Reality and virtuality of the mass media space

The paper explores the concepts of media space, mass media space, information space, and virtual reality. In this paper, we consider different approaches to the concepts, describe the logic of the sequence of appearance of the phenomena of information, media and mass media space and reveal their common features and distinctive characteristics. Along with such new characteristics of the media space as digitalization of information, fragmentation of the media space, specialization of the audience, and hypertrophied socio-cultural significance, we distinguish virtualization of the mass media space as one of the dynamic characteristics. We consider virtualization as a means of representing the world in other dimensions and planes and as a means of orientation in the surrounding world. The final part of the paper is devoted to the consequences and capabilities of virtualization of mass media space and to the concept of virtual reality. The analyzed material of scientific developments allows us to conclude that virtual reality is a reality, ontologically grounded by a person’s desire to create an alternative world, manifests itself here and now, mainly signally, unlike the virtual reality of art, radically changes the space-time continuum and has orientation much broader in terms of impact.