Current Media Landscape Research Articles

Media Capture and Perspectives for Media Development in a Fragile Media System

Guinea­‑Bissau’s media have negotiated their roles and freedoms within the postcolonial national construct since its official independence from Portugal in 1974. While the current media landscape is relatively pluralistic, journalists experience constraints from various sides: political pressures, unaccommodating regulations, lack of resources. The concept of media capture (Mungiu­‑Pippidi & Ghinea, 2012; Mabweazara et al., 2020; Schiffrin, 2021) allows the analysis of complex, subtle and structural constraints limiting media’s ability to fulfil their roles. This paper traces the phenomenon on the macro level (context), meso level (organizations) and micro level (journalists) in Guinea­‑Bissau to interrogate how the concept plays out in a context shaped by fragility. The article draws on a literature review, official documents and semi-structured interviews. Following Dugmore’s (2022) idea of precarity as an endogenous condition in many Sub­‑Saharan contexts, this paper argues that capture is engrained in a fragile system rather than being an exception or disruption.

AIGC empowers research on the communication path of red culture in six places in Liaoning

As a region rich in red cultural resources, Liaoning’s revolutionary history, heroic deeds and red spirit have profound connotations and important contemporary value. However, traditional communication methods are no longer able to meet the diverse needs of modern society. Technological development and structural innovation in the AIGC field have restructured the current media landscape and communication paths. With the help of AIGC technology, it is particularly important to improve the efficiency and influence of red cultural communication. This article aims to explore how AIGC empowers the communication path of red culture in six places in Liaoning, with a view to giving full play to the significant advantages and potential of AIGC technology in the communication of red culture, improving the accuracy and interactivity of communication, and stimulating the audience's emotional resonance and cultural identity. , providing strong support for the spread and development of red culture. Keywords: AIGC, six places in Liaoning, red culture, communication path.

Labour-Intensive Filmmaking: An interview with Su Friedrich

In this interview, filmmaker Su Friedrich comments on a wide variety of projects, as well as her labour-intensive work process, the crucial role of feedback from friends and fellow filmmakers, and the importance of being specific. She also describes her experience researching unusual archives, her views on the current media landscape, and the satisfaction of creating Edited By, a website dedicated to honouring the many women who revolutionised film editing, playing a key role in cinema history that has yet to be fully recognised.

Sustainability and the Fashion Media: Micro-Utopia, Social Dreaming and Hope in the Margins

In the current media landscape, communication about sustainable fashion is so pervasive that it risks becoming background noise: a sea of “studium” that fails to “prick” the reader, despite the enormity of the stakes (Barthes 2000). This article asks how we might tell better stories when it comes to sustainability in the fashion media, drawing upon insights from fashion studies and environmental communication. The practices of fashion and dreaming are closely connected but this alliance does not always marry well with discourses on sustainability, which can elicit feelings of “green fatigue”. In light of this, the following article asks how fashion media might be used as a vehicle for social dreaming, rather than consumerist dreaming, in order to make sustainable fashion more desirable. Fashion media is about storytelling and so, too, is utopia, with this article theorizing independent media as a micro-utopian network through which radical narratives can be explored (building on Wood 2007). The focus here is on English-language content produced by independent magazines, not-for-profit organizations and academics. Taken collectively, these marginal forms of media represent a space where social dreaming is already taking place, with reference to discourses on utopia, slow fashion, and green consciousness.

Deepfake detection based on cross-domain local characteristic analysis with multi-domain transformer

Deepfake videos present a significant challenge in the current media landscape. While current deepfake detection methods demonstrate satisfactory performance, there is still room for improvement in their ability to generalize and detect unseen scenarios, particularly those involving imperceptible cues. This paper introduces a novel multi-modal deepfake detection model named SpectraVisionFusion Transformer (SVFT), which incorporates spatial and frequency domain statistical artifacts to improve generalization performance. The SVFT framework uses two different backbone encoder models to take advantage of both spatial and frequency domain cues in video sequences, along with a decoder and classifier, for common cross-attention and classification, respectively. The spatial domain branch uses a convolutional transformer-based encoder to analyze facial visual features. In contrast, the frequency domain branch employs a language transformer encoder. Additionally, we introduce a weighted feature embedding fusion mechanism that integrates spectral-based statistical feature embeddings and visual cues to achieve a more comprehensive and balanced spatial-frequency feature representation. By coordinately analyzing these modalities, our model exhibits improved detection and generalization capabilities in unseen scenarios. Our proposed SVFT model achieved 92.57% and 80.63% accuracy in extensive cross-manipulation and dataset evaluation, respectively, while surpassing the performance of traditional and single-domain-based approaches.

Library music as a matter of time

The industry of library music (pre-existing pieces that can be licensed for use in media) has grown considerably in the past two decades with its transition to a digital medium. A rising number of composers rely on this music as a source of income, along with audiovisual creators who increasingly use it in their productions. This expansion has accentuated a fundamental aspect of library music: the creation of large quantities of tracks at breakneck speed. Parallel to this, the video editors and videographers who form library music's main client base experience tight production deadlines where the choice of music is often left as an afterthought. This article explores the implications of the sped-up creation and use of library music in the current online media landscape. Although the interactions of composers and videographers with this music are often fraught with concerns of limited time, their attitudes towards this acceleration vary considerably: for instance, composers describe their fast-paced work in widely different ways, viewing it as a constraint, or, on the contrary, as a positive and freeing aspect. That being said, the sense of urgency shared by these agents has wide-ranging impacts on every step of the ‘life’ of a library track, from its composition and presentation to its selection and synchronisation with images. As composers attempt to appeal to hurried videographers browsing libraries, these, in turn, resort to this music as an invaluable strategy to retain their audience's attention. Furthermore, sonic stereotypes that are prevalent in library music are valued as communication shortcuts in audiovisuals where messages must be conveyed through instantly recognisable musical formulas. In addition to broader impacts on the workings of library music, this widespread perception of ‘lacking time’ is also a vital factor that shapes its sonic characteristics themselves, making library music truly a matter of time.

“That’s just, like, your opinion” – European citizens’ ability to distinguish factual information from opinion

Abstract In the current media landscape, it is becoming increasingly difficult for citizens to rely on trustworthy information, not least because reliable facts are mixed with dubious claims, unsubstantiated opinions, or outright lies. The ability to distinguish factual from other types of mediated information is becoming increasingly crucial, but we know little about how well-equipped citizens are to make these distinctions. In an original survey study conducted in ten European countries, we asked respondents whether they considered six different statements relating to the European Union to be factual or opinion statements. Our results show that citizens have considerable difficulties in correctly identifying both factual information and opinions. Next to pre-existing judgements, we identify media-related, political, and sociodemographic factors that influence categorisation accuracy. We discuss our findings in relation to citizens’ perceptions of journalistic credibility and their information literacy as well as ongoing debates about the effectiveness of fact-checkers on social media.

Are elders able to produce TV News content?

When examining the current media landscape, we can see that technologies play a major role in our daily lives. No one is immune to its effects even elders, who are typically seen as being removed from these situations, have long since given up their role of "laggards" (Rogers, 1995) and are now "digital immigrants" (Prensky, 2001). It represents an opportunity for them to express themselves creatively as anyone, they can generate, publish, and broadcast content if they have the necessary tools and acquire the right know-how. A study being conducted at Leiria Polytechnic Institute's ESECS (Higher School of Education and Social Sciences) for the Senior TV project, the aim is for a group of seniors (from the Polytechnic’s 60+ project) to produce, record, direct, and edit TV news programming (interviews and reports). This content is already accessible via YouTube.
 We believe that, by being taught how to produce TV, elders might benefit from this experience in a wide array of areas. It helps in their social relationships as well as raise their levels of media and digital literacy and impose a moment of permanent education.

Minds That Know: Seeking A New Music Literacy through Syntax, Prosody, and Community

Teaching for musical meaning can be a multifaceted topic, since a universally accepted definition of musical meaning is elusive; yet musical meaning remains at the heart of music literacy. Music literacy is equally complex, as changes in technology constantly reorganize how musical sounds are produced, recorded, and transmitted. Today, musical texts are presented through increasingly diverse, multi-modal forms, and changes in media bring accompanying changes to how we construct musical meaning. In this article, I consider parallels between language and music as they are transmitted through evolving texts and interpreted by a reader to create syntactical, prosodic, and social meaning. These three meaning domains are examined within print and oral cultural ways of knowing since both are present in the current media landscape. Considering notation as a form of externalized cognition, I advance a new music literacy theory that reclaims orality as necessary for active participation in the various music discourses in contemporary society. In the proposed model, students discover musical meaning as they make decisions and formulate beliefs related to musical organization (syntax) and expression (prosody) in relation to a community.

Insect media and photography: An interview with Jussi Parikka

Among one of the main inspirations for the research behind this Special Issue is Jussi Parikka’s 2010 book Insect Media: An Archeology of Animals and Technology. In this interview, the guest editors, Nina Mangalanayagam and Louise Wolthers, ask Professor Parikka to revisit some of the book’s core issues in relation to digital photography and the current media landscape in general. The conversation also revolves around artificial intelligence (AI), bugs, mimicry, contemporary art as well as scale and operational images, which reflect Parikka’s recent research.

The Effects of Elite Attacks on Copartisan Media: Evidence from Trump and Fox News

Abstract Individuals seeking news content face a variety of options in the current media landscape, yet scholarly research provides little evidence regarding the conditions under which they might become more or less open to different partisan news outlets. Drawing on the case of Donald Trump’s critiques of Fox News, I argue that elite rhetoric plays an important role in this process for members of both parties. I first conduct an original content analysis of Trump’s tweets from 2017 to 2020 and find that he increasingly attacked Fox News on this platform. Notably, Trump’s increasingly critical rhetoric about Fox correlates significantly with decreases in both Fox’s daytime and prime-time ratings. Two survey experiments shed light on how individuals respond to this intraparty conflict, and I find that Trump’s rhetoric affects both Republicans and Democrats. Republicans view Fox as less conservative and more critical of Trump when exposed to his critiques of the outlet. However, Republicans do not change their viewing habits until Trump promotes an alternative to Fox like OANN. Democrats respond to Trump’s rhetoric by updating their perceptions of Fox’s coverage and ideology as well as increasing their willingness to watch the channel, both in isolation and relative to an alternative like OANN. The results suggest that elite rhetoric is instrumental in shaping views of and demand for partisan outlets among members of both parties and can elevate more ideologically extreme sources among followers. Thus, elite rhetoric serves as a meaningful cue for individuals navigating an increasingly fragmented partisan media landscape.

MALE REPRESENTATION IN SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS 2019

Gender, especially female, representation in advertising has been extensively studied in recent decades; however, few studies have looked into male representation in the current media landscape. This article presents a multimodal critical discourse analysis (CDA) study on the contemporary depiction of men in Super Bowl commercials. Focusing on 57 advertisements aired during Super Bowl 2019, the research finds that male representation in TV advertisements is still largely confined by traditional male norms, despite the recent transformation in societal male roles. Besides, the findings also suggest that in negotiation with the rise in female power, male power does not decline, but varies in manifestation. Other findings include the dualistic view in male portrayal, and the normalization of men as the target of jokes. The study serves as an appeal for the reinvention of masculinity in today’s world, and for more visible, creative efforts to challenge traditional male stereotypes in advertising and media.

The Digital Reading Condition. Maria Engberg, Iben Have and Birgitte Stougaard Pedersen (eds)

In the current media landscape, digital reading is rapidly and profoundly changing our reading habits and reading experiences, which prompts us to rethink ‘how to understand and define reading as a mediated practice’ (Pedersen et al., 2021, p. 282). Belonging to a series of Routledge Research in Digital Humanities, this insightful volume The Digital Reading, edited by Maria Engberg, Iben Have, and Birgitte Stougaard Pedersen, seeks to explore different forms of digital reading and their reading conditions, the analytical perspectives or approaches available in expanding the academic research, and the impact brought about by digital interfaces and technologies on the current reading conditions. This volume consists of an introduction and nineteen chapters, which are divided into five sections: (1) historical and sociocultural perspectives on reading (Chapters 1–4); (2) multisensory reading (Chapters 5–9); (3) reading engagement: aspects of digital reading (Chapters 10–12); (4) young readers between media (Chapters 13–16); and (5) aesthetics and digital reading (Chapters 17–19). In the introduction, the editors pinpoint the necessity of studying the changing reading conditions and reading practices, propose the theoretical and methodological framework, and outline the contents of the volume.

Youth in the face of disinformation: A qualitative exploration of Mexican college students’ attitudes, motivations, and abilities around false news

This paper aims to deepen our understanding of the relationship between young people in Mexico and disinformation, while shedding light on their practices and perceptions around this phenomenon. I have chosen a qualitative perspective to delve into the ways that Mexican college students interact and deal with the growing problem of false news in the current media landscape. Thus, I conducted semi-structured interviews (N = 28) using an elicitation technique, during which participants were exposed to real samples of disinformation content to encourage a conversation around the type of false news that they come across in their daily lives. Results reveal nuances in the ways that college students prefer social media over traditional media, even though they report finding more disinformation in the former. They also show the impact that students’ attitudes and habits have on their relationship with disinformation. Moreover, the study presents evidence that college students critically question disinformation, do not take it at face value, and are not prone to share it. However, findings also highlight differences related to the format in which the false content is presented. For example, TikTok videos were more likely to effectively deceive the viewer, more so than images shared on Facebook. Students also believe that older people are more likely to believe in disinformation, potentially indicating a third-person effect of this content. Lastly, this exploration emphasizes the need to further examine the broader consequences of disinformation and believing in false content, such as a reduced interest in political information.

Probe: The Message(s) are now the Media: A 2030 Outlook on McLuhan

Marshall McLuhan’s seminal “the medium is the message” one-liner, title to Chapter 1 of his 1964 book Understanding Media is a formidable sum up of mid 20th Century media analysis. With a remarkable economy of semantics, McLuhan posited that the powers inherent to radio and television were so immense that the technology itself needed to be the focus. McLuhan’s insight is worth revisiting with an updated frame of reference towards 2030, given our current fragmented media landscape. Finite analog broadcast networks who wielded immense powers have now been replaced by an abundant digital emporium, itself ruled by oligopolistic technology platforms.

Evolution, trends and future of native media: From avant-garde to the epicenter of the communications ecosystem

Over recent decades, digital native media have flourished as one of the most important communicative tools in the world, despite certain geographical disparities. Not only is this kind of media here to stay, but they have transitioned from being a feature of the avant-garde to occupying a central space in the digital ecosystem. Despite the diversity of models, difficulties in articulating business models that ensure sustainability, and their lack of financial muscle, native media have opened up renewed options for digital journalism in both the present and the future. By analyzing the current media landscape and a study of the main trends, carried out using a review of the published scientific literature and an analysis of cases from the last five years, this paper explores the horizons of the “new wave” of digital native media that will face the challenges of the second half of this third decade of the millennium. Of course, the future has not yet been written: digital media will have to build from the native space, observing emerging trends, modern technologies, and without giving up on providing quality digital journalism that is based in truthfulness, transparency, the involvement of users and the set of actions that serve the public interest.

Motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior among Belgian adults: a qualitative study

BackgroundNutrition information-seeking behavior is highly prevalent even though it can be challenging to find reliable nutrition information in the current media landscape. Previous quantitative research has identified which population segments use which sources, yet little is known about motivations underpinning nutrition information-seeking behavior. Understanding motivations for seeking nutrition information can increase the efficacy of future nutrition education efforts. The present study aims to identify motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior among Belgian adults.MethodsIn-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 adults (n women = 15, n men = 4, n other = 1). Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed in NVivo 12 using inductive thematic analysis. The coding process involved open and axial coding combined with constant comparison to identify themes.ResultsThe interviews revealed a diverse spectrum of motivations for nutrition information-seeking behavior. Five categories of motivations centered on health management, cognitive needs, affective needs, social integrative needs, and personal identity. Participants indicated seeking nutrition information to regain a sense of control over their health and it also helped them express their autonomy. Additionally, participants sought nutrition information out of curiosity or out of a long-standing interest. Nutrition information-seeking was also used as a form of emotion regulation with participants actively engaging in seeking behavior to pursue enjoyment, diversion, confirmation, inspiration, and even relaxation. Furthermore, nutrition information-seeking enabled participants to meet social integrative needs by helping them connect to others, gather social support, help others, and sometimes convince others. Lastly, participants indicated a need for nutrition information to express or defend their identity.ConclusionsOur results indicate that beneath the surface of a more apparent need for nutrition information lies a range of motivations demonstrating that nutrition information serves more complex needs than simply information needs. To improve the efficacy of future nutrition education efforts, communication strategies must be tailored to a diverse range of motivations.

“How are We Going to Save Your Marriage?”: Exploring How Pastors Discuss Sexualized Media

ABSTRACT Media with sexual content is highly prevalent in the current media landscape and demonstrably negatively affects viewers’ mental health. Past research has examined how parental mediation of this type of content can help reduce negative media effects of sexualized media content. This qualitative interview study adds to the understanding of how pastors perceive sexualized media, their experiences with it, and how they recommend their parishioners to engage or not engage with it. The findings are discussed in relation to parental mediation theorizing as well as previous pastor-parishioner communication literature.

Snapshots from an information war: Propaganda, intertextuality, and audience design in the Russia–Ukraine conflict

This article argues for a novel conceptualization of propaganda as powerful (multimodal) discourse and forms of sociocultural practice that are both vertical (from elite actors to the populace) and horizontal (originating from and/or circulating among popular actors). Drawing upon the concept of audience design, the article examines the use of intertextuality and affective rhetoric as tactical resources in a set of political performances delivered during the first phase of the Russia–Ukraine war (March 2022) that erupted following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Through critical discourse analysis of political speeches delivered by the war leaders of Ukraine and the US, as well as multimodal analysis of two social media videos, it is shown that discursive aspects of the information war include meticulous audience design through intertextual references that achieve “cultural resonance” with western media, while also leveraging the affective domain, through carefully framed emotional appeals targeted at multiple audiences. The article calls attention to the role of online news for recontextualizing and amplifying key messages from these political performances as a key aspect of propaganda, and offers insights into the rhetorical construction of strategic narratives during information war in the current diverse and hybrid media landscape.

No secrets between the two of us: Privacy concerns over using AI agents.

The diverse spread of artificial intelligence (AI) agents provides evidence of the most notable changes in the current media landscape. AI agents mostly function based on voluntary and involuntary sharing of users’ personal information. Accordingly, users’ privacy concerns have become key to understanding the varied psychological responses towards AI agents. In this study, we adopt the “computers are social actors” paradigm to identify the association between a set of relational variables—intimacy, para-social interactions, and social presence—and privacy concerns and to determine whether a user’s motivations moderate this relationship. The results from an online survey (N = 562) revealed that this occurs primarily to gratify three AI agent user needs: entertainment motivation, instrumental motivation, and passing time. The results also confirmed that social presence and intimacy significantly influence users’ privacy concerns. These results support the moderating effect of both entertainment and instrumental motivation on the relationship between intimacy, para-social interaction, social presence, and privacy concerns about using AI agents. Further implications for privacy concerns in the context of AI-mediated communications are discussed.