Multimodal Nature of Contemporary Media Texts (а Content Analysis of Scholarly Literature)

The article examines multimodality in contemporary media text theory as one of the relevant research directions at the intersection of media linguistics, semiotics, and discourse theory. The aim of the study is to systematize theoretical approaches to the multimodal nature of contemporary media texts presented in scientific literature, to clarify the content of the concept of multimodality, and to determine its methodological significance for understanding media communication. The study employs content analysis of domestic and international scholarly publications published between 2011 and 2025, enabling an examination of the role of multimodality in explaining the polycode, multichannel, and integrative nature of media texts. The findings demonstrate that contemporary media text theory conceptualizes multimodality as a complex semiotic system based on the interaction of verbal, visual, auditory, and technological components. Furthermore, multimodality is identified as one of the key theoretical categories for explaining the structural organization of media texts, mechanisms of meaning-making, and the specific features of information perception. The results contribute to a deeper scientific understanding of the multimodal nature of media texts and facilitate the systematization of theoretical research in this field. The practical significance of the article lies in the possibility of using its theoretical findings as teaching and methodological material in higher education institutions for courses such as Media Linguistics, Media Text Theory, Multimodal Communication, and Digital Journalism.

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