Media Space Research Articles

Queer media production as soft activism: Insights from a Chinese community project

The LGBT+ movements in China are increasingly in a precarious situation. Queer media spaces are being eroded as numerous digital media platforms run by LGBT+ rights-advocacy groups and individuals have been blocked over the past few years. Given this context, a liberal model of a gay rights movement, resembling those seen in the West, is unlikely to occur in China. Consequently, softer activism approaches are often employed by Chinese LGBT+ organizations. This article leverages ethnographic insights from one of China’s leading LGBT+ community media projects to offer a critical examination of queer media production and the broader LGBT+ movements within the country. Drawing on the Foucauldian concept of ‘resistance’ and the political significance of ‘voice’, the analysis presented herein underscores the intricate relationship between queer media production and its socio-political milieu. It showcases the adaptive strategies of ‘soft’ activism adopted by Chinese LGBT+ organizations, characterized by non-confrontational tactics and a steadfast commitment to amplifying diverse queer voices.

Digital social support among educators in social media: An international comparative study of tweets and replies in #teachertwitter and #twlz

Asking questions on social media acts as a stimulus for professional learning among educators, while the answers can offer them valuable resources. Framed by the concept of digital social support and using a cross-cultural comparative approach, we investigate what type of digital social support educators seek when using educational social media spaces, and what they receive from other users who answer their questions. Analyzing 2,274 tweets and 2,020 replies from two hashtags popular among German and US teachers, #twlz and #teachertwitter, we find that educators mainly seek instrumental support (e.g. materials). Yet what is being sought influences the likelihood of getting the desired response, not the user's characteristics. Differences emerge between the two hashtags in the kinds of support educators seek and the way educators respond to requests. The findings highlight the need for educators to possess digital competencies to fully utilize social media spaces.

The role and place of Ukraine in modern international information policy: modern challenges and strategic imperatives of cooperation

Introduction: the relevance of the study is determined by evident and paradigmatic change of global political landscape and corresponding international and nation-state information policy. At the same time, attention is drawn to the presence of theoretical gaps in defining the definition of “information policy”, its institutional structure, as well as the mechanisms for its formation and implementation in today realities, in particular against the backdrop of Russia-Ukraine war and challenges concerning the role and place of Ukraine in international information landscape of international relations. Objectives: the article aims to develop an array systematizing the processes taking place within Ukrainian media space during the war, which would allow comprehending them based on theoretical paradigms and today realities of information policy, information landscape, and information geopolitics.Method: the methodological basis for considering research problems is based on the methods of systemic, structural-functional and institutional analysis. The research combines the methodological achievements of several paradigms, constituting the basis of philosophical pluralism - the synergistic method and the paradigm of nonlinearity.Results: the political role of the information space in modern society and public policy is comprehended. This role lies in the ability of the information space to reflect and subsequently change social processes (including political processes), as well as the interests of the actors dominating the political process. The negative effects of populism in the information policy of Ukraine and the discrepancies between internal and external media narratives are noted. The increasing role of civil journalism and Telegram channels in the information field of Ukraine is shown and an understanding of the corresponding challenges for information policy is proposed

Specifics of Artificial Intelligence Application in Modern Media Space

Specifics of Artificial Intelligence Application in Modern Media Space

MEDIAMAKONDA DEEPFEYKLARNING KO‘RINISHLARI

This article is about the different manifestations of deepfakes in media space, the technologies of distribution, types and damage and consequences. Also, on the surface of this article, The opinions presented in the world scientific literature are summarized and suggestions and recommendations are presented.

Медиапространство как направление массовой коммуникации у студентов

Modern media space is an actively developing area of mass communication. A number of modern historians define it as a perspective for a negative scenario of social development. Modern man is actively involved in the media space, which forms his priorities, moods, tastes. Complements and diversifies leisure time. Almost everyone's day begins and ends with watching media content. Children and young people turned out to be especially active users. This trend is alarming. Live human communication is being replaced by a digital copy that does not require special energy costs from the user. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the problems of the production of audiovisual content in the media space. Building high-quality information content will minimize the negative component of the transforming communication process.

On being green in the social media interactivity’s information seeking-sharing: Case of Generation Z in Indonesia

Social media interactivity creates consumer’s space of information seeking-sharing where its intensity could produce knowledge, creates new values and changes behavior. The aim of this study is to exploratory investigate the dual role of Generation Z’s information seeking-sharing behavior within green context through the interactive space of social media as a resource for the development of social media marketing strategy. The research employs mixed-method approach of qualitative-explorative data mining, quantitative cross-tabulation Chi-Square test, and integration. Two findings of this research are elaborated. First, consumer’s space of information-seeking leads to the process of green awareness rationalization, i.e., how environment-oriented actions can be rationalized. Second, consumer’s space of information-sharing leads to green social values, i.e., How environment-oriented actions can be socially recognized. The marketing implications of these two findings are business’ efforts to develop green-oriented strategic mindset through space of social media marketing “customer engagement” where the dual role of information seeking-sharing within green context is facilitated.

Tangled and Bumpy Roads to Gender Equity: Socio-Cultural Insights from Media Stories About Olympic Athletes and Motherhood

With the 2024 Olympic Games touted as reaching gender parity (i.e., same number of female and male athletes participating), media conversations are continuing about elite athlete mothers. Researchers interrogating media stories of Olympic athlete mothers have shown that their sporting journeys are not straightforward due to tensions linked to gender (in)equity. In this paper we use narrative inquiry as a theoretical lens to explore “comeback themes” synthesized from published media studies of Olympic athlete mothers, along with recent examples of media stories of Olympic athlete mothers. We discuss four comeback themes that include: (in)compatible identities, super mums, veteran status/age, and exposing discrimination, and some implications for gender equity. The first three comebacks perpetuate gender ideologies of heteronormative femininity, good motherhood, ageism, and exceptionalism, which downplay equitable support and change. These themes, along with the exposing discrimination theme, also highlight shifting media representations of motherhood and sport whereby stories expose struggles, realities, and/or structural deficits. We reflect on these themes as a “tangled and bumpy road” to gender equity led by athlete mothers’ voices resulting in changes in maternity rights. These comeback themes show gains in gender equity for sportswomen and highlight areas where more work is needed. Future research recommendations include studying mainstream and social media spaces with an intersectional lens to expand understanding of media stories as pedagogical resources to learn more about motherhood, sport, and gender (in)equity.

Trends in the Transformation of Gender Stereotypes: Representation of Women’s Image in the Modern Media Space of Kazakhstan

The purpose of the study is to assess the transformation of women’s image in the modern media space of Kazakhstan. Using a mixed research approach, including a literature review, analysis of advertising materials, and expert surveys, the authors determine the role of the media in shaping the image of women. The results demonstrate that despite the growing trend towards diversity in women’s roles, traditional stereotypes persist, especially in the context of traditional gender roles. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing gender inequalities in different sectors, including politics, business, and public participation. The gradual transformation of women’s roles reflects social shifts influenced by globalization, feminism, and technological advances. The study underscores the need for further efforts to combat gender stereotypes and promote diverse portrayals of women in mass media. Despite the progress achieved, continued research, political measures, and initiatives to promote media literacy are needed to create a media landscape that would foster gender equality and expand the rights and opportunities of women in all spheres of social life.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA-ADVERTISING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GEORGIAN COMPANIES

Guliko Katamadze E-mail: qatamadze.guliko@bsu.edu.ge Associated Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5198-3890 Abstract . The use of social media advertising as a means of marketing communication is gaining strategic importance for companies operating in Georgia. Social media-advertising research is all the more relevant for those firms that are trying to deliver a marketing "message" to a wide audience with minimal costs and brand positioning in the market. The relevance of the problem is determined by the fact that the influence of social media advertising on the development of Georgian companies, their branding process and the effectiveness of the returns received from the investment of their marketing activities has not been properly studied. The purpose of the research is to develop the best mechanism for using social media advertising for companies operating in Georgia, to determine the most favorable form for use as a marketing communication tool based on user behavior. Methods of data collection and observation were used to develop the paper. We used the collection method to assess the possibility of using social media advertising by companies operating in Georgia, and the observation method - to determine the potential of their social media space, based on which the possibilities of increasing the effectiveness of companies through social media advertising were identified. As a result of the research, it is clear that Georgian companies use social media advertising to improve their brand, to attract a new target audience. Social media advertising has a strategic importance in increasing the effectiveness of companies operating in Georgia at all stages of their operation. Accordingly, we can refer to the complex combination of traditional and electronic businesses as a result of using social media advertising, which will help to increase the marketing efforts of companies operating in Georgia and, as a result, their competitiveness and operational efficiency. Keywords: Social media-advertising, marketing effectiveness, social media-space, business. JEL classification: M31, M37

NEW MEANINGS OF PERMANENT MEDIA ONYMS WITH COMPONENT INVINCIBILITY

The article is devoted to the analysis of the semantic load of media onyms updated in the infospace of the new time. Today, phrases such as invincible city, invincible people, invincible country, etc. have become dominant in mass communication, which acquire the status of semantically condensed media onyms, and their features are precedent, stable reproducibility, semantic integrity. Due to the fact that these units are expressively and emotionally colored, their semantic scope also changes. The purpose of the article is the analysis of new semantically condensed media onyms, which represent in the mass consciousness conceptualized linguistic phenomena with the component unbreakable, which can be endlessly formed in accordance with the background knowledge of the recipients and the semantic landmarks of the modern infospace: the invincible city (Kyiv, Odesa, Mariupol, Kharkiv, etc.), an invincible mayor (Vitaliy Klitschko, Igor Terekhov, Vitaliy Kim, etc.), an invincible country (Ukraine, Israel, Georgia, etc.). It was noticed that these units are close in their structure and semantic-stylistic potential to media phraseology, which verbalize objective reality and are used in communication as communicative "glues" for the cumulative and manipulative purpose of the message. It has been proven that new constructions become a kind of semantic triggers of media messages in new informational realities: invincible warriors, invincible Irpians, invincible prisoners, invincible armed forces, etc. The article draws attention to the universalization of onyms in the media space: it is about the use of the meaning-making concept INVINCIBILITY, which is used in relation to Ukraine and Ukrainians in the foreign press. Therefore, the formation of new cognitive meanings by media onyms was observed, which was generated by the Russian-Ukrainian war and is a segment of the semiotic system of the globalized information space of the world.

PHRASEOLOGISMS WITH THE "BREAD" COMPONENT AS MARKERS OF UKRAINIAN LINGUOMENTALITY (FEATURES OF USAGE IN MASS MEDIA TEXTS)

The article deals with phraseological units with the "bread" component, which are actively used in the texts of mass media messages. The semantic groups of such idioms are analyzed, as well as their inherent property of actualizing the idea of the food culture of Ukrainians, their worldview, mentality, etc. The purpose of the study was to identify and describe the features of media phraseological units (PHUs), namely those containing the "bread" component, which required the completion of tasks: to single out the phraseological array in media texts for the period of 2021-2024, where special attention was focused on phrasemes with gustatives; to identify PHUs that have a "bread" component in their structure and to find out the semantic content of such units in the media space. The object of the study was headlines and texts with phraseology in Ukrainian electronic editions of national and regional media, the subject was the peculiarities of the implementation of such units in the mass media. To achieve the goal, the work used a descriptive method, elements of component analysis (using which the semantic structure of the meaning of phraseological units was established); a quantitative method that made it possible to compare and generalize the obtained results. The work examines the verbal expression of the "bread" component as a linguistic marker through the development of dictionaries of phraseological units. A semantic analysis of phraseological units is presented, the most used in speech are identified, which reveal character traits, behavior, moral qualities, traditions and customs of Ukrainians, illustrate various life and everyday situations through food culture, and present a linguistic picture of the world. The significant cultural and national potential of such phraseological units is also emphasized. The peculiarities of the implementation and functioning of phraseological units with the "bread" component in the headlines and texts of Ukrainian electronic media are clarified, where they maximally reveal their influential power, which consists in the ability to attract the attention of the reader, evoke emotions, be remembered, as well as in the property of comprehensive display the current meaning of the message. As a result of the research, it was found that the most frequent phrases in newspaper materials are the phraseological units with the "bread" component to indicate the positive qualities of Ukrainians, in particular hard work, hospitality, good-naturedness and generosity, and PHUs were also frequent, reflecting the struggle for justice and the hard efforts of Ukrainians to survive in the conditions war.

SEMANTIC DYNAMICS OF BUSINESS IN STYLISTICS OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

The article is devoted to the linguistic and stylistic motivation of the "business" nature in the time and space of culture. The research idea regarding the need for professional analysis of the evolution of business is formulated and argued: from the primary meaning of the word to the modern one, which reflects the values and priorities of the development of the modern world, verbalized as a result of active processes of literary language development. The functioning of "business" concept in heterogeneous communicative fragments — in the structure of word combinations and fixed expressions — is studied, which explains the nature and scope of its application and the effective expediency of its use in multilingual contexts. The status of business in the language consciousness of society and the general state of business activity are considered through a diachronic comparison of the semantics of the term "business" in general language dictionaries of different editions. Therefore, attention is focused on common and professional definitions of the concept of business, their features and differences. For the dynamics of the objectivity of stylistic studies of business communication, it is determined that it is relevant to characterize the nature of business as a phenomenon, its strategies and tactics, which appear as systematized communicative intentions of speakers and determine effective models of their verbal interaction in this area. At this stage, we consider such tasks to be promising for further research, since business linguistics aspectology is projected onto the system of current issues that determine the vectors of development of national linguistics. Taking into account the development of multimedia technologies, which today actively affect all spheres of public communication, determine the dynamic nature of their functional and stylistic adaptation to the priorities and values of the mass audience, the task of the research perspective of creating and implementing an effective functional model of business communication, in particular, in the media space, was formulated.

"BATTLE OF NARRATIVES" AS A MARKER OF HYBRID WARFARE (CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE INFORMATION SPACE OF THE KHARKIV REGION)

Since the Russian Federation’s full-scale incursion into our country, there has been a notable shift in the narrative landscape at the systemic, national and local levels. By analyzing the content of narratives, it may be possible to make predictions about what will happen in the real world. These could include things like the military situation, the possibility of shelling, and the topics and directions of communication at the international level. The aim of this article is to study the Ukrainian and pro-Russian narratives that have emerged in response to certain events of the hybrid war, with a view to gaining insights into how these narratives are shaping the information space of the Kharkiv region. The object of this study is to examine the battle of narratives as a potential marker of hybrid warfare. The subject is the cognitive confrontation between pro-Russian and Ukrainian narratives in the information space of the Kharkiv region. The study is based on the findings of a content analysis of the information space of the Kharkiv region carried out between January and March 2024, which involved the analysis of over 500,000 items. It is a significant contribution to the field of study that this is the first time the battle of narratives in a specific region of Ukraine has been analyzed in order to predict events (military and socio-political) in the real world. The study offers a theoretical contribution to the field by demonstrating the practical significance of scientific linguistic research in the context of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The practical significance of scientific research may be seen in the development of an algorithm for analyzing the battle of narratives" in order to predict events in reality. The research methodology involved a content analysis conducted on the basis of Big Data technology and a set of analytical algorithms from the Attack Index information and analytical service. This approach allowed us to determine the degree of information resonance or danger of information flows on selected topics/personalities. It has been proven that Russian propaganda tries to transport a number of destructive narratives from the Russian media space into the Ukrainian one: "The Russian Federation is occupying Kharkiv, repeated attacks on Kharkiv and Kyiv are possible"; "A large-scale mobilization will take place in Ukraine to replenish the “catastrophic” gates"; "Russia seized the initiative on all fronts" and others. Kharkiv media during the mentioned period won the battle of narratives, using the following strategies: ignoring Russian narratives aimed at causing citizens a sense of hopelessness and a desire to surrender the city to the enemy; promotion of positive regional therapeutic narratives "Kharkiv is my city", "Kharkiv will stand, it is necessary to unite to oppose the enemy" and national — "Shocking of Kharkiv and other cities of Ukraine is a war crime". It seems that further study of the systemic organization and use of narrative discourse in hybrid confrontation could prove beneficial.

The mediametaphor of contemporary Ukrainian theatre (based on specialised printed publications of the period of Independence)

Introduction: Theatre, as an art form, is intricately intertwined with the contemporary media landscape, playing a crucial role in shaping cultural and social values, and influencing the perception and interpretation of significant societal events.Objectives: The relevance of this study is determined by the need to explore the mediametaphor of theatre as an instrument defining images, ideas, and concepts transmitted through the media space. The aim of the research is to uncover the significance of mediametaphor in Ukrainian theatre based on periodicals created during the Independence era: “Kino-Teatr”, “Ukrainskyi Teatr”, “Proscenium”, “Teatralna Besida” and “Teatr Plus”.Methods: The article is grounded in theoretical methods such as analytical, content analysis, comparative, and generalisation methods.Results: The research results indicate that the media space allows theatre arts to connect with the audience through various formats, including video transmissions, interactive online performances, and social media. These formats are characteristic of media communication in theatrical centers in all major cities of the country: in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. This expands the possibilities of communication and interaction for the audience with the theatrical process, shaping their understanding and perception of art. In this context, the mediametaphor of theatre becomes an instrument defining images, ideas, and concepts conveyed to the audience through the media space.Conclusions: The article makes a significant contribution to the scientific literature on theatre journalism and cultural studies, broadening the understanding of these concepts in the modern Ukrainian context

Problems with Reviving and Developing the Kryashen Media in Modern Times

This article considers the revival of the Kryashen media between 1992 and 2002. There was an increase in the Tatar media’s attention to the Kryashen problems during that period, along with the overall advance of the Kryashen periodicals. The late 1980s and early 1990s witnessed the rise in national self-awareness among the Kryashen population and the emergence of the Kryashen social movement. Here, the efforts of various public organizations, figures, leaders, and activists of the Kryashen movement to promote the cultural and educational development of the Kryashens through the revival of their printed media are analyzed. Their role in establishing and publishing the «Kryashen Suze» (‘Word of the Kryashens’), one of the first private newspapers in the Russian media space, is highlighted. It is also shown that the endeavors of the Kryashen movement activists to expand their reach to the republican media were successful: they started and broadcasted programs on the national radio and television channels and created online platforms about the Kryashens.

Conversations and Marketing of Women’s ‘Thick’ in African Social Media Spaces: Implications for Health Communication on Overweight

Conversations and Marketing of Women’s ‘Thick’ in African Social Media Spaces: Implications for Health Communication on Overweight

INTERROGATING THE RIGHT TO BASIC EDUCATION OF UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CALL FOR THEIR EXCLUSION FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The right to basic education is recognised as a fundamental human right that is guaranteed to everyone, including undocumented children under international and domestic law. However, the question needs to be asked whether this right extends to undocumented children living in South Africa when, at the start of every academic calendar, tales of children being denied enrolment in public schools owing to a lack of required identification or birth certificates dominate the media space. Apparent legal contradictions, a lack of proper understanding of extant laws protecting the right to basic education, and a lack of effective cooperation among stakeholders in the education section have continued to affect access to basic education for undocumented children in South Africa. This article reflects on the right to basic education of undocumented children in the context of the legality of the lingering call for the exclusion of undocumented children from public schools in South Africa.

CULTURE SHOCK IN MEDIA DISCOURSE: PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS

The article examines the philosophical opinion of Confucius about benevolence as the core of culture and the justification of the idea of its achievement; it is found that the followers of Confucius studied and improved his teachings, enriching the concept of benevolence and shaping the cultural spirit of the Chinese people. The role of Confucianism in the formation of its unique national character is proven. Challenges to the traditional Chinese concept of kinship from the culture of numbers are considered, which affects political life, education, and everyday life. Thanks to the analysis of the discourse of the media space, the influence of digital media on culture as a whole, as well as the inevitability of culture shock between traditional culture and the culture of the digital, is substantiated.

New media as a subject of political communication

The media space is the most dynamic and rapidly developing not only technological, but also economic, cultural, social and political phenomenon of our time, and new communication channels are being formed in the global digital network. The purpose of the article is to analyze new media as a subject of the political process. The subject is new media, and the object is the cultural and political identification of an individual in new media. The novelty of the work lies in the fact that new media are an innovative and extremely important tool in determining cultural and political identity. Countries belong to the same civilization, which means that their culture is based on identical values – this is of fundamental importance, since the effectiveness of the imposed system of values and norms can be realized in a particular country only if the tasks being disseminated are consonant with the values of society. Conceptual, phenomenological and sociolinguistic analysis, the method of system analysis, and the historical and cultural method were used as methods and approaches. As a result of a comprehensive analysis, the following conclusions were drawn: the disseminated values can be effective only if they are in tune with the civilizational model of the region, and on the contrary, the imposed foundations will not effectively affect society if they contradict its civilizational identification and cultural and political affiliation. The actions of an individual and society as a whole are determined by his self-identification, therefore, a political course can be effective in a particular country if the tasks being implemented are consonant with the values of society. This study may be useful for researchers studying communication in the digital environment, the impact of new media on the agenda, the realization of political goals through online media, as well as for international journalists, diplomats, political scientists and media researchers when writing analytical materials on topics related to the working concepts of the current study.