The communicationpotential of the book as amass medium in the age of new communication technologies

The specificity of the book results from its dual, diametrically different gist because it is considered an art artifact and a mass medium. On the one hand, it is distinguished by the characteristics defined by media studies, and at the same time -in a different context -it takes an oppositional attitude towards them and tends to the characteristicsof an artistic artifact. We also find the mentioned opposites in the relationship between the book and the audience: due to thewidespectrum of genres, authorial approaches, and production procedures, the book could be perceived by the audience as a unique work of art and simultaneously as a product of mass culture. The communication potential of the book also corresponds to the aspects mentioned above, which essentially remain unchanged. It continues to be/can be a source of new information, knowledge, artistic experiences, entertainment, or relaxation. Still, the advent of new technologies has brought/is bringing a whole spectrum of changes. Thebiggestchange -by the advent of the Internet and smartphones -is the acceleration and simplification of communication in the production, distribution, and sale of booksprocess. These technological changes also significantly affect the mutual relationship between the book and the reading public. The reader is not just a passive recipient of its content and visual component but also an active participant in perception. In the article, we analyzed the specificities of the book as a mass medium in the cultural space, aswell as its communication prerequisites for the reader in the era of new communication technologies. The main aim of the survey was to find out how readers perceive new technologies or how new technologies affect the reading habits associated with book usage.The article has a summarizing character in the theoretical part and an overview in the practical part. It represents an introduction to more detailed research, the results of which will be presented in articles published in other issues of the journal Social Communications –Theory and Practice. We will focus on the book's impact on increasing media literacy and critical thinking among children and youth, as well as on various technologies facilitating the use of the book's potential in the mass media and artistic spheres.Keywords: book, communication technologies, culture, mass media,audience.