Kazimierz Wolny-Zmorzyński

W prezentowanym artykule zastosowano metodę opisowo-historyczną. Celem artykułu jest wykazanie, że Egon Erwin Kisch to prekursor postmodernistycznych idei stosowanych w reportażu. Kisch po latach od debiutu reporterskiego (1906) jako pierwszy oficjalnie nie krył tego, że wprowadzał fikcję do uprawianego przez siebie gatunku i w swej książce pt. „Jarmark sensacji” (1942) się do tego przyznał. Kisch, aby osiągnąć sukces, zastosował w reportażu metodę zmyślania faktów i wywoływania sensacji w celu przyciągnięcia uwagi odbiorcy. To także ulubiony sposób mówienia o rzeczywistości, szczególnie przez współczesnych reporterów, piszących w stylu gonzo. Kisch pisał z werwą, fantazją, pokazywał m.in. świat nizin społecznych, ich mniej przyjazną stronę. Niniejszy artykuł jest pierwszą w literaturze o Egonie Erwinie Kischu próbą wskazania na autora „Jarmarku sensacji” jako pioniera stylu gonzo.

Egon Erwin Kisch is on top again. Introduction to considerations on postmodern reportage

In the submitted article, the descriptive-historical method was used. The aim of the article is to recognize Erwin Egon Kisch as a precursor of postmodern ideas in reportage. Years after his journalistic debut (1906), Kisch was the first not to officially hide the fact that he introduced fiction to the genre he cultivated and in his book “The Sensational Fair” (1942) he admitted it. To achieve success, Kisch used sensational reporting in order to attract the viewer’s attention. It is also a very popular way of dicussing the reality by modern gonzo-style reporters. Kisch wrote with verve and fantasy. He showed the world of social lowlands, their less friendly side. This article is the first attempt in the literature on Egon Erwin Kisch to point to the gonzo-style of reporting.

How to Evaluate the Press Photography?

The press photography is a work consisting of many signs affecting the recipient. The press photography is a source of information about the present and the past, which may be – due to the richness of the included signs and codes – re-constructed in a recipient’s mind.
The value of photojournalism is determined by the information content and the aesthetic feature. The process of evaluation and recognition of this type of photography should include some important indicators such as the definition of sub-genre (e.g. press photography, photo reportage, photo essay); the veracity of photography (image compatibility with actuality); the degree of information (the extent to which the image enriches the recipient’s knowledge); iconicity (conceptual association between an image and the established symbols); the image composition (the ability to connect individual elements of the photograph into coherent unity); the degree of positive or negative emotions (what impression a photography exerts on a recipient).
The evaluation criteria presented in this article converge together and give an idea of the truthful imitation of reality, because the aim of the photojournalism is not only the mimetic likeness of objects, but, above all, the remembrance of what a photojournalist has seen.
 

The article presents the idea of a new “Lexicon of Media Terms” in Poland, showing important reasons for undertaking such a project. The preparation of the “Lexicon” is prompted, on the one hand, by the dynamic development of Polish and global media studies in the 21st century (its institutionalization in many research centers and universities, the development of professional and scientific periodicals, etc.), and on the other hand by the certain gap in Polish publishing market (the last publications of this type were created in the middle of the first decade of this century), and thus at a different stage of development of the mediosphere. Being aware of the availability of multi-volume international publications and online encyclopedias on the publishing market, the authors recognize that the aim of the project is not only to provide a processual and interdisciplinary account of contemporary changes in the mediosphere, but above all – from the Polish perspective, to popularize and highlight the achievements of Polish scholars – media researchers and representatives of related disciplines. “Lexicon” will differ from the previous publications in terms of form – it will include a much larger number of entries (about 3000) and content, entering areas that are new in terms of technology (resulting in an exponential growth of entries related to Internet media and in general – digital media), also covering new phenomena, new research areas and results of achievements of numerous circles of media scholars.