Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
ZENODOarrow_drop_down
ZENODO
Other literature type . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Other literature type . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
versions View all 4 versions
addClaim

The Audience Is the Story: When the Mass Audience Becomes a Participant

Authors: Ayolov, Peter;

The Audience Is the Story: When the Mass Audience Becomes a Participant

Abstract

This article theorises 'the new paradigm of mass communication 1 ' and ‘the media scenario 2 ' and develops the concept of the media narrative as a central analytical framework for understanding communication in the digital age. Drawing on Peter Ayolov’s theoretical work and engaging with Snezhana Popova’s Media Narrative (2017), it argues that contemporary mass communication can no longer be adequately described as the transmission of information, but must be understood as a process of interpretation, narrative construction, and identity formation. In an environment characterised by informational abundance, interactivity, and networked participation, communication increasingly loses its reciprocal dimension and is replaced by fragmented interpretative practices. Media narratives function as mechanisms through which societies organise experience, produce meaning, and stabilise collective and personal identities amid informational overload. The article examines how narrative operates across different levels —micro, meso, and macro—linking individual media fragments to broader symbolic structures that shape public perception and collective memory. It further analyses the transformation of authorship, the blurring of boundaries between sender and audience, and the role of interactivity in turning narrative into a shared, processual, and often contested space. Particular attention is given to the power of news narratives to construct social reality, emotional climates, and collective fate, especially under conditions of crisis, war, and political polarisation. Rather than treating narrative as a neutral form, the article conceptualises it as a structuring force that mediates between fact and meaning, truth and interpretation, history and lived experience. It concludes that media narrative remains indispensable for preserving the human dimension of communication, even as it becomes increasingly vulnerable to manipulation, spectacle, and the erosion of trust. Understanding media narratives is therefore essential for rethinking journalism, public discourse, and the ethical responsibility of communication in the twenty-first century.

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    0
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Upload OA version
Are you the author of this publication? Upload your Open Access version to Zenodo!
It’s fast and easy, just two clicks!