Contemporary Media Research Articles

The Cause and Influence of Cyberbullying

With the ever-increasing prevalence of the Internet and electronic devices, social media has become more accessible, resulting in the alarming rise of the cyberbullying crisis. Throughout the years of the pandemic, Internet usage skyrocketed, exacerbating the occurrence of cyber violence, with severe cases garnering increasing attention. This study primarily delves into the causes and far-reaching effects of cyber violence, exploring various dimensions in which cyberbullying impacts individuals and society. The study will examine the evolving identity of “netizens,” the distinctive features of contemporary social media platforms, and the immediate as well as long-term consequences of cyberbullying. Additionally, we will explore readily implementable measures to address this pressing issue. It is important to note that cyberbullying lacks a universally accepted definition across various disciplines. Therefore, our definition will be formulated based on the defining characteristics of cyber violence and a comprehensive synthesis of prior research. Subsequently, we will engage in a detailed discussion centered on this definition.

A Brief History of Memetic Advertising from Trade Cards to the Internet

Abstract: Internet memes have become such a prevalent aspect of contemporary social media communication that brands have begun to use them as vehicles for advertising. However, the concept of a meme predates its colloquial understanding as an internet-based artifact. Advertisers have been creating memes—and conversely, incorporated memes into advertisements—for longer than these modern technologies and platforms have existed. This original historical account applies memetic theory to a selection of advertising forms, campaigns, and influential individuals throughout modern history in an effort to trace the relationship between memes and advertising from the early seventeenth century to the dawn of the internet era. Of specific interest in this history is how advertisers and creators have relied upon memetic processes of imitation and transformation to maximize advertising effectiveness, memorability, and longevity through consumers' existing knowledge of content and form. Though necessarily limited in scope, this account provides a first step toward documenting how advertisers have implemented memetic approaches over time and how they inform current internet-based memetic advertising practice.

Reviewing the methodology for promoting the awareness of gender equality through ELT materials in industrial revolution 4.0

In the wake of transformative alterations in the Industrial Revolution epoch, a discernible transition has transpired, heralding a departure from conventional printed instructional resources to a realm dominated by digitalized pedagogical materials. In light of this evolution, the present investigation aspires to delve into a discerning framework tailored to scrutinize the efficacy of educational media crafted to propagate gender egalitarianism. Methodologically, this qualitative inquiry has harnessed the potency of document analysis as a means to amass pertinent data, augmented by the application of content analysis techniques to dissect the amassed information stemming from both traditional print and contemporary digital teaching media. The study's outcomes elucidate an emergent paradigm derived from the pre-existing evaluative framework, delineating a novel trajectory in discerning gender-centric content within didactic materials. In conclusion, the criteria underpinning this evaluative process extend beyond conventional parameters, encapsulating innovative benchmarks such as progressiveness and neutrality, though not circumscribed exclusively to these classifications. This study thus unveils a nuanced perspective, casting a discerning light on the multifaceted facets of evaluating pedagogical materials in the dynamic milieu of digitalized education

Political communication as television news: Party-produced news of the Sweden Democrats during the 2022 election campaign

Abstract Political communication has taken new and complex forms within the contemporary hybrid media system. In this article, we examine how political campaigning that draws on television news forms utilises the increasingly blurred boundaries between news journalism and politics online. We assess the digital television news channel Riks, which during the 2022 national election was operated by the Sweden Democrats party and distributed via YouTube. Deploying a mixed-methods approach, we analysed all videos published by Riks four weeks prior to the election. Results show that Riks blends descriptive, interpretative, and outrage genres, and strategically frames the most important political issues of the election campaign in favour of the party’s policies. Hence, the study contributes to political communication scholarship by emphasising how news has become an integral part of strategic party communication, challenging established scholarly conceptualisations of alternative media and hyperpartisan news.

Democracy and digital disintegration: Platforms, actors, citizens

Abstract The digital transformations of contemporary media systems have had severe consequences for democracy and public debates. This introductory article addresses key challenges of what we refer to as varieties of “digital disintegration” within democratic societies. The eight contributions in the special issue are thematised in three parts. The first part explores disintegration within the context of political communication during elections, including data-driven campaigning, populism, and politicised forms of news production. The second part delves into the role of alternative news curators, audience polarisation, and issues of self-censorship in digital information environments. The third part centres on deliberative norms connected to content moderation of user comments within legacy media and the consequences digitalisation has had on journalistic sourcing practices and source diversity over time. The contributions offer valuable empirical insights, as well as new lines of thinking concerning democracy and digital and disintegrative transformations in the Nordic region and beyond.

Theology and Ethics in Values-Based Journalism Communicating Islamic Perspectives

This research explores the intersection of theology and ethics within the realm of values-based journalism, with a specific focus on the communication of Islamic perspectives. In the contemporary media landscape, where journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse, it becomes imperative to analyze how Islamic values are communicated through the lens of ethical journalism. The study aims to investigate the application of Islamic theology and ethical principles in values-based journalism, emphasizing the role of media in reflecting and shaping societal norms. By employing a qualitative research approach, content analysis will be conducted on a sample of news articles, opinion pieces, and other journalistic content with an Islamic focus. The analysis will delve into how these pieces adhere to or deviate from established theological principles and ethical guidelines. Furthermore, the research seeks to identify challenges faced by journalists and media organizations when attempting to integrate Islamic values into their narratives. It also explores potential strategies and best practices for overcoming these challenges, fostering a more nuanced and ethical communication of Islamic perspectives. The findings of this study aim to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the role of theology and ethics in journalism, providing insights into how media professionals can effectively communicate Islamic values while upholding ethical standards. Ultimately, the research aspires to encourage a more informed and respectful portrayal of Islamic perspectives in the media, promoting dialogue and understanding in an increasingly diverse and interconnected global society.

동시대 일본인이 바라본 김옥균의 위상

This study seeks to reexamine the reality of Joseon before and after the Gapsin Coup as shown in Nakarai Dosui's newspaper serial novel 『The Sand Wind Blowing in Joseon』 and the realization of Kim Ok-gyun's Three Harmony Doctrine through the main character of the work, although he is a faction. This can be said to be a reexamination of how Kim Ok-gyun's status and the international situation of the three countries, reproduced through contemporary newspaper media in the late 1880s, were biased and conveyed to the Japanese public. It consists of fiction that plays a leading role in. Unlike existing works based on Kim Ok-gyun, which use the so-called death of Kim Ok-gyun or the historical fact of the Gapsin Coup as their main creative motif, this is a humanities study that focuses on the social and political aspects of the late Joseon Dynasty and the three harmony doctrine and independence of Joseon that Kim Ok-gyun advocated. It can be said that it has a unique feature that sets it apart from other works in that it was reconstructed with scholarly imagination. Specifically, as Nakarai lived at the same time as enlightenment thinkers such as Kim Ok-gyun and Park Young-hyo, he not only criticized the failure of the Gapsin Coup more objectively and macroscopically, but also did not simply end it as a failure, but established the Triple Alliance between Joseon, Japan, and the Qing Dynasty through factions. In conclusion, it is differentiated from existing cultural contents featuring Kim Ok-gyun in that it realizes the three harmony doctrine that resists Western imperialism.
 In this way, Nakarai's 『The Sand Wind Blowing in Joseon』 checks and criticizes Japan's large imperialistic vested interests in the late 19th century, and as an alternative, builds a system of independence and peace for the three East Asian countries to jointly confront Western imperialist invasion. It must be said that it has counter-cultural characteristics. And Nakarai's view of Joseon is still valid even in the 21st century, as the Gapsin Coup that took place in 1884 was triggered by international relations with the Qing Dynasty and domestically by resistance to pre-modernity and the large mainstream forces of the Min clan., This is also the reason why Kim Ok-gyun's status should be recalled again in our history.

Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: a cross-sectional study in Norwegian adolescents

BackgroundFew studies have investigated how the plethora of contemporary social media (SM) platforms relate to, and influence eating disorder (ED) pathology, appearance ideals and pressure to conform to these ideals in youth.MethodsIn this study, 1558 girls (53%) and boys (47%), predominantly within the 16–19 age range, completed an online questionnaire assessing SM use and perceived influence on appearance, ED pathology, internalization of appearance ideals and perceived appearance pressure.ResultsResults showed that ED pathology was common, particularly in girls, and that internalization of body ideals was gender specific, a thin ideal being more prevalent in girls, and a muscular ideal being more common in boys. Results also showed a strong association between ED pathology and perceived pressure to conform to these appearance ideals. One fourth of the participants reported spending four hours or more on SM daily, and 80% of girls reported that SM, particularly Instagram and TikTok, had a negative influence on how they felt about their appearance. These girls had significantly higher levels of ED pathology and reported higher levels of appearance pressure from the media.ConclusionA clear pattern of associations between photo- and video specific SM platforms, ED pathology, internalization of body ideals and perceived pressure was found in this study. Adolescent girls appeared to be particularly at risk. The results illustrate an imperative need to keep addressing the potential risks of SM use in adolescents, and to continue monitoring the effect of SM on young people’s view of themselves, their appearance, and their eating habits. Future studies should attempt to identify aspects of SM use that may be particularly detrimental for girls and boys in their formative years, but also those that may enhance adolescents’ satisfaction and appreciation of their body and appearance.Trial registration: The study is registered in the Open Science Framework (Identifier: 10.17605/OSF.IO/5RB6P https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5RB6P).

Efforts to improve nutritional knowledge in adolescent girls through contemporary video-based education

Adolescent girls belong to a vulnerable age group that experiences nutritional problems with various risks of health problems such as anemia, chronic energy deficiency, and overnutrition. Increasing the nutritional knowledge of adolescent girls can be an opportunity to improve their nutritional status throughout the initial 8000 days of life. This community service activity uses contemporary video media to expand the knowledge of adolescent girls related to nutrition. Community service is integrated with life-cycle nutrition courses. The target audience was 30 adolescent girls. This activity is located at SMA Negeri 4 Palembang for 1 month. The activity method was carried out by designing and making contemporary videos by 3rd-semester nutrition students, followed by distributing educational videos to participants. Feedback from participants as well as pre- and post-test results were used in the evaluation process. Results from community service projects show that 30% of targets have anemia based on Hb examination with the GC-Hb tool, and 30% of targets have malnutrition based on IMT/U assessment. The target's knowledge increased after providing education with contemporary videos (p0.0001). After completing this community service project, it was concluded that the knowledge of adolescent girls increases by providing contemporary video-based nutrition education.

Brand heritage on Twitter: a text-mining stereotype content perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how users on social media view brands with a heritage. Consumers commonly post opinions and accounts of their experiences with brands on social media. Such consumer-generated content may or may not overlap with content desired by brand managers. Drawing from “The medium is the message” paradigm, this study text-mines user narratives on Twitter1 to shed light on the role of social media in shaping public images of brands with heritage through the lens of the stereotype content model.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a data set of almost 80,000 unique tweets on 12 brands across six categories, compares brands high versus low in heritage and combines dictionary-based content analysis with sentiment analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that both user-generated content and sentiment are significantly more positive for brands low rather than high in heritage. Regarding warmth, consumers use significantly more positive words on sociability and fewer negative words on morality for brands low rather than high in heritage. Regarding competence, tweets include more positive words on assertiveness and ability for low-heritage brands. Finally, overall sentiment is more positive for brands low rather than high in heritage.Practical implicationsImportant from co-creation and integrated marketing communication perspectives, the findings provide brand managers with actionable insights on how to more effectively use social media.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is among the first to examine user-generated content in a brand heritage context. It demonstrates that heritage brands, with their longevity and strong links to the past, need to be aware of how contemporary social media can detract from their image.

The Wancho Animation Workshop: Interpreting Local Folklore for Animation in North-East India

This article reviews the topic of indigenous knowledge, addressing the ethical and knowledge gaps in Eurocentric education, research, and scholarship based on examples from a participatory media venture in collaboration with people of the Wancho community of North-East India. The objective of the project is to represent the cultural insights that are integral to the local traditions through contemporary media practices and to engage a group of people from various disciplines, outlooks, and ways of life in the decolonization of indigenous representation and media practice.

Divine play: Religious interpretation of play philosophy

This article explores the religious interpretation of play philosophy across different historical periods and contexts, from ancient Greek thought to contemporary digital media. Drawing on the works of prominent philosophers such as Heraclitus, Plato, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Huizinga, as well as recent scholarship on digital media and religion, the article examines the role of play in shaping religious thought, practice and experience. It consists of three main sections, focusing on divine play in ancient Greek philosophy, the religious connotations of the ‘playful order’ in the works of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Huizinga, and the transformative potential of video games as a medium for religious expression and exploration.Contribution: By synthesising diverse perspectives and examining the religious implications of play philosophy in various contexts, this study offers new insights into the relationship between the divine and humanity, and the significance of play in religious life. It also highlights the potential of digital media to provide innovative avenues for religious exploration, fostering a deeper understanding of the role of play in both historical and contemporary religious contexts.

Comparative Methods for Teaching Contemporary and Ancient Saints

This paper argues that a comparative study of saints is not only a useful classroom tool for historians and religionists, but an exceptionally powerful locus of pedagogical insight and cultural understanding. By reframing contemporary consumptive patterns, media representations, and power discourses as religious vectors of saintliness, the professor has an opportunity to explore and assess cultural values, rituals, beliefs, worldviews, communities, traditions, and meaning making in the contemporary college student’s world. By acknowledging the dangers and possibilities of the category of saint while reframing the ascetical impact on developing subjectivities, we propose six pedagogical examples of how this might best be deployed.

‘Con poporos y guacamayas’: Representaciones indígenas y el traje típico colombiano en el Miss Universo

This article addresses in five examples, the participation of Miss Colombia and her Indigenous-themed costumes at the Miss Universe pageant. First, the methodology used for this research is approached, from the use of images as a historical document and visual culture. Then, we approach a definition of the typical or national costume and its different denominations, to finally analyse a set of costumes representing Colombia and alluding to the Indigenous at the Miss Universe pageant. It is concluded that the typical Indigenous costumes presented in this international beauty contest are invented costumes that recreate stereotypes and establish identities that can be related to the idea of creating imaginaries that can present a good image of Colombia both nationally and internationally. The research was also based on a dialogue with authors who have addressed issues related to the creation of national identities and their construction from the history, culture, and heritage of a country, related to popular contemporary culture and media.

Teaching Islam in the RE classroom: a view from the edge

ABSTRACT This article explores the integration of hip-hop with Islamic themes in the religious education (RE) classroom, with a focus on transcending the constraints of traditional narratives and creating a dynamic and wide-ranging understanding of Islamic traditions of interpretations. Drawing inspiration from Richard Bulliet’s book Islam: A View from the Edge and the creative potential of hip-hop, the article argues that educators can open new avenues for teaching and learning about Islamic traditions. By incorporating hip-hop based education (HHBE), educators can engage students through contemporary mediums and provide a relatable and engaging stage for the exploration of Islam. The article also highlights the importance of African American Islam and its intersection with hip-hop in understanding the worldview of many Muslims (and non-Muslims) worldwide. The article suggests strategies such as exploring Islam through hip-hop music videos, examining the legacy of Malcolm X in hip-hop, and considering the local context and languages of students to enrich the exploration of Islam.

Who controls ‘the narrative’? journalistic emplotment and political discourse in the networked public sphere

Over the last decade there has been a massive spike in use of the word ‘narrative’ in both media reportage and political discourse. This essay interrogates the rhetorical function and theoretical assumptions of this widespread usage, arguing that narrative rhetoric operates as a form of metajournalistic discourse shaping coverage of domestic politics and international relations while revealing an anxiety about the authority of contemporary news media. The prominence and semantic variability of the word narrative in public discourse is both a symptom of and a response to an epistemological crisis wrought by information overload and a fragmented public sphere in the digital age. The essay examines usage of the familiar phrase ‘control the narrative’ to reveal how journalistic discourse self-reflexively frames the dynamics of cultural debate. In this formulation, ‘the narrative’ operates as a synonym for what Chadwick (2017) calls the ‘political information cycle' in a hybrid news system, signifying an ongoing discursive struggle in which news media construct their moral and epistemological Others in a global communications network: social media, foreign state-run media, and competing news media. By tracking the phrase in coverage of the global COVID-19 outbreak and the notorious Steele Dossier in five major US dailies throughout 2020, this article demonstrates how the metajournalistic quality of narrative rhetoric facilitates an intramedia struggle for moral and referential authority in the networked public sphere.

Return to innocence? Diaspora screen media and “New Ethnicities” in the moment of diversity

ABSTRACT This article revaluates Stuart Hall’s influential essay “New Ethnicities” for the study of diaspora screen media. In “New Ethnicities”, published in 1988, Hall famously declares that we have reached the “end of innocence”, having identified a shift in how race was then being articulated in the work of a new generation of British-born black and Asian film-makers. However, while Hall was excited by the promise of these new ethnicities, this article argues that there has been a shift back to the previous state of innocence, a consequence of racial neo-liberalism and the emergence of “diversity” discourse. The remainder of the article examines the implications of this reversal for research on the representation of race. While Hall’s optimism may have been premature, the article argues that “New Ethnicities” nonetheless contains a mode of critical enquiry that is crucial to our understanding of contemporary diaspora screen media in this moment of diversity.

Connections between Parental Phubbing and Electronic Media Use in Young Children: The Mediating Role of Parent-Child Conflict and Moderating Effect of Child Emotion Regulation.

In this digital age, where parental attention is often diverted by digital engagement, the phenomenon of "parental phubbing," defined as parents ignoring their children in favor of mobile devices, is scrutinized for its potential impact on child development. This study, utilizing questionnaire data from 612 parents and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with moderated mediation, examines the potential association between parental phubbing and young children's electronic media use. The findings revealed a correlation between parental phubbing and increased electronic media use in children. Parent-child conflict, informed by instances of parental phubbing, was identified as a partial mediator in this relation. Notably, children's emotion regulation emerged as a moderating factor, with adept regulation linked to reduced adverse effects of parental phubbing and improved relational harmony. These findings underscore the importance of parental awareness of their digital behaviors and the benefits of fostering robust parent-child relationships and supporting children's emotional regulation to nurture well-adjusted "digital citizens" in the contemporary media landscape.

Social media posts as source for political news coverage inside and outside election campaigns: Examining effects on deliberative news media quality

Journalists increasingly cite and/or embed social media posts in news articles. While social media posts have been found to be of little deliberative quality, we do not know whether this also affects the deliberative quality of the news. Against the background of a hybrid media system and deliberative news media standards, we answer this research question with a content analysis of news articles including or not including posts from X (formerly Twitter) in the twelve widest-reaching German news websites prior and after the German general election 2021. We were particularly interested in the differences inside and outside election campaigns as the interdependence of the mass media and the political sphere is particularly pronounced during campaign periods. Results show that posts are more often cited and/or embedded in news articles inside than outside election campaigns. Articles including posts feature a greater number of actors but are not more diverse as mainly actors from the political center are referenced. Moreover, articles with posts are associated with a higher position responsiveness but on the other hand a decreased civility of the represented political discourse. This pattern only emerged inside but not outside campaign periods. These findings add to our understanding of contemporary hybrid media systems and the nature of political journalism during contentious political periods.

How to create an art therapy paradigm for Generation Z in the post-epidemic era within contemporary media systems—— Introduction to the design and iterative process of the Cyber Empath - Cyber Confessional project

The main objective of this report is to explore and design an art therapy paradigm within the contemporary media system that is conducive to the mental health development of the Generation Z community in the context of the post-epidemic era, and that is truly applicable to the community and in harmony with its zeitgeist. The project is guided by the integrative methodology of art therapy and Carl Gustav Jung's theory of the psychology of religion. It draws on the religious ritual of "confession to a priest" in form; critically deconstructs the religious power of the ritual in content; injects new connotations that resonate with the zeitgeist of Generation Z in spirit; combines immersive experience design with contemporary media systems in technology; and attempts to create a therapeutic cyberspace guided by the digital avatar for Generation Z. Additionally, the report documents the intervention events and new findings so far during the construction of the project.