MEDIA DISCOURSE AS A DEFINING ELEMENT OF THE SOCIO-COMMUNICATION MODEL OF THE INFORMATION SPACE OF SMALL CITIES: TRENDS AND MAIN DIRECTIONS OF RESEARCH

Abstract

The concepts of media discourse, social communication and information space are sufficiently developed, a simple comprehensive study of media discourse as a defining element of the socio-cultural model of the information space of small cities has not been conducted. This made it possible to formulate the main goal of the article – to characterize the essential features of media discourse as a defining element of the sociocultural model of the information space of small cities. The author singles out the following main parameters that characterize the media discourse in the specified conditions: 1) priority source of obtaining information; 2) the degree of trust in the source of information; 3) emotional reaction to the received information; 4) cognitive reaction to the received information; 5) degree of further distribution of the received information; 6) circle of involved people; 7) qualitative indicators of production of own content; 8) quantitative indicators of production of own content; 9) priority channel for distribution of own content; 10) receiving feedback. Based on the specified parameters of the media discourse, a questionnaire was created for residents of small towns. It was found that respondents who consume and produce media discourse can be conditionally divided into three main groups. The first group is characterized by a moderate consumption of information content, a moderate production of information content and an average level of implementation of social and communication ties. The second group is determined by intensive consumption of information content, intensive production of information content, high level of implementation of social and communication ties. The third group is characterized by moderate consumption of information content, low production of information content, low level of implementation of social and communication ties. Further scientific research in the specified direction will be useful for humanities and social studies, the focus of which are the problems of mass social communication, social linguistics and social informatics.