20 Letter

The letter as a journalistic genre arose as a result of the adaptation of the form of personal and business correspondence for the needs of journalism. The publication of letters is no longer a private correspondence between people. After all, being published, the letter becomes the property of not one person or their group, but thousands and even millions of people, i.e. mass audience. Because of this, only such letters that affect the interests of a wide audience can fully represent this genre. The introduction of ideas that are significant to society as a whole to business or personal correspondence was a necessary condition for the development of writing as an independent genre of journalism. All kinds of appeals, leaflets, proclamations that were spread among the population during periods of riots, uprisings, revolutions had a significant influence on the character of the genre. Such appeals, leaflets, proclamations were published in newspapers that did not pass for journalism without a trace.

Publications made in the letter genre are often called epistolary journalism (from the Greek. Epistola - message). Epistolary journalism (in terms of genre) should be distinguished from publications of various genres (starting with notes and ending with a full-featured essay), which are placed under the heading "Letters of our readers" in many newspapers and magazines. In this case, the rubric means only that the material was received by the editor by mail and that its author is not a full-time editorial employee. Such a rubric does not affect the publication genre, and it cannot be considered a genre-forming factor (although, of course, under this heading can be published a text that really is a work of epistolary journalism).

Letter as an epistolary genre has its own characteristic features. The first of these signs is a form of direct appeal of the author to the addressee (reader, listener). The second sign is the desire of the author to induce the addressee to urgent, vigorous actions in connection with the subject of the speech.

The possibility of writing to be not just a means of communication, but also an instrument of effective influence on a wide circle of readers is predetermined by a number of related circumstances.

First, as is known, their originators often trust even the most secret thoughts of their letters. Therefore, they believe that in the letters of other people it is also possible to sometimes read what they really think. This psychological set, apart from the will of man, was fixed in his mind for centuries. And journalists cannot take it into account.

Secondly, in a letter, as in no other material, the author can state the most intricate twists of his thoughts, express any shades of his feelings. And sometimes it is very important to achieve mutual understanding between the author and the reader.

Thirdly, the letter clearly identifies and names the circle of addressees chosen by the author, and thus focuses on them the attention of the audience, which as a result will wait for their reaction to this letter. And due to the fact that the modern press often uses a letter to appeal to prominent figures, counting on their immediate intervention in this or that “glaring question”, such a reaction can turn into a solution to the actual problem discussed in the letter.

Fourthly, very often a letter in a newspaper is a public call to the addressee, an invitation to an open “arena” where he must demonstrate not only his professional qualities or his power, but also personal courage, intelligence, moral stamina. Naturally, not everyone is able to play the role of a knight in a tournament, face to face with an opponent. Therefore, few people (especially those in power) like these challenges. As a result, sometimes an invisible, but clearly perceived by the audience situation of conflict may arise between the author of the letter and the addressee. And this, of course, attracts readers, Keeps them in a state of tense waiting, prompts to monitor every new issue of a newspaper or magazine, in which a reply to a letter may appear, which, of course, multiplies the possibility of the publication's impact on readers.

It is this very often “induced” by the publication of the letter that the situation most vividly characterizes the possibilities of this genre.

See also

• Reportage
• 15 Review