Strategies and formats of user-generated content utilization by Belarusian mass media
The article presents the results of a content analysis of the materials of Belarusian online media, which apply user-generated content from social media. The author identifies three strategies for its use: the source of information occasions, when social media posts become a starting point for journalistic material; the source of opinions and estimations, when user-generated content is used to evaluate and visualize public mood; the source of additional facts and illustrations (photos, video) to supplement media materials. The article summarizes the best practices of Belarusian and Russian editorial offices, the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy of user-generated content usage, and identifies factors that determine the probability of applying social media posts in journalistic publications.