Art journalism: formation of aesthetic taste or satisfying consumer demand?

Abstract

The article is devoted to the consideration of the dual nature of art journalism, manifested in the trajectories of its development and the corresponding functions in the modern media space — cultural-educational and information-advertising. The author of the article interprets art journalism as a sphere of professional activity, the purpose of which is to form the aesthetic taste of the target audience and convey a set of values that have universal and national significance. Arts journalism is increasingly targeting a wider audience, as evidenced by trends towards deliberate simplification of text and increasing entertainment value. At the same time, the goals of art journalism — the preservation of cultural and national values, the comprehensive development of man, his education based on examples of world culture — are embodied in the implementation of the cultural and educational function of art journalism and, as a consequence, in the development of aesthetic taste using its tools and means. In an effort to satisfy the needs of the target audience for information about facts and cultural events, about works of various types of art, art journalism also implements an information and advertising function. The intentionality of art journalism is characteristic of both trajectories of its development in the modern media space: the formation of ideas, positions, and opinions naturally determines the emergence of expected emotional states in the addressee. The article proves that the information and advertising trajectory of art journalism organically complements the cultural and educational one: in any of the areas studied, the addressee is able to expand his cognitive and emotional experience in the cultural space, possessing creative potential. The cultural and educational trajectory of the development of art journalism cannot be implemented outside of information and entertainment: expanding the intended target audience by attracting attention to cultural and artistic events contributes to the representation of the news occasion from the perspective of organizing leisure time, deepening knowledge about a particular work of art or cultural figure and, as a result, ensuring and maintaining cultural balance in society