Annichev О. Ye.

The interaction of theatrical journalism and theatrical criticism in the modern media

Background. Topicality of the theme. With the advent of the Internet, Internet journalism has appeared. In relating to theater, in essence, it is theatrical criticism, which has only undergone major changes. In recent years, there have been lively discussions in professional circles about the state and prospects of theater criticism as a profession, about the nature of theater criticism, its self-identification in the modern information space. Round tables with the participation of leading theater critics are devoted to the issues of the current state of theater criticism, a number of relevant materials have been published in specialized publications, often with indicative headings: “Who needs theater critics?” [1], “Theater criticism: final or transformation?” [9]; interviews of theater critics, in which they uphold the positions of the profession and, at the same time, speak about urgent problems and the need to update it taking into account rapidly changing realities: with S. Vasilyev [2], N. Pivovarova [5], Ya. Partola [6]; discussion articles on the status and prospects of the profession by M. Harbuziuk [3], M. Dmitrevskaya [4], N. Pesochinsky [7], I. Chuzhynova [10], S. Schagina, E. Strogaleva, E. Gorokhovskaya [11]. Thus, there are several points of view on this topic: that theatrical journalism has replaced theatrical criticism; that theatrical critics of the old school did not have time to adapt to the changing world and use new tools in this profession, and young critics just occupy their niches in the youth media and on the Internet; that the profession of a critic does not go beyond the framework of participation in expert councils, jury membership, attendance at theater festivals, and writing reviews on request. The question, however, is still open. The main goal of this article is to determine the degree and main character of the interaction of journalism and theatrical criticism in modern media. Results of the study. Those who are seriously engaged in theater studies and academic theater criticism feel the need for specialized publications, the number of which in Ukraine is reduced to a minimum. Therefore, those who had the opportunity to publish reviews in the socio-political periodicals, have to combine three professional areas in one, becoming a theater journalist. Academically trained theater critics can write and often write good books, but, as a rule, do not know how to write for newspapers and magazines. But graduates of journalistic departments who write about the theater are not familiar with professional terminology, which is able to give a correct assessment of the premiere performance. The question arises: how to combine those and these, that the theater journalism was both fascinating and acute, and moderately scandalous, but at the same time accurate and high-quality? To grow such specialists is a matter of work, there can be no conveyor system here. Modern theater criticism, gradually becoming obsolete, rather survives from the common theatrical space. The theater critic cannot be a free artist, and live on the money from the results of his work, because in non-capital cities the number of journals in which the theater specialist would have had time to publish his works has decreased by several times. In cities such as Poltava, Sumy, Chernigov, the issues relating to theatrical premieres are not covered by critics (they are simply not there), but by journalists who write on various topics and rarely specialize in one. The substitution of theatrical critique by journalism is quite natural, for example, for cities where there is no professional training of theater critics, however in Kiev, Kharkiv and Lviv theater studies continue, and a certain number of graduates hope for the viability of this profession. Theatrical criticism and theatrical journalism are in their own way demanded in certain circles. Criticism is closer to theaters, journalism – to the audience. It is difficult to debate with this statement that new epoch came with the Internet. Now, the spoken word has a completely different value. For example, а word thrown on Facebook can have the same effect on public opinion as a big, built, hard fought text. This does not mean that you do not need to write large texts and publish them on paper. You just need to understand and accept the new reality, its advantages and disadvantages, its danger and its benefits. It is a very important problem of our consciousness and the problem of our theater. The Internet has given a new push to the development of new type of media-translations, actively working in social networks. Sites appear on the network where online remote screenings of performances are held. They provide Internet audiences with the opportunity to be acquainted with the history of national and world theater art; they are introduced to modern avant-garde performances. Of course, this also brings the theater closer to a wide, as a rule, young audience and opens up new opportunities for a different kind of theater journalism. Сonclusions. Thus, the Internet becomes an active means of influencing the minds in the modern media space. The Internet influences everyone and everything, changing attitudes towards theatrical art, as well as contemporary theater criticism and theater journalism. However in this case, it is essential to remember that not the Internet, but only professional theater criticism that has been and remains the breeding ground for the scientific work of theater critics and art historians, while creating the history of dramatic, opera and ballet theater.