Czeska reklama telewizyjna i jej język

Abstract

The role of free mass media has increased significantly in the last years both in Poland and in the Czech Republic. Publicators have become a sort of “fourth governing institution” which keeps a watchful eye on democratic procedures in modern societies by providing reliable information and education; also, by denouncing sociopolitical and economic corruption practices. In free-market economies, media information also has money equivalent. Since consumers find TV commercials attractive, manufactures use them as a most effective tool to propagate and promote goods, services, and behaviour types. TV commercials assume various forms, and can bear effects in very many different ways. A microact of communication, i.e., message conveyance by TV commercials, is a multi-level psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic complex of specific qualities and functions — undoubtely intriguing as an investigation subject. Czeska reklama telewizyjna i jej język (Czech TV Commercials and their Language) is an extensive monograph of high sociolinguistic value, based on investigations and observation of Czech mass media and reality that the author has made during the last decade. Particular chapters present not only a psycho- and socioanalysis of the texts used in Czech TV commercials, but also an outline of TV history in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic (including complicated transformations following the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993). Characteristics of the present day Czech TV commercials market and its specific features has been given with facts being supported by statistical data gathered by prestigious public opinion research institutes. The lexis, style, syntax and statistics of self-collected linguistic material were all analysed. Presented linguistic phenomena have been illustrated using adequate examples (especially commercial slogans) from over 200 TV commercials spots emitted on public CT, and commercial TV stations TV NOVA and Prima TV. The monograph ends with accurate and detailed conclusions and comment. The monograph presents clear and thorough analysis of its subject matter enriched with the author’s commentary concerning Czech mass media reality, Czech and Czechoslovakian history, and relevant graphic representations (diagrams, graphs, tables, figures), which make it even more attractive for readers. The language of Czech TV commercials at the turn of the XXth century is well-documented. All in all, the monograph will certainly prove a useful source of knowledge for Slavists, Bohemists, journalists, media specialists, commercials producers, and other interested in a specific aspect of Czech culture, namely, its „applied” character.