The communication function of journalism

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

УДК 070

The communication function of journalism

I. Romanyuk,

Doctor in Political Sciences, Professor, Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, Kharkiv

P. Kovalenko,

Candidate of Science in Social Communications, Associate Professor, Kharkiv

This article is suggests an analysis of the place of the communicative function in the functional structure of journalism. The authors try to prove that the communicative function is the key function of journalism, since it mediates all other journalistic functions. In this context, the definition of journalism as a social-communication institution is suggested. It is noted that in the analysis of the functional structure of journalism the information function is the main one, however, the communication function occupies a central place in it, since all other functions are realized in one way or another through communication of citizens, state, public and private structures through the media and journalistic activities.

Key worlds: journalism, mass media, social institute, functional structure of journalism, communicative function of journalism.

Мета статі -- обґрунтувати гіпотезу, що провідною функцією журналістики є комунікаційна.

Методологія дослідження. Основою дослідження є системний, структурно-функціональний та компаративний аналіз журналістики як соціального інституту та різновиду соціальної діяльності.

Результати. Зазвичай під час аналізу функціональної структури журналістики головною є інформаційна функція, однак центральне місце в ній посідає комунікаційна, оскільки всі інші функції так чи інакше реалізуються через комунікацію громадян, державних, громадських та приватних структур за допомогою засобів масової інформації та журналістської діяльності. Сама по собі інформація не відіграє важливої ролі без її передачі від одних соціальних суб'єктів до інших. Таким чином, можна зазначити, що комунікаційна функція у функціональній структурі журналістики є системоутворюючою.

Новизна. Запропоновано визначати журналістику не як соціальний інститут, а як соціально-комунікаційний.

Практичне значення. Результати дослідження сприятимуть глибшому ро-зумінню сутності журналістики, її ролі в суспільстві, функціональної структури та взаємодії функцій.

Ключові слова: журналістика, засоби масової інформації, соціальний інститут, функціональна структура журналістики, комунікативна функція журналістики.

Проанализировано место коммуникационной функции в функциональной структуре журналистики. Доказано, что ведущей функцией журналистики является коммуникационная, поскольку она опосредует все остальные журналистские функции. В этом контексте предложено определение журналистики как социально-коммуникационного института. Отмечено, что при анализе функциональной структуры журналистики главным является информационная функция, однако центральное место в ней занимает коммуникационная, поскольку все остальные функции так или иначе реализуются через коммуникацию граждан, государственных, общественных и частных структур с помощью средств массовой информации и журналистской деятельности.

Ключевые слова: журналистика, средства массовой информации, социальный институт, функциональная структура журналистики, коммуникационная функция журналистики.

Journalism is one of the most important social institutions, without which a normal functioning of society is unthinkable, regardless of the bases on which it is created and operates. As a social institute, journalism arose from the necessities of providing comprehensive and objective informing of subjects of social life about social reality, which is necessary for an optimal functioning of all other social institutions and society as a whole as a self- regulated system. The social mission of journalism is manifested primarily in its functions. The functions of journalism characterize the totality of its onuses and tasks it performs. These functions were analyzed in many works of both foreign scholars (as Tony Harcup (2004), Erik Neveu (2009), Stephan RuB-Mohl (2003), Valentine Voroshilov (2000), Eugene Prokhorov (2011)) and Ukrainian ones (as Vitaliy Karpenko (2002), Ihor Mykhaylyn (2011)). In most of these works, the key position was given information function among all the functions of journalism. However, the authors of this article believe that although journalism arose from the needs of information dissemination, but its leading function is communicative, because it permeates all others. The proof of this thesis is main aim of this article.

We can be giving the following arguments in favor of key role of communication function in journalism functional system. Among all social institutions, journalism is a special institution that ensures communication (that is, enables and supports the process of social interaction) through informational messages. The preliminary and obligatory condition of informational interaction in the field of journalism is the establishment of contact with the “counterparty”, that is, establishing communication with the mass audience and social institutions. Like any social institution, journalism enters into communicative relations with other social institutions. It is no coincidence that journalism is often described as “a means of mass communication”. The journalism provides a dialogue and process of communication between the public and social institutions, as a result of which the structures or individuals that exercise their powers in the system of social institutions adjust their actions and decisions, or public opinion corrects its assessment of the actions and decisions made in the system of social institutions. The citizens are able to form their social position, and government structures receive consultations on public opinion, trends in the development of social consciousness using the communicative possibilities of journalism, and, therefore, they have the opportunity to choose the most optimal option for decision-making. The communicative function, which at first glance seems purely “technical”, is effectively realized only in the strict sense (Prokhorov, 2011, р. 59).

The most important purpose of journalism is to meet the information needs of man, society, state, which forms its informational function. The regular reception of economic, political, social and cultural information in the modern world has become a standard of living. Through journalistic activities, people receive information about significant events that affect all spheres of life (politics, economics, culture, religious life, sports, secular life, etc.); natural and man-made disasters; wars and armed conflicts; actions and decisions adopted or approved in the system of social institutions. However, transmitting and receiving information immanently involves communication between its producers and consumers.

From the point of view of public interest, journalism adapts part of scientific and practical knowledge of these groups to be received by mass consciousness in order to accept other behavioral models of behavioral models, ideologies (culture, morals, ethics, and aesthetics) and ways of development. It gives birth to its adaptive function, which also involves communication between variety actors of social life. journalism social communicative

Because the media acute problems of public life widely known, journalism acts as an agitator, that persuades citizens, officials and authorities to solve them. Journalists' publications not only address such issues, but also are often suggest ways to solve them. Thus, journalism also performs the agitating function, which is also mediated by the communication between agitators and persons agitated.

The journalistic information received by citizens, state and other social structures, in relation to pressing social problems, helps to mobilize them to solve these problems. One can site thousands of examples when important problems of public life were solved thanks to the media. However, the mobilization function of journalism is predetermined by the nature of the political regime. More liberal and democratic regimes provide journalists more opportunities for the implementation of this function give.

By their very nature, all mass-media can support normal functioning of the society to which their influence extends. The fact of regular reading of certain newspapers and magazines, listening to certain radio programs, watching certain TV programs by different people creates certain social communities -- the audiences. For the journalists who are realize of the integrative function, they first virtue is the ability to integrate in the approach to material the needs of society with the care of individual information consumers.

Another important social function of journalism is the control over the functioning of state and local authorities and other social institutions. The control function is performed mainly by independent (non-governmental) media, serving as structures of civil society. Thanks to it media are defined as the “fourth estate” or “the fourth power”. When the actions and decisions taken by the system of government institutions do not conform to the assessments and views of the public, journalists, through public discussion, suggest possible alternatives up to the replacement of persons who have powers of authority by other persons whose actions and decisions will be adequate to the assessments and views of the public. Journalism is constantly monitoring all spheres of social life defining the agenda. It reveals social needs and directs information flows along the lines that will help meet these needs.

The cultural and educational function of journalism can be explained by the fact that the level of society's culture depends to a large extent on the mass audience by is being informed the media. Being one of the cultural institutions of society, journalism takes part in propaganda and dissemination of high cultural values among the population, drawing on the best examples of national and world culture. Thus, it contributes to a comprehensive development of man. The purpose of the cultural and educational function is to enrich the inner world of a person; so that each person could be able to independently choose the area of culture he is interested in the moment. This is why journalists have to be thoroughly developed in cultural order to satisfy the range of interests of their audience. The activities of journalists should be aimed at expanding and transforming the boundaries of the interests of its audience, but its main task still remains high-professional service of cultural preferences of information consumers.

Speaking about the social functions of journalism, one cannot ignore its entertainment one. Journalism helps the person in times of relaxation and holiday-making. This function is manifested through advertising various entertainment events, travel and fashion etc. in the press, on the radio, in television shows. The actualization of this function, like all other functions of journalism, is also impossible without communication.

Conclusion. Although the information function is usually placed first in the analysis of the functional structure of journalism, the communicative one is really central to it, since all other functions are one way or another implemented through the communication of citizens, public and private structures through media and the activities ofjournalists. Information by itself is of little value without its transmission from some social actors to others. Thus, the communicative function is a system-forming one in the functional structure ofjournalism activates. The key role of the communicative function is indirectly attested by the fact that journalism belongs to the field of social communication sciences in the list of scientific specialties.

The authors believe that it would be more appropriate to define journalism not just as a social institution, but as a social and communications institution. However, this suggestion is debatable and requires an extensive discussion in the professional environment.

References

1. Harcup, T. (2004). Journalism: Principles and Practice. London: SAGE Publication ltd. [In English].

2. Neveu, E. (2009). Sociologie du journalism. 3-ed. Paris: Reperes. 128 p. [In French]. RuB-Mohl, St. (2003). Journalismus. Das Hand- und Lehrbuch. Frankfurt; M.:

3. Management-, Markt- und Medieninformationen. [In German]

4. Voroshilov, V V (2000). Journalism. 5th ed. St. Petersburg: V.A. Mikhailov's Publishing House. [In Russian].

5. Prokhorov, E. P. (2011). Introduction to the theory of journalism: a textbook for university students enrolled in the field and specialty “Journalism”. 8th edition, revised. Moscow: Aspect Press. [In Russian].

6. Karpenko, V O. (2002). Journalism: the basics of professional communication. Kyiv: Nora Print. [In Ukrainian].

7. Mykhaylyn, I. L. (201І). Basics ofjournalism. Kyiv: Center for Educational Literature. [In Ukrainian].

Размещено на Allbest.ru