Tik-tok as a component of journalistic communication
Students Name: Bakaliar Yuliana Ivanivna
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: Journalism
Institute: Institute of Jurisprudence, Psychology and Innovative Education
Mode of Study: part
Academic Year: 2023-2024 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: TikTok plays a significant role in the media space of journalism, offering a unique platform for news distribution and storytelling. At its core, TikTok is a short video platform that allows users to easily share content ranging from lighthearted entertainment clips to serious news stories [5]. The development of TikTok has had a significant impact on modern journalism. Firstly, this platform has changed the perception of news, making it more accessible and visually appealing to a young audience [2, p. 135]. Traditional news media often use TikTok as a means of reaching younger viewers by adapting their content to the shorter, more dynamic form that is inherent in this platform. Secondly, TikTok serves as a platform for citizen journalism, where ordinary people can share news and stories from their lives, often covering events that may be overlooked by traditional media [3]. This increases the diversity of perspectives in the news and ensures greater inclusiveness in journalism. The main audience of TikTok is Generation Z, which is known for its political activism and interest in how news affects their lives [1, p. 42]. Journalists are adapting to this demographic by creating short and specific content, often in a format of up to 40 seconds. This approach aims to engage the audience in a direct and relevant way, often through explanatory videos and interactive formats. Journalists on TikTok often take a more personal approach, showing behind-the-scenes aspects of their work or using humor and connecting with the audience. This strategy helps to make news more accessible and engaging, as can be seen in the successful content created by journalists from The Washington Post and other media outlets [4]. Content on TikTok should be adapted specifically for the platform. This includes creating short videos with catchy titles and focusing on storytelling techniques that resonate with the TikTok audience. The importance of avoiding one-size-fits-all content that is simply used across platforms is emphasized, given TikTok’s unique language and style. However, the use of TikTok in journalism also raises certain ethical and social issues. On the one hand, the informality and free format of TikTok allows journalists to be more creative and engage their audience through innovative approaches. On the other hand, it can lead to simplification of complex topics and lack of depth of analysis, which is important for citizens to understand complex social issues. In addition, there is a risk of spreading unverified information and fakes, as content on TikTok is often generated by users without journalistic fact-checking. This requires a high level of professionalism and responsibility for the quality and accuracy of information from journalists working with TikTok. In summary, TikTok plays an important role in the modern media space, offering new opportunities for journalism, but also posing new challenges. Effective use of this platform requires not only creativity, but also a deep understanding of its impact on society and the ethical principles of journalism. The object of the study is the social network TikTok. The subject of the study is various media videos that are actively used by the social network TikTok. Purpose of the study: the purpose of this study is to highlight the specifics of journalistic communication in the social network TikTok. Results of the study. The qualification work reveals the potential of TikTok as an innovative channel of mass communication, explores its peculiarities of interaction with traditional media, and analyzes ways to adapt journalistic content to the peculiarities of this platform. The first section discusses the technical and cultural aspects of TikTok that make it an effective tool for reaching a wide audience. The main characteristics of the interaction between TikTok and mainstream media, including the impact on the news cycle and information dissemination, are highlighted. The second section is devoted to the adaptation of journalism to the conditions of TikTok. The author analyzes the transformation of media content for integration into the platform and evaluates the activity of Ukrainian media on this channel. The third section provides a detailed overview of the practical aspects of using TikTok in journalism. Examples of foreign experience are provided and the trends and challenges that arise when integrating new media into journalism are discussed. Keywords - TikTok, social networks, journalism, Ukrainian media, digitalization of journalism, visual journalism, TikTok audience.