Methodological function of ''social time'' category in theory of journalism

Time is an invisible parameter of being of man and society, but its perception allows to judge the nature and level of the society development. Subjective reaction of contemporaries to the present, the past and the future is a way of generation's self-knowledge. In science this characteristic is reflected in the concept of ''social time''. We understand social time as a category of social and cultural existence, the society functioning in a historical context. Analysis of the Russian society perception of social time seems to be an urgent task: unfavorable social well-being of the nation makes us feel the so-called ''prolonged present'' and idealize the past. The problem of social time perception is actively studied in sociology and social philosophy. We believe that it is necessary to define the methodological function of this category to the theory of journalism, and to highlight the mechanism of social time representation in media texts. Fixation and broadcasting of social assessment of time in the media space are inseparable from the process of its transformation. Social time in the media space becomes the art image of social time. Media text is based on various social groups' perception of social time At the stage of communication act between the communicator and the audience the generalized collective experience of modernity is included in the perception of social time by each social group and affects the subsequent private assessment of social time. On the next step the communicator estimates, records the evaluation in the private assessment of social time and then returns them to the audience. Thus, the media image of the present impacts on the perception and experience of the social present, interprets the social past and sets the goal-setting for the early achievement of social future. The media space mechanism of social time representation, as we have just described, specifies the following parameters of the ''social time'' category significant to the journalism theory: - Through the image of time journalists socially orient the audience, create a model of the reality, integrated society, represent Russians' value platform. - Social time image creation is inextricably linked to cognitive and integrative functions of the mass media - and, hence, update journalism as gnoseology and axiology. - To appeal to the category of social time is to appeal to the deep grounds of journalistic creativity. - Methods of representation of social time are of interest to the practice of journalism, as they allow us to develop the best model of effective communication between the journalist and the audience. Therefore, the implementation of the methodological function of the ''social time'' category in the journalism theory is a way of development of theory, rethinking, deepening and development of its basic methodological principles, and a way to improve the journalism practice.

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