Folklore and Media: Dialogue of Cultures in Modern Society

Media culture is currently receiving particular attention in scholarly research: identifying the specifics of its existence within cultural space and the mechanisms of its development, analyzing its structural elements, and examining its functions, texts, and interactions with other cultural phenomena. One such phenomenon is folklore, which is experiencing renewed interest in culture in connection with the search for the root causes of preserving and affirming identity and the pressing issue of preserving traditional spiritual values. This article examines its interaction with media culture, identifying their common characteristics: mass appeal, anonymity, variability, and collectivity. It is emphasized that media culture not only transmits folklore elements but also generates new forms, such as internet folklore, memes, and folklorized media texts. Particular attention is given to the role of television and cinema as part of media culture in the preservation, development, and popularization of folklore. Simultaneously, it is demonstrated that the modern media landscape significantly influences folklore culture, transforming its forms and modes of existence. This article analyzes examples of the use of folklore plots, images, characters, established folklore formulas, its structural patterns, and other elements in various components of media culture. It notes that the mediatization of folklore involves several stages: from the technical recording of traditional texts to their reworking in new media environments and subsequent dissemination in popular culture. The two-way nature of the interaction between folklore and media is emphasized: folklore culture adapts to the conditions of the media space, enriching itself with new forms, while media culture utilizes traditional folklore texts, images, and stylistic devices to enhance its impact on the audience, expressiveness, and accessibility of expression. Thus, the dialogue between folklore and media culture contributes to the preservation of national identity, the transmission of cultural meanings, and the formation of a modern communicative space.

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