Experience of Media Anthropology in the Research of Media Influence

Abstract

Introduction. The importance of studying the influence of media on the audience is undeniable. Media anthropology suggests using the methods of cultural anthropology for such studies. It seemed appropriate to me to pay attention to the potential possibilities of such methods. Relevance of the study. It is not possible to say that the discussion about the methods, approaches and functions of media anthropology, which involves both anthropologists and specialists in media science, is complete. In particular, these questions are raised during regular seminars on media anthropology. The idea of the article is an analytical review of some scientific works published in foreign scientific publications devoted to media anthropology as a scientific direction and, in particular, methods of media anthropology aimed at studying the interaction of people with the media. Methodology. Methods of analysis and generalization, descriptive and comparative methods were used. Results. Among the modern approaches to media anthropology as a scientific direction, the following can be distinguished: 1) the study of media consumption in certain local communities; 2) study of media production; 3) interpretations of media systems using categories borrowed from cultural anthropology, such as myth, ritual, sacredness, magic. 4) understanding media messages as a powerful discourse and studying ways of public resistance to this discourse. Compliance with the standards of field anthropological research remains a debatable point. The problems addressed by media anthropologists are mainly related to the study of the influence of media on various segments of the audience, in particular the effects of mediatization, state formation, the formation of nations in the Internet space, the practice of using social media, etc. Conclusions. The method of included observation and in-depth interviews has serious prospects for audience research, although it needs significant work in this direction. The application of the methods of cultural anthropology makes it possible to study the means of perception of media messages, inclusion of media in the context of everyday life, human interpretation of media messages.