MAIN LINGUISTIC METHODS OF CREATING COMMUNICATIVE BACKGROUND IN MEDIA TEXTS

Abstract

The article is focused on the study of the media text genre called “backgrounder” for its ontological characteristics and its role in creating the communicative background of the message. The importance of this genre is based on the information it contains, which helps minimise mistakes in journalistic reporting and attracts the attention of the audience by providing facts that expand the context. Therefore, it provides a positive ground for creating PR communication. The article analyses media kits and press releases of various regional cultural institutions (including Kemerovo offices of the MASC, RSISA and the Russian Museum), medical organisations, industrial enterprises, financial corporations and authorities of Kuzbass. One of the key regional peculiarities is identified as for both in reporting on local and federal events: the absence of separate backgrounder; its functions are fulfilled by backgrounder briefs, combining elements of the fact sheet and backgrounder, presented in the form of brief information of one to three paragraphs inside the press release, marked with markers such as “For reference”, “Reference”, “For information”. The authors conclude that the most common method of forming a communicative background in such backgrounder is a semantic definition that explains little-known terms or phenomena of social and cultural life to the audience. It is also noted that retrospectives and biographies are important ways of creating background knowledge, which not only inform potential service users but also form positive images and trust in organisations, personalities or events. Thus, the study of the regional media space of Kuzbass reflecting both regional and federal events has allowed the authors to identify the features of the structure and content of backrounders that play a key role in PR-communications.