TELEGRAM NEWS CHANNELS AS A NEW TYPE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OR WHAT THE AUDIENCE’S TRUST IS NOW BASED ON.

Abstract

Introduction. Telegram channels (TC) quickly conquered our informational space despite quite a low level of compliance with journalistic standards. Nowadays in Ukraine, TCs are an important part of constructing reality, so it’s helpful to search what exactly they bring into the informational space: communication methods, ways of presenting information, satisfying audience’s needs.

Relevancy and goal. The relevancy of this research is prompted by the high popularity of TC alongside the waning need for the traditional media. The goal of our work is trying to pinpoint the reasons for the expansion of news TCs into Ukraine’s informational space. This goal is realised by researching TC’s content and perceptions about TCs among their audience.

Research methods. Based on the stated goal, we had conducted a monitoring research. We paid attention to three groups of news TCs chosen by the rating principle. Overall, 12 TCs were monitored. Under observation came all materials posted in said news TCs over the course of one day. To research audience’s perceptions of TCs, 35 structural interviews were taken from citizens of Odesa between ages 18 and 65.

Results. With the help of this monitoring, we found three unique ways of communicative behavior of news TCs towards their audience that could explain its active interest in this type of communicative methods: speed of messages of wide thematical variety, high level of visualisation, absence of explanation of causality between events. Their appeal was partially highlighted throughout interviewing, for example, most respondents don’t put much effort into analysing incoming information.

Conclusions. The feeling of being informed at any given moment; absence of diving into details and causes form the impression of awareness: such skills correspond to the development of informational society, are needed and keep attention of the audience.