The paper explores the concepts of media space, media space, information
space, and virtual reality. In this paper, we consider different approaches to the
concepts, describe the logic of the sequence of appearance of the phenomena
of information, media and mass media space and reveal their common features
and distinctive characteristics. Along with such new characteristics of the
media space as digitalization of information, fragmentation of the media space,
specialization of the audience, and hypertrophied socio-cultural significance,
we distinguish virtualization of the mass media space as one of the dynamic
characteristics. We consider virtualization as a means of representing the world
in other dimensions and planes and as a means of orientation in the surrounding
world. The final part of the paper is devoted to the consequences and capabilities
of virtualization of mass media space and to the concept of virtual reality.
The analyzed material of scientific developments allows us to conclude that
virtual reality is a reality, ontologically grounded by a person’s desire to create
an alternative world, manifests itself here and now, mainly signally, unlike
the virtual reality of art, radically changes the space-time continuum and has
orientation much broader in terms of impact.