Fact and factual information in the mass media

Abstract

Application of the factual principle of information presentation is of particular relevance in the present conditions of global use of information environment as a confrontation field of different models of modern civilization development. The main objective of the study is to substantiate the basic status of fact and its  nterpretation in the media system. The factual principle is realized within the factual field, which is a set of information about changes in the social environment, the presentation of which is integrated by lexical, grammatical, logical, stylistic connections and has respective focus and pragmatic attitude. Factual field is formed by a system of interconnected factors: basic fact, which is a communicative nucleus, the core of the message in the mass-communication process; factual environment, which is created by the facts illustrating the basic fact; journalist skills, which includes the ability to convince with fact-based proofs and arguments. Factual field is the natural component of social interaction. Consistency and comprehensiveness of factual field is realized in the interconnections of the objective (basic fact, factual environment), and subjective (means journalist skills) factors. Factual principle of information presentation in mass media is based on the following functional characteristics: flexibility, consistency, associativity, analyticity, reliability, professionalism of fact presentation. The essence of the fact phenomenon functioning in the media is realized in the following components: in the change of the objective reality and in the interpretation of such change in the mass media.