Media — i co to jakoby jest

Abstract

The media — and what they apparently are

The main idea behind the paper is to find an answer to the question about the essence, sense of functioning and definitions of the media. The author draws on media studies practice, and carries out a review of the existing academic definitions, views and cognitive framework of the media and their main actors: journalists and audiences media users. The question about the essence of the media is regarded as fundamental to the understanding of their nature, transformations and the role they play in contemporary societies. The paper is written from a constructivist perspective, i.e. gives priority to constructivist media concepts, points to their imagined nature as well as references which stem from the fact that the media are perceived in terms of an image of a desirable reality.