MEDIA CRITICISM AS A NAVIGATOR OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PRESS
The topicality of the article stems from the fact that the problem of prospects of the modern press is controversial in the theory and practice of journalism. Its solution will ensure industry development and improvement in the quality of regional print editions. The purpose of the article is the identification of the criteria used by press competition experts to characterize the practice of the contemporary press and to single out industry leaders. The scientific hypothesis is that the results of media expert examination can serve as guidance for regional publishers. The leading method providing the problem solution is the method of analysis of media-critic articles in the journal “Journalism and Media Market”. It allows making a conclusion on the set of indications of the publication quality, on the merits of the best newspapers and the drawbacks hampering further growth. The article considers two areas of media criticism - the academic one and the professional one. It states that the educational nature of media criticism provides an opportunity for improving the quality of Russian press as a whole. Consequently, the potential of media criticism is realized in identifying the quality markers relevant for raising the level of regional press. The complete list of quality indicators valid today can be found in the provisions for professional competitions. The author analyzes the set of criteria of the contest “The 10 best Russian newspapers”, conducts a comparative characterization of the articles by the experts of this contest published in the journal “Journalism and Media Market”, reveals the most significant aspects of expert assessment. The results of the study allow to evaluate the role of academic and professional media criticism in further development of the press.