The Power of Digital Platforms in Journalism: Strategies and Practices for Adapting Content in TikTok

The article uses the example of short videos in TikTok to examine the changes in the principles of news content distribution due to the emergence of new communication platforms. From the perspectives of news gathering and news value, we conducted a manual content analysis of Belarusian media to reveal the commonalities and heterogeneities of their news production on TikTok. It is determined what new means of content promotion in social networks are used by the studied media. The most effective communication strategies of media production are identified, taking into account audience demands and the logic of the recommendation platform. The main features of such a format as «short video» intended for distribution on social media platforms are established. The increasing influence of content recommendation platforms on publishers and their audience is discussed. The authors conclude on the growing dominance of global technology platforms over journalism.