How to distinguish high-quality documentary from a formulaic surrogate film: an experience of structural and functional analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47475/2070-0695-2021-10315Keywords:
media education, media literacy, documentaries, television, manipulationAbstract
The article provides a qualitative analysis of modern television documentaries, most of which, in our opinion, has nothing to do with genuine non-fiction films. Analyzing screen production, the author identifies the features characteristic of both the so-called "TV-surrogates" and full-fledged TV documentaries. By virtue of its specificity, a “one-day” TV show is more easily perceived by the viewer, and therefore TV surrogates masquerading as documentary filmmaking are so popular on modern television. In our opinion, everyone needs to be able to distinguish real documentary from surrogates. At best, the audience will learn from such products little or useless information, at worst - harmful, thoroughly propagandistic or pseudoscientific. Media education and the ability to think critically at both informational and aesthetic levels can provide reliable protection against such influence. First of all, this is necessary for students of journalism faculties, since it is the media workers who form the television content.
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