MEDIA CONCEPT
«pro.TEXT» investigates everyday messages and demonstrates how norms, values, habits, and interpersonal relationships emerge through them.
We constantly read signs, instructions, announcements, menus, advertisements, and interface copy. Many messages appear neutral, but they guide us on how to act, what to pay attention to, and what is expected of us.
Media examines not just the wording, but also the context: who created the message, to whom it is addressed, where it is placed, how it looks, and how it might influence everyday decisions.
WHO IS MEDIA FOR
The primary audience includes individuals interested in language, culture, and everyday communication. These are attentive readers of the urban environment, design and text specialists, students in the humanities and creative fields, as well as representatives of small brands and organizations. The value of «pro.TEXT» is to help readers see more in a familiar message than its literal meaning: to understand what expectations and rules it reflects and how it interacts with the reader.
PUBLICATION LOGIC
Each material begins with a specific message: a sign, a notice, an advertising phrase, instructions, or an interface.
The content is structured around five actions: FIND → ESTABLISH CONTEXT → VERIFY → DECONSTRUCT → DISCUSS
The publication connects the text to the context, audience, presentation, and potential impact. Readers can offer their own examples and discuss how a single phrasing is perceived differently.
DATA SOURCES
Sources serve three functions: to discover a message, to confirm its facts, and to expand its context.
(1) Discovery:Editorial observations within the urban environment and on the internet; examples submitted by readers.(2) Verification:Original photograph or webpage, the organization’s, author’s, or brand’s website, or an official publication.(3) Context:Research into language and communication, expert commentary, and documents pertaining to the situation in which the message appeared.
For each fact, a link or alternative method of verification is retained. The source is selected based on the nature of the question: the message content is confirmed by the original source, the terms of a promotion by the organizer, and the meaning of a public rule by a document or expert.
SOURCES AND ACQUISITION METHODS
If automatic collection is unavailable, the editor adds the material manually. The source acquisition method and limitations are recorded in the card.
SOURCE REGISTER AND DATA UPDATES
The registry retains:— source name and URL; — material type and theme; — relevant categories; — access method: automatic, manual, or via a submitted sample; — permissible method of material use; — date of the last successful check and the next scheduled check.
Proposed schedule: public pages and digital services should be checked weekly; user examples upon receipt; facts for a chosen publication should be re-verified immediately before release.
A new finding is defined as one that is not yet in the database. The creation date of the message, its discovery date, and its publication date are stored separately.
DATA PROCESSING SCHEMA
The system helps find, describe, and verify examples. The editor determines what is ready for publication and what conclusions are permissible.
Machine StagesM1 Monitoring → M2 Extraction and Verification → M3 Classification and Relationships → M4 Draft Preparation → M5 Version ControlEditorial StagesE1 Example Selection and Context Check → E2 Editing and Visuals → E3 Final Decision and PublicationData FlowSources → M1 → M2 → M3 → E1 → M4 → E2 → M5 → E3 → Telegram and ArchiveIf the editor changes facts, the card returns to M2. If the category or interpretation changes, it goes back to M3. After text and image edits, M5 is repeated.
HUMAN VS SERVICE
Human Curation:(01) Selection and Vetting The editor assesses the submission, verifies its source and context, and chooses the narrative angle. They determine if there is sufficient data for publication.(02) Editing and Visuals The editor reviews the text, selects an example and layout, and clarifies image captions and usage rights.(03) Final Decision The editor reviews the final version and the vetting report, either approving the content or sending it back for revisions. A human performs the publication. Machine Curation The service finds new materials, recognizes text in images, compiles metadata, flags potential duplicates, suggests categories and related content, drafts the piece, and cross-references it against established facts.The service does not draw ultimate cultural or social conclusions.
MATERIAL CARD AND STATUSES
Statuses: Found → Structured → Under Review → Selected → Draft → Under Revision → Approved → Published.Additional Statuses: Data Needed, In Progress, On Hold, Rejected. The reason for status change is saved.
GUIDELINES FOR M1–M3
M1. Source Monitoring Task: To find new pieces of content not yet in the database.Input: registry of sources, search queries, thematic categories, and material archive. Output: a list of candidates with the title, link or filming location, discovery date, and potential duplicates. Guidelines: verify approved sources; record access errors; do not count an old publication as new simply because the page was updated. Acceptance Criterion: every candidate links to a specific piece of content and has an explainable connection to the media’s theme.M2. Extraction and Verification Task: To transform the found material into a card with verifiable information.Input: link, photograph, screenshot, or manual observation. Output: the source text, its context, the source, dates, and a list of uncertainties. Guidelines: cross-reference recognized text with the original; leave unknown fields blank; preserve the original writing, including errors and punctuation. Acceptance Criterion: every fact can be found in the specified source; assumptions are separated from facts.M3. Classification and Relationships Task: To suggest a category and a possible analytical angle.Input: verified card, taxonomy, thematic plan, and archive. Output: the recommended category, a brief explanation of the choice, and potential connections to other materials. Guidelines: suggest connections as a hypothesis for the editor; do not present similarities in phrasing as proof of influence; note thematic repetitions. Acceptance Criterion: it is clear why the example fits the category and what data supports the suggested context.
