TRANSFORMATION OF THE REPORTAGE GENRE IN THE DIGITAL MEDIA SPACE

Abstract

The article examines the transformational processes occurring in the informational genres of journalism amid the digitalization of the Ukrainian media space, with particular emphasis on reportage as a dynamic, flexible, and adaptive genre. The study focuses on changes in the genre structure of informational journalism under the influence of new formats – multimedia reports, longreads, podcasts, interactive interviews, video reports, and elements of virtual reality – which enrich the communicative potential of journalistic texts and transform approaches to content perception. The aim of the study is to identify the peculiarities of reportage development in the digital environment, its genre modifications, as well as to analyze the impact of technological changes on the content, form, and functions of the genre. It is noted that the differences between traditional and multimedia reportage are evident in the forms of content presentation, the use of visual and audio elements, the level of emotional impact, interactivity, and the degree of audience engagement. It is emphasized that, despite dynamic changes in the media landscape, reportage retains its functional significance due to its ability to combine informativeness, artistry, vividness, and emotional expression. Special attention is given to multimedia reportage as a modern synthetic format that actively adapts to the needs of the digital audience. This format incorporates text, video, audio, graphics, data visualizations, and hyperlinks, enabling journalists to create a sense of presence, immerse the audience in events, and establish a new level of interaction with the reader. Interactive elements, the ability to control the pace of information consumption, and content personalization foster active audience participation in the communication process. The study underlines that digital transformations not only alter the technical means and formats of journalistic content delivery but also actualize the need for flexible, creative approaches to informational journalism. A new paradigm of journalistic practice is emerging – one that requires a high level of digital literacy, the ability to work with visual and audio content, analytical tools, and the capacity to effectively combine journalistic standards with multimedia technologies. In conclusion, the development of digital reportage as an integral component of modern informational journalism reflects global changes in mass communication. It opens new horizons for the realization of journalistic creative potential and for deepening audience engagement in the context of the new media reality.