Structural Models of Transmedia Projects in Journalism

The transmedia projects for quality planning and implementation require well-designed, structured and interrelated content. The relevance of the study is the importance of organizing the structure of transmedia projects in journalism at the planning stage for their successful implementation. The objective of the study is to identify the qualitative differences in the structural models of transmedia projects for news content dissemination. In the article we analyze the foreign transmedia projects that cover the events and themes of the real world, and determine the defining criteria for the structure of transmedia projects in journalism. Using the modeling method (within a systematic approach), the structural models of transmedia projects were identified and a model of the complex sequential transmedia project in journalism was designed. The application models characteristics were gathered through the analysis of specific transmedia projects. The theoretical model of a simple sequential project was formed using the method of analogies: the sequential transmedia project characteristics, which cover the fictional world picture, were transferred to the sphere of journalism. The theoretical model of a complex sequential transmedia project was also designed on the basis of criteria for determining structural models of transmedia projects in journalism. The general and specific characteristics of the simple and complex models were determined using the comparison method. The generalization method was used to draw up the conclusions about the characteristics and peculiarities of using of the models of simple and complex transmedia projects in journalism. As a result of the study, the criteria for determining the structural models of transmedia projects in journalism (the number of transmedia project levels; the sequence parallel of transmedia narrative components) were revealed. Based on these criteria and modeling method, four application and two theoretical structural models of transmedia projects in journalism were obtained. The models characteristics and special aspects of their use were found out. The significance of the study is to provide the practical guidance and recommendations for the newsroom workers about the important factors and the sequence of their consideration in selecting a model for transmedia project implementation in journalism.