Measurement in Mass Communication

Abstract

This chapter examines mass communication measurement trends, opportunities, and challenges in a convergent media environment, as well as discussing critical measures necessary to advance future scholarship in this domain. Convergent media provide many opportunities and challenges for effective mass communication research methods and measures. Media convergence and technological innovations have brought new opportunities and challenges for mass communication research and measurement. Mass communication measures can be categorized into several themes: media use and exposure; attitudes, perceptions, and psychological outcomes; media effects and behavioral outcomes; and media operations and functions. New communication technologies provide additional means for political information seeking and sharing, resulting in different psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. Media use/exposure is still a central area that generates considerable attention in mass communication research. Mass communication scholarship must cease existing within vertical information silos, but instead work towards engaging more horizontal processes of shared knowledge.