Abstract
This article examines online news comments sections as both representing an example of and a subject concerning changing media structures, the changing relationship between users and media outlets, the way this relationship is influenced by the (changing) understanding of place and, especially, the way users participate in the new public arenas provided by geographically anchored online media sources. The focus is on Finnish online media in its golden era, the early 2010s. The analysis of user comments left in the comments sections of a small local newspaper, a regional newspaper and a national newspaper suggests that geography matters. Comments sections serve as public arenas for discussions of shared issues, specified through geography, and construct public spheres. Especially in the local context, the meaning of such public arenas should not be underestimated.
Highlights
We live in a world that is constantly changing
A singular researcher conducted the main analysis, so it should be understood as one interpretation of a specific theoretical framework
The categorisation could have been completed in other ways, and place and related concepts include several dimensions not discussed or examined in this article
Summary
We live in a world that is constantly changing. Today, the internet represents one of the biggest changes in itself, and it is the main force behind many changes. In the field of media, among others, the changes are inclusive—the internet has changed the world’s media structure and its operational environment. The user comments following online news articles highlight the changing relationship between users and media, the way this relationship is influenced by (changing) understandings of place and, especially, how users participate in the new public arenas provided by online media. This analysis focuses on one specific time and context—Finnish online media in 2012.
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