place... That's what we thought back in the 90s... Today, I am personally convinced that the place that we thought the mafia would have to look for back then has already been occupied" ("Leo jumped into the 21st century. Already in uniform", 2001);

– I think that on the contrary, the process of integrating smaller ones into larger ones is underway.

– And what will it lead to?

– I am convinced: to create criminal unions. There are already three or four largest groups that are developing common tactics and strategy. And in addition, there is the nationalization of the mafia ("Alien", 1995).

The strategy of discrediting corrupt government officials and law enforcement agencies is objectified through the tactics of accusation and criticism.

These tactics can be explained both directly (in quotes from experts) and indirectly (in the arguments of Y. Shchekochikhin himself).

The journalist and his interlocutors attribute the growth of organized crime mainly to the inaction of the authorities and law enforcement agencies. They express doubt that the political elite is really ready to fight the mafia. Moreover, experts refer to the fact that many facts are suppressed, and the statistics of criminal cases are corrected on command from above. In addition, according to Shchekochikhin's sources, it is advantageous for some high-ranking officials, whose names are most often not openly mentioned, to deal with the mafia. In addition, it is suggested that many government officials have moved up the corporate ladder due to their connections with the leaders of mafia groups.:

"On the one hand," says A.I. Gurov, "officials, calling for a fight against the mafia (but doing nothing to do so!), want to keep up with the times. On the other hand, they distract people from the true culprits: after all, it's easiest to blame the same cooperators for our empty stalls" ("Lion Hunting, or Shadowfighting?", 1990);

"Indeed, something is wrong. I don't want to idealize our work, and there are no grounds for this, of course: crime is growing, changing its forms, and there are more and more tendencies to politicize crime, to rigidly structure it, to enter the international arena, and to have more and more connections with the government apparatus" ("The Lion jumped into the The 21st century. Already in uniform", 2001);

"When the criminal situation in the country worsens, the authorities find compromises with the "authorities" of the criminal world, taking into account the specific situation. This is done for the sake of maintaining peace in society" ("Hello, dear Mafia", 1994).

The dialogue strategy is represented by tactics of topic control and refinement.

Shchekochikhin, using these tactics, controls the course of communication, does not allow the interlocutor to distract from the main topic of the dialogue, clarifies information that is not clear either to the author himself or may not be clear to readers. These tactics allow the journalist to get more detailed information about the subject of the discussion, to conduct a detailed analysis of the situation.

Here are a few of the many examples:

"Okay, let's deal with our mafia" ("The Lion jumped!", 1988);

"Please tell us in more detail which regions of the country are most infected by the mafia" ("The Lion jumped!", 1988);

– Bob, – I ask directly, – can I say that you yourself were in the mafia, and besides, as I understand it, not at the lowest levels of it?

He smiles.

– But you can also say that I was five steps away from becoming a real mafia boss.

– I don't understand...

– I was surrounded by many people who wanted this. One of my employees was Italian... Through him, I transferred money, which he in turn gave to politicians so that our business would not be covered... Later, the mafia promised me that if I wanted to, I could become mayor or governor...

– So, – I clarify, – is the mafia somehow connected with politics? ("The Lion jumped: a view from across the ocean", 1989).

Conclusions

As a result of the research undertaken, it can be stated that Y. Shchekochikhin combined elements of analytics and journalism in his investigations, turned to various sources of information, expressed his own point of view on the problem, and gave an author's assessment of the events and phenomena studied. He carefully worked out the logic and composition of his publications, the evidence base, which increased the level of readers' trust. His texts are emotional and imaginative, but at the same time convincing and reasoned.

The thematic dominant of investigative journalism Shchekochikhin is the problem of the mafia in the USSR and its development in post-Soviet Russia. The publications under study present a fairly diverse repertoire of communication strategies and tactics, which allows the journalist to thoroughly explore the phenomenon of the Soviet mafia. The choice of a strategy and the tactics implementing it is determined by the nature of communication, the purpose of the addressee and the competence of the addressee.