Trends in media development in Ukraine: social communication and legal aspects

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Trends in media development in Ukraine: social communication and legal aspects

Viktoriia Georgiievska Viktoriia Georgiievska Doctor of Social Communications, Professor Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Nataliia Sydorenko Nataliia Sydorenko Doctor of Philology, Professor Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv , Yevgen Gerasymenko Yevgen Gerasymenko PhD in Law, Associate Professor Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ,

Oksana Dubetska Oksana Dubetska PhD in Philology, Assistant Dragomanov Ukrainian State University , Iryna Yevdokymenko Iryna Yevdokymenko PhD in Social Communications, Assistant Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

Abstract

Globalisation and the development of new trends lead to the emergence of innovative tools for influencing the public; today, such tools are the mass media. Media is an important element of interaction between the authorities and society in the context of forming the necessary opinion on events and phenomena occurring in a particular historical period.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the features and specifics of the functioning of mass media in Ukraine by examining the social communication and legal aspects of media activity in a historical context.

The main method of research was the system and analytical method, by which the key characteristics and basic signs of the dynamics of the formation and development of Ukrainian media are considered, the specifics of the process of media influence on public opinion in Ukraine are outlined, and the prospects for the development of the direction in the future are presented.

The essence and content of the concept of mass media, the history of its origin and general global trends in the development of the direction were analysed. The characteristic features of the transformation of the media sphere in independent Ukraine are identified, and the basic features and trends of the main types of media are summarised.

The level and intensity of influence of certain media tools on public opinion in Ukraine were investigated. Based on the results obtained, the prospects for the evolution of mass media in Ukraine in the future are outlined; the main threats and challenges to further development in the context of the transformation of the social and communication sphere of social development are listed.

The results and conclusions of this study can be used as a basis for future research on the presented topic, in particular, in the specialities “Sociology”, “Economics”, “Law”, as well as during the development and implementation of the legal framework in the field of regulating media activities in the social and cultural life of the state

Keywords: globalisation; legal framework; mass media; administrative and legal regulation; social and cultural life

Introduction

The outbreak of the COVID-19 infection, rapid climate change, the emergence of new military conflicts, and other stressful events on different continents of the world forces the population to look for more information about these events. Mass media, in particular print publications, have long held the lead among sources of providing up-to-date data and meeting almost all social and communication needs of citizens. The beginning of the 21^st century was marked by the emergence of new tools in the media industry: Internet, social networks and online platforms became a mechanism for influencing the processes of public opinion development, a way to control various spheres of human life. Today, in the context of unpredictable changes on the geopolitical map of the world, in the context of the transformation of old and the emergence of new structures in the global security system, it is media resources that most often act as the only source of information for society; due to the influence of this sphere on the life of an ordinary person, it is quite possible to manage and direct thoughts and moods in society in a necessary way. The study of the phenomenon of media in Ukraine and the world, the influence of information resources on the formation of public opinion, in particular, in the field of legal and social communication interaction, is an important element in the process of creating and developing a political system on the democratic and legal basis of the state. The problem consists in updating the basic features and characteristics of the process of development and current state of the media sphere in Ukraine by studying the main areas, positive and negative trends in the transformation of information resources in the context of social and communication and legal cooperation.

A number of Ukrainian and foreign specialists have dealt with the problems of determining the essence, content and role of media in the political and social life of the state. According to M. Udut (2014), a person is surrounded by a variety of information throughout their life, which shapes their personality, needs and wishes, as well as creates dependence on constant information communication. Evolution of the human race, according to H. Tafozzoli and M. Bayat (2015), is constantly accompanied by information flows - first in the form of sounds, words, conscious speech, and then in the form of well-known mass media. Modern media tools, such as online applications, Internet portals, social networks, are defined by L. Gorodenko (2016) as key aspects of the current life of a modern Ukrainian. Innovative global changes of the third millennium, according to A. Garanja (2022), are conditioned by the rapid digital transformation of the global media environment and the emergence of a fundamentally new broadcasting format in Ukraine - digital media.

The role of media criticism in Ukraine differs from that of Europe and America, as it is not so much a factor in the functioning of civil society as an expression of media relations with the audience; according to A. Mykolaien- ko (2020), this is evidence of the modernisation of the media community in Ukraine. The activities of the Ukrainian mass media during the Russo-Ukrainian war were considered by L. Cherednyk (2022), according to which the media united during military operations to present high-quality and necessary content for society. Features of coverage of recent events in Ukraine in Western media, according to S. Fen- gler et al. (2018), indicate a strong interest of consumers, primarily from Europe, in information about the situation in Ukraine. Further development of the industry, considering various circumstances, was investigated by O. Galushko and A. Petkevich (2019) (transition from the classical method of transmitting information to the Internet - using modern online tools), N. Senam et al. (2022) (increasing the number of independent media resources to meet the needs of absolutely all categories of the population).

The purpose of the study is to identify and generalise the components of Ukrainian mass media at the present stage by considering and analysing the dynamics, trends, general and distinctive characteristics of this phenomenon in various spheres of social and state interaction.

Literature review

The issues of the development of the media sphere in Ukraine, and the specifics of the process of its transformation in the time context, have been investigated by many Ukrainian and international experts and analysts. Mass communication, active transmission of information and other types of useful data was one of the central characteristic features, due to which mass communication technologies were developed in the world during the World War II. According to P. Simonson et al. (2019), the global, in particular, American approach to the development of the concept and establishment of the essence of mass media indexed and communicated promoted the problems of media, which began to manifest itself in the 1920s.

M. Shi (2019) suggests that in the context of the growing popularity of mass media and widespread media information, the population seeks, receives, and processes data flows through media activities that adapt to the changing consumer sentiment of their products. According to O. Zi- nenko (2019), the media forms an idea of historical traditions, economic and political influence, as the media in Ukraine depend on their owners; journalists, publishers, and media editors control the mood in society and shape global trends among the population. Media in general have a strong overall impact on society, as the vast majority of the population fully trusts media tools in obtaining up-to-date information and the latest news. mass media ukraine society communication

R. Ullah and A. Khan (2020) argue that the media are a powerful weapon that can instantly change public opinion and form a completely opposite position on a particular issue. The decline in the popularity of print media - both in Ukraine and in the world - is one of the main problems of the classical media system caused by mass digitalisation of media processes. According to L. Vasylyk (2019), the complete revival of print media and the growth of their popularity is still impossible due to the practical lack of effective mechanisms and tools for competitive struggle with information resources on the Internet.

In the context of Ukraine's future membership in the European Union (EU), the issue of the functioning of free and independent media is extremely important and relevant, and the presence of a number of negative aspects, weak components of the sphere of media cooperation prevents the Ukrainian media from working and producing high-quality content. I.O. Tarnavska (2019) reviewed the results of European media research on the evolution of understanding the essence and ideological message of Ukrainian media through the analysis of publications in local media.

The influence and importance of mass communication for developing countries is difficult to overestimate, because the establishment of a democratic system in the state, along with the legal development of the country, both for the political and socio-economic sphere, is inextricably linked with the media sphere, its free and independent position. According to A. Jaguessar (2022), in addition to the functions of observation, correlation, cultural transmission, as well as entertainment and cognitive, one of the most important for every country is the function of encouraging development within the state by presenting the desired content. L.-V. Szabo (2021) argued that by using the possibilities of synergistically combining classical print media with the latest electronic media, it is possible to accelerate the technological revolution in the state, where the main driving forces and tools of influence and monitoring will be the mass media.

Materials and methods

The main scientific methods that were used in the process of preparing a scientific paper were system and analytical, historical and statistical, and predictive method. Using the system and analytical method, the features, historical differences and situational circumstances of the emergence and development of such a concept as mass media, as well as their basic elements - printed materials, electronic media - were determined. Using the historical method, the key characteristics and specific features of the evolution of the media sphere in Ukraine in the period from the declaration of independence of the state to the present were selected and summarised; subtleties and approaches to understanding the content and content of the direction in modern realities were analysed in the context of different periods of the country's historical development.

Statistical and predictive methods were used to present quantitative and qualitative indicators in the media environment; the results of sociological research and quantitative assessment of the scale of the media market in Ukraine were presented to determine the prospects and problems of this sector in the context of the state's future accession to the EU. Based on the results obtained, generalised practical recommendations for Ukraine in the context of democratisation of processes in the media sphere for the future qualitative renewal of all branches of state development are provided.

A wide range of various scientific materials were used in the preparation of this paper, the main focus of which was on the investigation of the functioning of media resources in Ukraine and the world, their impact on the processes of state creation, and the determination of the main trends, threats, and scenarios for the development in the near future. This study included:

• analytical and methodological reviews (Ukrainian media, attitude..., 2022);

• critical publications (Haque, 2020);

• research papers (Matviienkiv, 2022; De-Lima-Santos & Ceron, 2021);

• statistical reviews (Kemp, 2022; A guide to the Ukrainian., 2022).

For a more complete investigation of the presented topic to obtain broader and more diverse results, as well as to present generalised trends and predict likely prospects and threats to the sphere, a number of laws and regulations were selected, analysed, and used in the course of research.

For example, the Constitution of Ukraine (1996) is a document that for the first time regulates relations in the field of information and communication technologies, establishes a legal regime for interaction and cooperation at the level of partnership relations, respect, and trust. In addition, the Law of Ukraine “On Media” (2022) regarding the right to search, receive, distribute, and use diverse information in the media space of modern Ukraine in order to distribute information materials as widely as possible within the state and abroad.

Results

According to generally accepted interpretations, media are means of communication or tools used to store, transmit, and deliver information or data from one object to another (Paul & Rai, 2021; Metzgar etal., 2011).

Throughout the entire period of existence of this phenomenon, the essence and content of the concept were transformed, but the idea remained unchanged: communicating information in the most convenient and profitable way (David & Sommerlad, 2020). The Law of Ukraine “On Media” (2022) interprets the concept of media as a means of distributing mass information in any form, which is periodically or regularly published under editorial control and a permanent title as an individualising feature.

In the modern world, all information that circulates in the environment is rapidly distributed in society using tools such as printed media (newspapers, magazines, books), electronic resources (web portals, social networks), television, radio, movies. All of the above tools are mass media (Tafazzoli & Bayat, 2015; Schranz et al., 2018).

These media resources greatly facilitate the life of a modern person, making it information-filled and self-sufficient. However, throughout the history of the emergence and development of information resources, they have been used not only as a way to reduce the time of transmission of certain data, but also for manipulation in favour of certain interested parties (Kapoor et al., 2018).

The development of such a phenomenon as the conscious transmission of information occurred at the beginning of the period of establishment of the first proto-state entities. With the advent of writing, when alphabets began to appear (for example, frescoes on the walls of temples in the Nile Valley in Egypt, dated 3000 BC), the process of information influence on a person using the visual (later - printed) method began to gain momentum; each local ruler had a separate person with them, whose main task was to write the life of their helmsman (while often embellishing real events, attributing non-existent virtues and qualities) (Zeeshan, 2017).

Thus, a primary resource was created, with the help of which it became possible to develop the correct image of the ruling dynasties, thus manipulating the moods and preferences of the local population.

The basic tool of information influence was the book: the first printed copy appeared in the 9th century in China, while in Europe the ability to print appeared in the middle of the 15^th century - after the invention of the printing press (Morgner, 2017).

Newspapers became the next most powerful tool for transmitting information after the book. Due to the ease (compared to books) of the production method, newspapers and magazines quickly became a means of influencing social sentiment. The first printed newspaper was published at the end of the 17^th century in the United States of America (Conboy and Steel, 2008). In the 18t^h-19^th century, the telegraph was a popular means of communication (in 1844, the first telegraph line was laid), and later - the telephone, invented in 1876. The end of the 19^th - beginning of the 20^th century was a turning point in the history of media: in 1885, photographic film was invented, and in 1899, the first photograph was presented (Aithal, 2016).

However, photography was not able to gain a long-lasting foothold among information resources, as television and radio emerged in the 20^th century and are still sources of entertainment and news for almost the entire world's population. However, since the end of the 20^th century, they have to compete with the latest mass media - the Internet, the idea of which originated in the United States in the 1090s (Table 1).

Table 1. Use of media in the context of news perception (global scale), %

Note: the online survey was conducted using a number of online platforms (for example, YouTube)

Source: compiled by the authors based on S. Kemp (2022); Ukrainian media, attitude and trust in 2022 (2022)

Nowadays, the Internet is the most convenient and popular media resource in the world, with the help of which almost all global events and phenomena are covered. Ukrainian society faced many stressful situations after the collapse of the Soviet Union: dynamic changes, stunning transformations, and rapid transitions from one form of reflection of a particular phenomenon to another affected almost all spheres of life of the population and the state (Kovalevs- ly, 2009). The industry of media resources, whose modern history begins with the declaration of independence of the Ukrainian state in 1991, is no exception.

According to Article 34 of the Constitution of Ukraine (1996), everyone is guaranteed the right to freedom of thought and speech, to freedom of expression of their views and beliefs; everyone has the right to freely collect, store, use and disseminate information orally, in writing or in any other way of their choice. Due to these provisions and a number of other factors (economic and social reforms, legal reservations), Ukrainian media resources mostly function freely in the context of their activities (however, situations related to harassment of the media and free press in Ukraine are quite common) (Fengler et al., 2018).

The legal framework in the field of media activity is considered one of the most advanced in Eastern Europe (Garan- ja, 2022). Despite the fact that the implementation of the points of some legislative documents is accompanied by significant violations and non-compliance with the conditions, the legal framework covers almost all segments of media work. The basic documents include, in particular: Law of Ukraine No. 48 “On Information” (1992), Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Communications” (2020), Law of Ukraine “On Media” (2022), Law of Ukraine No. 50 “On State Media Support, Guarantees of Professional Activity and Social Protection of Journalists” (1997). The above-mentioned documents regulate the media sphere, in particular, guarantee the independence of the media regulator, introduce additional mechanisms for protecting the national information space, improve the application of sanctions, define the principles of functioning of online media and introduce a definition of the concept of “media literacy” at the legislative level (Media legislation in the..., 2023).

The declaration of independence of Ukraine contributed to the entry of traditional media to a qualitatively new level: with the adoption of Law of Ukraine No. 10 “On Television and Radio Broadcasting” (1993), which proclaimed the creation of national television and the Supervisory Board for radio broadcasting, dramatically increased the number of new national media resources. This was a positive development, which, however, marked the emergence of a close relationship between business circles and political figures who used information resources to their advantage. The peak of media dependence on players in the political arena occurred during the presidency of L. Kuchma (1994-2005), when the influence on the media was uncontrolled and due to systemic censorship, the quality of content fell for a long time (Ryab- ichev & Ryabicheva, 2016).

During the presidency of V. Yushchenko (2005-2010), attempts were made to stabilise the situation in the media environment through European-style reforms (the Orange Revolution of 2004 created an impetus for positive changes in the sector, in particular, censorship was abolished and the list of journalists' rights and freedoms was expanded), but with the coming to power of V. Yanukovych (20102014), the situation deteriorated again (Dyczok, 2015; Skolkay, 2020). Mass media were used as a means of propaganda and a tool for controlling public opinion in order to maintain political ratings. In the election campaigns of that period, the number of commissioned information materials was significant: according to the Institute of democracy, in the period 2014-2015, the number of paid publications accounted for more than 70% of the total amount of material (Kovalevsky, 2009). Moreover, there were persecutions of opposition media (Ukrayinska Pravda, Zerkalo Nedeli); as a response to such actions of the authorities, the “Stop Censorship” association was created in the journalistic environment, the main task of which was to promote the growth of the number of independent media resources (Ogienko, 2020).

In the early 2020s, the vast majority of media players were controlled by government and business representatives, who determined the format of presentation and the course of information flows in society from a position that was beneficial exclusively for their circle (Jaguessar, 2022).

However, even then there was an increase in the number of media resources and online publications, as well as the conduct of independent journalistic investigations. This has become an indicator of improving the quality of media activities by democratising relations between all participants in the area. With the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the situation began to change dramatically (Matviienkiv, 2022). Due to the stressful situation and general shock in society, there was a demand for obtaining a fundamentally different type of information, in particular, data on the course of hostilities in the state, the state of the armed nipulating citizens' minds have faded into the background, putting actually important events and transparent facts at the forefront. Entertainment content (talk shows, concerts, popular programmes on television and on the Internet) has practically disappeared from the media environment; instead, some social messengers (in particular, Telegram) have gained demand, which quickly, in real-time covered the most relevant events in Ukraine and the world (Alberti & De Serio, 2020). It is worth noting that the Internet media (web portals, social networks) compete on equal terms with traditional media (newspapers, television) in covering current news and informing society about important events (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Use of media for receiving news in Ukraine for the period 2015-2022, %

Source: compiled by the authors based on Ukrainian media, attitude and trust in 2022 (2022); U. Bakan and T. Han (2019)

Very quickly, such drastic transformations became uncontrolled, and the situation began to require increased monitoring by the authorities. First of all, it was necessary to clearly form the regulatory framework of the area, giving specific definitions of terms and concepts in the field, and outlining the rights, obligations and reservations for all participants in the media industry in Ukraine.

Thus, according to the Law of Ukraine “On Media” (2022) (the adoption of this document is an important element in the beginning of official negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU), the sphere of media activity should be significantly democratised in accordance with the norms adopted in the EU.

This law is the first since the beginning of the 1990s. A thorough review of the situation in the media sphere of Ukraine, a serious attempt to update existing schemes in the industry. Its main goal was to transform the role of the state - from a passive observer to an active partner (Gulat- kan, 2023).

The revision of the principles of fines and penalties, as well as the transition to electronic document management, are also among the priorities of the above-mentioned document.

The draft law had several versions that differed significantly from each other. However, the latter option turned out to be the most optimal, because a number of innovative solutions and fundamental measures were announced. In particular, among them are the following:

1. Changing the essence of the concept of media and its components. Departure from the Soviet interpretation (“means” and “service”) to the European one (“tool” and “form”), as well as differentiation of the terms “subject” (organisation, person) and “media” (TV channel, website) (Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine “On Media” (2022)).

2. Settlement of the issue of licensing and permits for the right to register and exit. From now on, for legal activities in the legal field, a license is necessary for all representatives of radio and television without exception. In other situations, registration will be required, for example, for entities with custom activities (with the exception of online media) (Article 9).

3. The first steps to regulating the activities of bloggers at the legislative level. This task requires the development of separate acts and regulations, in particular, specifically regarding the author's content of this type. Currently, the Law defines its responsibility over subjects in audiovisual, print, online media (Article 13).

4. Creation of a system of joint regulation of activities in the sector - to replace state control. It is planned to launch a “hybrid” dual monitoring structure in the form of “state-subjects of media activity”, the basic function of which should be the development of criteria, mechanisms and methods for the functioning of all elements in the field of media (Article 89).

5. The transition to a “reasonable” system of fines is the division of liability in the industry. In particular, the concept of an order is introduced - a mechanism for warning a subject against repeated violation of existing norms and laws. A separate number of orders are planned for each category (Article 100), after which a fine is already received (Article 99) (the amounts differ depending on the level and degree of violations).

6. Increasing the powers of the National Council, in particular, in the field of monitoring the activities of subjects of relations, as well as licensing and granting permits. In addition, the council may independently sue if such a need arises (Section VI).

7. Algorithmization of media content. The law does not explicitly specify this area, however, analysing the above innovations, it can be assumed that the ultimate goal is precisely the introduction of digital mechanisms for managing public information processes. The launch of algorithms for functioning in the media environment (using various digital platforms, messenger applications, and social networks) contributes to strengthening trends in meeting the individual needs of individual consumers, rather than activity for a wide range of citizens (Gentzkow, 2018).

An important issue of regulating the activities of world media is the problems of artificial intelligence and its capabilities for the field of information technology (Henry, 2019). This aspect is also relevant for Ukraine, because now, in the conditions of war, when the volume of information submitted in one day exceeds the figures for a week, it is extremely difficult to make high-quality materials about events and phenomena. Computerised systems and applications come to the rescue. For example, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-based chatbot that was introduced to the general public for free use in February 2023 (Haleem et al., 2023). Immediately, the chatbot became an indispensable participant in the creative process in the media environment. Thus, it wrote a lengthy article about art, and then a release was presented in which the music, text, and graphic design were generated by ChatGPT (Krzynja, 2023). In these situations, fair and logical questions arise: who owns the copyright? How to regulate relationships in the context of artificial intelligence in the field of media? For example, recently Germany was stirred up by a scandal: the family of the famous racer M. Schumacher was accused by a local magazine of PR in his name (journalists printed an interview with him, the material for which was completely generated by artificial intelligence, and a note about this fact was placed in small print, which is why the vast majority of readers took the publication for the truth) (Voronich, 2023).

Ukraine has not yet begun to deal with this issue from the standpoint of the legal aspect, although the demand for this problem is quite significant: articles written by the same ChatGPT can compete in quality with publications prepared by real researchers (Haleem et al., 2023). And in some cases, even surpass such works. This is an alarming sign for the scientific activity of not only Ukrainian, but also international specialists, who are already emphasising a significant restriction on the use of such chatbots and intelligent systems in the professional sphere.

Back in 2014, in the light of the military operations in Ukraine, which led, among other things, to mass migration of the population both within the state and abroad, the question arose of the correctness of media coverage of these events (Fengler et al., 2018).

Thus, at the beginning of 2023, a situation became public when an image of a child generated by a computer based on artificial intelligence was used to illustrate material about internally displaced persons and victims of military operations, in particular, during the shelling of a residential building in Dnipro (Melnik, 2023).

There was immediately outrage in society: the aggressor constantly accuses Ukraine of fake tragedies during military operations, and this illustration can also be used to the detriment of the state. The photo was subsequently deleted. Currently, there are no clear tools and methods for the legal regulation of the mechanism for covering the tragedy of victims of Russian aggression; at the legislative level, monitoring of such activities is limited only to the ban on publishing photos with sensitive content.

However, individual acts and selected sections of some documents contain explanatory and updated information. In particular, the Law of Ukraine No. 48 “On Information” (1992) states that data on emergencies, military operations, and other events that threaten human life and security cannot be classified as restricted information. On the contrary, such information should be disseminated in all possible ways (first of all, in the media) in order to organise an early evacuation from high-risk areas.

The main purpose of the media is to inform the population about possible threats to their lives; therefore, an Information Centre (press centre) is created to provide up-to-date data for prompt coverage of relevant events directly in the war zone or disasters.

At the same time, the Constitution of Ukraine states that the process of providing information may be restricted by law in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public order in order to prevent riots or crimes, to protect public health (Constitution of Ukraine, 1996). In particular, it is prohibited to distribute in the media data on geolocations of enemy strikes, the exact location of evacuees, and disclose personal data of internally displaced persons from the disaster or combat zone. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, many representatives of Ukrainian and international media are directly in the war zone, and in the process of covering events in stories, unconscious disclosure of secret information (geolocation, evacuation routes) often occurs. However, it is extremely rare for these actions to bring the perpetrators to criminal responsibility.

Analysing the current state of the Ukrainian media, which are now functioning in conditions of war and a decline in interest in entertainment news, it can be summarised that the main features of this area. Like the world media, Ukrainian media follow general global development trends, such as regional division (increasing the role and influence of local media), the spread of monopoly (reducing the number of owners of media resources), the aspect of commercialisation and monetisation (making a profit as the main task of media activity), mass digitalisation (maximum transition of media resources to online format). Among the characteristic features of Ukrainian media as of 2022, the following can be distinguished (A guide to the Ukrainian..., 2022):

• electronic media (social networks, websites) have become the main source of news, but the dynamics of radio and television use is declining;

• the role of local and regional media is growing;

• social networks shape the public's perception of current news, create a system for exchanging information;

• share of Ukrainian-language content in the media is growing;

• level of media literacy and the ability to recognise disinformation among Ukrainians continues to grow;

• confidence in the Russian media continues to fall.

Based on the conducted research and the analysis of the data obtained, the following solutions can be offered to the most acute issues of the sphere that are at the stage of solving:

1. For regulatory and legal regulation (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine). The focus of lawmakers should be on clarifying the mechanism for monitoring the implementation of reforms in the media sector, and on evaluating the activities of all players in this sector in Ukraine.

2. For state financing (Ministry of Economy of Ukraine). Appropriate support through grants will help accelerate the transition of Ukrainian media to the development of high-quality Ukrainian-language content. The process should be combined with an appropriate system of prescriptions and fines.

3. For the development of local and regional media (representatives of regional and regional authorities). Creating a high-quality product with local information resources is a sign of the democratic development of freedom of speech in the state.

4. To improve the level of media literacy (Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine). In order to eradicate disinformation in Ukrainian society and develop skills to recognise manipulative actions in the submitted content, it is necessary to raise awareness among the population and media representatives by participating in international educational events (trainings, conferences, round tables).

5. For the activities of European and international media on the territory of Ukraine (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine). Creating a favourable environment for comfortable activities of media representatives in other countries by improving the regulatory framework of the sphere.

6. To improve the international image of Ukraine in the international arena (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, other relevant bodies). Conducting journalistic investigations into corruption, local abuses, exposing fraudulent schemes and other criminal actions should demonstrate to the international community the independence and independence of the Ukrainian media. This will create favourable conditions for the media to continue their activities on the territory of Ukraine.

Discussion

Investigating the establishment and development of the media sphere in Ukraine, in particular, in the context of social communication and legal aspects of interaction in this area, as well as considering various stages of historical development of the area in order to form practical recommendations for improving the results of the work of Ukrainian mass media at the present stage, the following can be stated: the problem of the role and place of Ukrainian media at the present stage of the historical development of the state is quite widely studied and relevant. Thus, the most thorough results and conclusions were obtained by specialists and experts from Great Britain, Germany, in particular, regarding the history of the origin of such a process as the purposeful transfer of information from one subject to another. The contribution of Ukrainian media market scientists facilitated the enrichment of the theoretical and practical components of the issue of specifics and characteristic features of the development of this sphere in the information space, including in the context of military aggression against Ukraine. An important result of the research of Ukrainian and international experts was the comparison of traditional mass media with modern tools - artificial intelligence, chatbots - the main feature of which is the absence of the need to use a human resource to search for and prepare relevant content of high quality and correct content.

In this paper, it was emphasised that the concept of mass media has several interpretations; on the basis of the conducted research, it was found that they are distinguished by various features of the historical development of the industry in certain states, as well as the specifics of the influence on them by the official authorities. This conclusion continues the opinion of G.M.M. Haque (2020), which, as an explanation of the content of the term “Media” proposed to use such words as: means, method, form, channel, organ, tool, mechanism; the author suggested that this phenomenon is quite controversial for an unambiguous definition of the essence and content because it covers a huge number of consumers of the final product, includes many ways of transmitting content, spliced to different audiences, combines completely different goals, methods, cultural context.

The phenomenon of internet media, in particular, online platforms, interactive platforms, social networks, and other electronic information tools, as the main tool of social communication today, was considered in the presented study as a basic source of obtaining the necessary content. Scientific results of K.K. Kappor et al. (2018) were reduced to a similar stance on internet platforms and news web portals, noting that given the growing relevance of social networks to various interested consumers, they attracted considerable attention from both users of their product and researchers from various fields, in particular, from the field of information and communication technologies.

The determining influence of mass media on the development of public opinion, the processes of managing social moods and the focus on the political preferences of citizens in the right way were analysed in the presented paper as the defining role of media in society. Media activities among the intellectual elite, scientists, artists, and representatives of other related specialities that contribute to creating the right opinion on a particular issue in society were also considered by M. Shi (2019), who assessed the interaction and influence of the media and representatives of the cultural intelligentsia on the overall situation in the state and at the global level. The expert believed that in certain situations, the support of reputable representatives of civil society played an extremely important role in certain political, economic, social, and other types of interaction.

In developed countries, mass media are not only a source of information, but also a tool for building a legal democratic society; situations of using media as a promotion mechanism for “positive” propaganda were described in the context of various historical periods, which was analysed in this publication. Conclusions of A. Jaguessar (2022) contain a similar opinion; seeing media as a process of collecting, sending, and receiving information in society, and tools for them - mass media, the author highlighted their defining function - active promotion of further development of the state, based on the principles of freedom of speech, action, thoughts.

In recent years, traditional mass media have suffered greatly due to the rapid growth in the popularity of new types of media - social networks, online platforms, web platforms; this conclusion was voiced in the presented study, based on the results of statistical studies and analysing the activity of the main information channels in the state. The study by M.-F. De-Lima-Santos and W. Ceron (2021) also confirms the view that the third millennium is a time of decline in print media, which has been replaced by high- tech electronic media based on artificial intelligence technologies and aimed at very specific categories of citizens. At the same time, experts defended the opposite opinion that in the medium term, such media can completely replace traditional means that function due to human intervention; artificial intelligence, high-precision technological solutions, automation and robotisation of processes, along with mass applications of the necessary logical algorithms, will become the basic factors of media work around the world in the future.

In the modern world, social networks play a huge role in people's lives, they have a decisive influence on processes on a global scale; this is the result that confirms the opinion of A. Alberti and L. De Serio (2020), was presented in this paper. The expert analysed the importance of online platforms for sharing news, opinions, and other information in the context of unpredictable changes in the world, in particular, based on military operations in Ukraine, noting that the influence of social networks, in particular Telegram, is difficult to overestimate and the further consequences of such influence are extremely problematic to predict. In contrast to the presented conclusions, the researcher points out that after the completion of the active phase of any intense events (military operations, mass protests), the popularity of social media will rapidly fall due to the lack of relevant content and low demand in society for this type of information.

Thus, having analysed the available scientific literature, the key attention in which was focused on understanding the essence and content of mass media as a phenomenon in the world and Ukraine, as well as providing effective options for the harmonious development of the industry in the conditions of dynamic transformation of established forms and structures of world development, it can be concluded that the trends of development in the media sphere will maintain their pace in the near future. Having analysed the features and characteristics of the information technology industry in Ukraine, which were actively developed from the beginning of the state's independence, it is worth noting that the process was distinguished by different dynamics, ideological orientation, and quality of the content offered in different historical periods of the state's development. However, at the same time, along with dependent state-owned mass media, free media actively operated, whose main task was to convey the truth about the real state of affairs in the country, in particular, coverage of corruption schemes, criminal confrontations. However, considering Ukraine's European integration aspirations, the general situation on the continent and in the world, and analysing the current legislation on regulating relations in the sphere, in the near future Ukrainian media will act on a more democratic basis, based on European law and standards of relations in the field of media activity and presentation of high-quality content.

Conclusions

In the course of research on the main trends in the development of the media sphere in Ukraine, the features of the process of establishment and transformation of this area at different stages of the historical development of the state were considered, and the activities of media subjects in the context of social communication and legal interaction were analysed.

It was found that over the years of independence, Ukrainian media have come a long way - from existence in the form of post-Soviet information propaganda tools and means of preserving political ratings to effective elements of the global information market.

The study showed that in recent years, the state has increased its activities aimed at defining basic concepts and terms in the field of mass media, in particular, in the field of regulatory and legislative fields. Analysing statistical data and indicators in the media area during the time when various presidents were in power, it was found that, depending on the presence of certain political forces at the head of state, the information vector of media resources changed; during the full-scale invasion of the territory of Ukraine, the situation changed dramatically - almost all representatives of the industry work in a single format without providing obvious advantages to certain political forces. In order to more successfully implement the already adopted proposals and rules specified in the latest regulatory document in the field of media, and to implement further plans within the framework of Ukraine's future membership in the European Union, responsible representatives should cooperate more fruitfully with international partners in the field in order to exchange experience and acquire useful and practical skills to fulfil their tasks.

The originality of the study is determined by the trends and specifics of the development of the activities of national mass media in Ukraine by analysing and characterising the specific features of the industry through the prism of social communication and legal cooperation.

For a more meaningful discussion of the presented topic, namely, the definition of the practical content of the activities of Ukrainian media in the context of social communication and legal cooperation at the present stage, and for the development of a wider range of practical recommendations for improving activities and bringing all aspects to the standards of the European Union, it is appropriate to investigate the specifics of the activities of the media sphere in Ukraine in the context of the post-war restoration of the state through the prism of membership in international security organisations in the context of the emergence of a new geopolitical situation in the world.

References

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