Memes in Ukrainian online journalism

Abstract

The paper deals with the problems of introducing memes into the Ukrainian sphere of mass media, in particular, digital media. The analysis of scientific works on memetics and mass communications has been done, within the framework of which the development of memes, their key features and methods of expressing news with their participation have been considered. The paper analyzes examples of the use of memes in digital and traditional media, especially their perception by the target audience and the impact on society. As a vivid example of the spread of memes and their impact on society, the publications of the Ukrainian and foreign media are presented. The author submits the development of the issue of memes as a phenomenon of journalism that meets current journalistic standards, despite the unique characteristics that create the prerequisites for classifying a meme as an object of art. The basis of scientific research is the practical experience of the author, obtained in the digital media, as well as the theoretical ground used by the works of domestic and foreign researchers of memes. The comparison of the concepts of different scientists allowed to form my own vision of memes as information units, to highlight their features and consider some of the varieties used in media. The paper also considers the evolution of the meme from the biological concept to the information unit, the features of each stage of development, the current state and prospects in the prism of the sphere of mass communications. In addition, here not only existing practices of introducing memes into Ukrainian online journalism have been analyzed, but the paper draws the attention of the scientific community to the potential of memes and the peculiarities of their use in the field of digital media.