Biografia reporterska w ujęciu komunikacyjnym na przykładzie książek Angeliki Kuźniak

This paper attempts to legitimize and distinguish the journalistic variant of biographical writing from other functional forms, including scholarly and literary biography. The presence of the term „journalistic biography” in the professional and amateur criticism is a manifestation of the readers’ awareness of genre theory and understanding a genre as a communicational convention. This kind of perception is closely related to the phenomenon called „horizons of expectations” and the particular pact made between the author and the reader. Focusing on Angelika Kuźniak’s works, the paper shows the specific role of a reporter being the biographer and a biographer being the reporter. The analysis of Kuźniak’s biographical books (Marlene, Papusza and Stryjeńska) and reportage (Mam bardzo cienkie powieki) helps to recognize the differences between the biographical reportage and the journalistic biographical story. Following this distinction, the paper suggests that the term „journalistic biography” should be considered as a name of the group of genres and discourses related to the functional styles or, in other words, a specific transmitter–receiver situation.