The article attempts to interpret an important segment of the activity of modern mass media – leisure journalism. To terminologically reveal this phenomenon, a comparative analysis of two social institutions – journalism and leisure – was first conducted to identify the functions of the latter that the mass media can perform. Such a simple logical operation made it possible to state the content of the term “leisure journalism”. As a result of familiarization with the etymology and meaning of the concept of “leisure” and the study of its functions, it was possible to conclude that journalism, in all its diversity and regardless of content, is one of the forms of leisure activity of a person, which in its universality is not similar to any of the other leisure practices. Media leisure, as one of the varieties of leisure, performs almost the entire range of functions of this social institution. The term “entertainment journalism” is similar in meaning to the concept of “leisure journalism”. The authors argue why leisure and entertainment journalism are synonymous concepts only to a certain extent. The article puts forward and substantiates the thesis that leisure journalism manifests itself at all levels of leisure (passive, entertaining, cognitive, creative), functions in most information flows in the media, and is ultimately genre-diverse. Correspondences between levels of leisure and information flows are established. It is found that two flows of information in the media are specifically leisure: aesthetic-entertainment and scientificeducational information. Taking into account two criteria – levels of leisure and information flows in the media – a classification of leisure journalism is proposed (a more generalized and detailed version). Another classification of leisure journalism was developed taking into account the coverage of certain leisure practices in the media. Finally, the article raises the issue of the need to review the functions of journalism in order to adequately represent the phenomenon of leisure journalism in this system.
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