Personal Stories in Media Cover Image

Личните истории в медиите
Personal Stories in Media

Author(s): Yavor Tsvetanov
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Media studies, Communication studies
Published by: Софийски университет »Св. Климент Охридски«
Keywords: personal stories; media; internet; real virtuality; new technologies; advocacy journalism; infotainment

Summary/Abstract: The personal stories in media are not a new phenomenon. They started as part of newspapers and magazines. And they gradually transferred to electronic media – radio, television and internet. Human interest stories offer a different and more diverse journalism environment. They attract readers, listeners, viewers, who otherwise are not interested in other types of journalism. The personal stories are referred to as advocacy journalism in same cases. The television producers, who are sagacious, use all the different online platforms to spread the episodes of the shows, which main focus are the personal stories. The internet helps spreading the concept `real virtuality`, which firstly was used by the Spanish sociologist, Manuel Castells, and this concept refers to personal stories as well, because sometimes the stories are told in such an emotional way that they leave a strong mark in the viewers’ mind.