Functions of Visual Elements

There was only one paper where the traditional illustrative use of images did not prevail: 444�hu (39%)� At the other end of the list there are Válasz�hu and 168 Óra, having only illustrative images (for more data see Figure 2)�

Figure 2: Distribution of image functions among articles that have at least one visual element

(source: diagram created by the author)

Among those articles of the “traditional” media that apply at least one image, 87%

uses them only in an illustrative role� The number is 73% for the “new” media� The difference between the two groups is minor but consistent through all image roles (articles written about an image: 2% and 7%, respectively; articles about videos:

6% and 7%; articles about a Facebook or Twitter insert: 0% and 1%)�

There are some articles where images and text are equally important: “the text loses effect without the picture, and the picture also loses effect without the text”

(Veszelszki 2012: 104)�

Among the articles that use at least one image, 6% in the “traditional” media and 10% in the “new” media, behave this way� In some articles the visual elements appear in a new role: they are in interaction with the text, forming the message of the article together, achieving a goal that separately none of them could� The following analysis of two of them highlights their methods�

Figure 3: Screenshot detail of the site where the article “These corporations rule the country” appears. The cat picture is a “gif” short video

(source: Hungarian newsportal 444.hu, W1; screenshot taken by the author)

The article titled These corporations rule the country (W1) writes about a list of the greatest corporations of Hungary� The text briefly discusses some factual oddi-ties of the list, however it is given a new and much stronger message by the lead (and homepage) “gif” image of a grotesque fat dancing cat (Figure 3)� Memes of

Images in the Hungarian Online News 117 cats are usually presented for a humorous goal, therefore the image raises a light-minded feeling; moreover, the English term “fat cat,” referring to the corporations, is recognizable for many Hungarian readers, too� The cognitive approach of the text and the intuitive approach of the image together present the message that the ranking of the corporations is not to be taken too seriously� This message is not present in either the text or the image separately�

Figure 4: Screenshot detail of the article “Zsolt Németh might have sent the woman back to the kitchen with a corny joke”

(source: Hungarian newsportal 444.hu, W2; screenshot taken by the author)

The article titled Zsolt Németh might have sent the woman back to the kitchen with a corny joke (W2) writes about a supposedly embarrassing utterance of Zsolt Németh, a Hungarian politician� The text is only one paragraph long; there is, however, a lead photo above the paragraph: one that shows Németh sitting on the right side of the prime minister Viktor Orbán at an event that is known as being significant for the PM (Figure 4)� The image, meaning “Németh is really close to the PM,” thus shames the prime minister, himself not even present in this par-ticular piece of news� Again, the message of the article is decodable only by the interaction of image and text�

We risk the opinion that this role of visual elements demands a greater than average decoding ability from the reader, but they have potentially the greatest impact on him, too – creating the impression of thinking along the same lines with the author, discovering hidden meanings, the feeling of a common mischief�

Among the analysed sites, it is VS that uses the benefits of online visuality to the greatest extent� The layout of the site is different from the standard news portal:

images are dominant on the homepage and on the article pages (always applied as lead images)� It is more important, however, to take a look at the column “Mega”�

Figure 5: Screenshots of the article “If you came to Hungary”. Up left: a scrollable photo gallery. Up right: a text block. Down left: a chart. Down right: a video insert

(source: Hungarian newsportal vs.hu, W3; screenshots taken by the author)

The column uses advanced web programming to create interactive, multimedia articles in which images, videos and texts are equally important (Figure 5)� Jour-nalists, photo and video professionals, design specialists and programmers work together on them� At the time of our sampling a new “Mega” article appeared on the site: “If you came to Hungary” (W3)�

The prevalence of visual elements is clear� One can “scroll” the article and get a new window of content, however the basic layout of the window is static� Most content is based on an image or a video, and they occupy the whole area of the screen: there are no spatially separate blocks; all content is treated the same� Text, when it appears, usually hovers over the visual elements� A timeline shows where the reader is in the article and provides control over it�

Images in the Hungarian Online News 119 The article uses the interaction of the text and the visual elements heavily� Tex-tual blocks, describing facts, are followed by photos and videos setting the mood and showing personal faces and stories� Charts help with processing the informa-tion presented in the text� The timeline, the act of scrolling, the few buttons that point to hidden features, and the interactive photo galleries enable the reader to actively discover the article, as opposed to a passive recipient role�