Transformation of the concept of “crisis” for media in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28925/2311-259x.2025.3.9Keywords:
crisis, media, full-scale war, disinformation, media resilience, crisis communications, editorial managementAbstract
The subject of the study is transformation of the concept of “crisis” in the context of the functioning of Ukrainian media during the full-scale war. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to bridge the theoretical gap between outdated concepts and the unique experience of Ukrainian media operating under hybrid warfare conditions. The purpose of the article is to develop and substantiate a comprehensive conceptual model that explains the transformation of crisis from a temporary event into a permanent operational environment. A key objective of the study is to provide theoretical justification for the concept of adaptive resilience as a new strategic paradigm for media organizations, replacing the traditional pursuit of restoring stability.
The methodological framework of the study is based on a comparative analysis of classical theories of crisis communication (models by C. Hermann, T. Coombs, and I. Mitroff), a synthesis of recent academic works (2022–2025) dedicated to media functioning in conflict environments, as well as the application of structural-functional and conceptual-categorical approaches to redefine key terms.
The research findings demonstrate that the notion of “crisis” in the media context has undergone an ontological transformation — evolving from a temporary event into a permanent, multidimensional environment of existence. This polycrisis is characterized by transformations in temporal, spatial, psychological, and functional dimensions. An extended typology of crisis threats has been developed, systematizing hybrid challenges.
The scientific novelty lies in the formulation of the concept of adaptive resilience as a new strategic paradigm for media operating under conditions of permanent crisis. Its key indicators are defined as operational flexibility, financial diversification, and the psychological resilience of the team. The practical significance of the study consists in providing media managers with a conceptual framework for developing survival strategies, while offering state institutions and international donors a well-founded basis for designing effective media support policies aimed at strengthening the sector’s resilience. Prospects for further research include empirical verification of the proposed model through in-depth interviews with media managers and content analysis of editorial policies.
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