Informal Media Research Articles

Linking perceived political network homogeneity with political social media use via perceived social media news credibility

ABSTRACT In this hyperpartisan political landscape, scholars have emphasized the importance of examining how perceptions of political network homogeneity on social media affect political outcomes. However, little research has examined how perceived news credibility mediates the relationship between perceived political network homogeneity and political social media use. Social media platforms aggregate and display news items from many sources, enabling people to make generalized judgments about the overall credibility of news items. Research has suggested that perceived political network homogeneity can bias such collective news credibility judgments. In turn, such credibility perceptions can affect political social media use. Lagged and autoregressive analyses of panel survey data gathered in 2012 and 2016 consistently show that perceived news credibility mediates the positive relationship between perceived political network homogeneity and expressive but not informational political social media use. Perceived political network homogeneity positively predicted news credibility, which in turn increased expressive political social media use. Furthermore, I show that the indirect effects outlined above tend to be stronger among Democrats than Republicans.

SMM-продвижение услуг дополнительного образования в аспекте профессиональной ориентации школьников

The article shows a number of problems of modern Russian education and outlines ways to solve them through additional education, which allows you to implement the professional orientation of schoolchildren. To select additional education courses, the younger generation turns, first of all, to Internet resources, often to social networks. SMM promotion technology can be applied in the field of education to popularize scientific knowledge, attract and inform consumers of educational services. The purpose of the article is to describe the effective experience of SMM-promotion of additional education services in the aspect of professional orientation for schoolchildren on the VKontakte social network. The functionality of this social network allows you to create conversations, thematic groups and place informational messages and educational media content in them. The article describes the community "Physico-mathematical school" Quantum"", representing the school of the same name, operating on the basis of physical and mathematical faculty of the federal state budgetary educational institution of higher education "Mordovian State Pedagogical Institute named after M. Ye Evseveva".

“Counting” Informal Media Industries

“Counting” Informal Media Industries

What fosters environmental engagement in China? Exploring the underlying pathways using the O-S-R-O-R model

ABSTRACT Building on the O-S-R-O-R framework, this study proposes the environmental communication mediation model and examines the formations of environmental engagement behavior in China. Analyzing data from the 2013 China General Social Survey (N = 11,438), this study shows that informational media use impacts environmental engagement both directly and indirectly through environmental discussion, environmental knowledge and external environmental efficacy. Findings also reveal a spillover effect between green purchasing behavior and environmental citizenship behavior. In addition, the results highlight the varied pathways from informational media use to the two types of environmental engagement across Eastern, Central, and Western China. The theoretical model developed in this study provides a coherent framework to understand the mechanisms of environmental engagement. It also enhances the external validity of the O-S-R-O-R model by extending it to the field of environmental communication. Lastly, the findings of the study underscore the role of contextual factors in shaping media use and its effects at the individual level.

Заголовки текстов СМИ как инструмент обучения РКИ в координатах медиаобразования

В статье с позиций медиаобразования рассматривается специфика заголовков медиатекстов в качестве инструментов для обучения будущих журналистов русскому языку как иностранному. В ходе изучения заголовков информационных медиатекстов уточняется значение заголовочных лингвокультурных коннотаций, а также особенности их коммуникативных и прагматических функций в аспекте формирования информационного контента и его распознавания массовой аудиторией. В работе впервые представлены результаты анализа лингвокультурного потенциала заголовков печатных медиатекстов современной российской прессы в качестве актуального методического материала для международного журналистского образования. Также дается оценка роли, места и значимости лингвокультурно обусловленных заголовков медиатекстов с точки зрения их использования при обучении смыслоформированию и смыслопониманию. Подтверждается гипотеза о том, что в ситуации расширения сферы общественного воздействия СМИ, результатом которого становится всеобщая медиатизация, преподавание русского языка как иностранного также попадает в зону интересов медиаобразования, а лингвокультурная лексика становится значимым компонентом общественно-политической лексики при обучении иностранных студентов как восприятию, так и созданию журналистских текстов и работе со СМИ.

The empowerment of singleton daughters: exploring the gender digital divide among Chinese college students

PurposeExisting researches find that a gender difference exists in terms of Internet usage. In China, the singleton daughters resulting from China's one-child policy enjoy unprecedented parental support. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether singleton daughters can, to some extent, break through the predicament of the digital divide.Design/methodology/approachThe study collected data from a sample of 865 college students and obtained 811 valid questionnaires. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is used to identify clusters of Internet usage from the perspective of statistical associations in various daily online activities. Two-way ANOVA and mean-comparison tests are used to analyze how singleton and non-singleton students use the Internet differently.FindingsThis study finds that singleton female students showed no significant differences from male students in aspirational activities of informational, educational use and social media use, which means that singleton female students have caught up with male students in these activities. However, female college students from multi-child families were still found to be disadvantaged in those activities.Originality/valueThere is a lack of consensus on the classification of Internet activities. We used EFA to cluster the varieties of Internet activities into three types: utilitarian use, exploratory use and aspirational use. The three identified types of Internet usage require different degrees of user initiative. We argue that initiative provides a useful lens through which to classify Internet usage. In addition, this study is among the few studies to investigate the impact of the one-child policy on the gender digital divide.

Extending media system dependency theory to informational media use and environmentalism: A cross-national study

The present study applies media system dependency theory to explore how informational media use was associated with two dimensions of environmentalism: the willingness to pay for environmental protection, and environmental citizenship (participating in pro-environmental activities). It also examines how this association varies across structural-level environmental, technological, and political factors. Multilevel models derived from two waves of the World Values Survey implemented in 68 countries revealed that informational media use was positively associated with environmentalism. The effects of informational media usage at individual level on environmentalism were further moderated by country-level factors. Information media use casted greater impacts on environmentalism when the information and communication infrastructure was better developed, or where the real-world environmental situation was worse.

NON-FORMAL EDUCATION OF EDUCATORS IN MEDIA CENTERS OF LEADING EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: EDUCATIONAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ASPECT

Media literacy is recognized as a basic, vital skill for European citizens. It must be formed during life, at all stages of personality development. That is why we have chosen the leading European countries such as Finland, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain to analyze the current state of media education. Europe should be at the forefront of media literacy, as historically this region of the world has become the cradle of media civilization, a center for coordinating discussions of philosophical, cultural and technical development of the media. The article deals with the analysis of educational and methodical support of the European system of educators’ media education. The importance of media education of educators as the greatest agents of direct educational influence on the younger generation, whose media education is a requirement of the time, is revealed. The need for the development of non-formal and informal media education of educators is identified, as the media component can take place in any lesson and in extracurricular activities. Common components of the organization system of this process (participants, content, forms, methods, tools) are identified and educational and methodological resources are described, which are publicly available and can be useful to educators regardless of country of residence, citizenship or language.As a result of the research, we made the following conclusions: specialized centers offer a wide range of short-term training courses for teachers of various topics; forms of professional development in media education of teachers are different (distance courses, trainings, seminars, workshops, conferences, educational films, etc.); modern scientific, educational, methodical literature for teachers is available (monographs, professional journals, lesson plans, information packages); non-formal and informal preparation of teachers for media education activities is diverse in content, forms, means and methods, but remains fragmentary, not systematic, which does not allow to solve our issue comprehensively, and therefore it needs further development and critical analysis.

Лингвистический дизайн информационной медиакартины события в новостном формате

Лингвистический дизайн информационной медиакартины события в новостном формате

New Dimensions in Code-Mixing and the Sri Lankan Case: An Exploratory Study

Code-switching and code-mixing, two by-products of language contact situations, are widely used linguistic strategies, not only in informal conversational contexts but also in the informal media discourse. The reasons hitherto applicable for the mixing of codes seem non-relevant in some code-mixing situations today. This is true to certain segments of the Sri Lankan media context, too, in that the popular Sri Lankan commercial broadcasting media is accused by prescriptivist groups of making excessive use of code-mixing. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize and explore the seminal research articles available in the field of code alternation so as to better understand the Sri Lankan situation of code-switching and code-mixing, as practiced by its general bilingual populations and by the popular commercial media channels.

Social Media, Interrupted: Users Recounting Temporary Disconnection on Instagram

This article looks at the discourses of Instagram users about interrupting the use of social or digital media, through hashtags such as “socialmediadetox,” “offline,” or “disconnecttoreconnect.” We identified three predominant themes: posts announcing or recounting voluntary interruption, mostly as a positive experience associated to regaining control over time, social relationships, and their own well-being; others actively campaigning for this type of disconnection, attempting to convert others; and disconnection as a lifestyle choice, or marketing products by association with disconnection imaginary. These discourses reproduce other public discourses in asserting the self-regulation of the use of social media as a social norm, where social media users are responsible for their well-being and where interruption is conveyed as a valid way to achieve that end. They also reveal how digital disconnection and interruption is increasingly reintegrated on social media as lifestyle, in cynical and ironic ways, and commodified and co-opted by businesses, benefiting from—and ultimately contributing to—the continued economic success of the platform. As Hesselberth, Karppi, or Fish have argued in relation to other forms of disconnection, discourses about Instagram interruptions are thus not transformative but restorative of the informational capitalism social media are part of.

Air Quality and Employee Hygiene-related Behavior in a Post Anesthesia Care Unit in Thailand

Background:Airborne contaminants in Postanesthesia Care Units (PACUs) such as bacteria, fungi, and waste anesthetic gases pose serious, and sometimes fatal, risks to both patients and PACU workers. Numerous studies have linked long-term exposure to nitrous oxide and halogenated agents to, among other things, reproductive problems in PACU nurses and anesthesiologists. Microorganism contamination can result in a post-surgical complication, to which patients with diabetes and other respiratory diseases are especially vulnerable. Various researchers and governmental agencies have recommended hospitals take steps to reduce levels of airborne contaminants in PACUs. In particular, hazard communication programs are recommended to inform and train staff on relevant occupational health and safety procedures. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, experts recommend hospitals install specialized ventilation systems to maintain low levels of airborne pollutants.Objective:This study has two main parts: (1) measurement of airborne contaminants in the PACU at Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand; and (2) assessment of PACU workers’ perceived level of importance regarding occupational health and safety protocols,viaself-reporting survey. The study also has two main objectives: (1) to determine whether, and to what extent, a new ventilation system helps reduce airborne contaminants in the PACU; and (2) to discover whether an informational campaign increases perceived importance of health and safety procedures among PACU workers (i.e. handwashing, changing shoes, wearing proper facemasks).Methods:Surveys and air quality measurements were collected two times – in July 2016 and April 2017 – before and after Rajavithi Hospital implemented a hazard communication program consisting of training, posters, brochures, and informational media. Survey participants included all 64 PACU workers – 61 nurses and 3 anesthetists. Air sampling measured levels of bacteria, fungi, nitrous oxide, and desflurane.Results:Initial levels of airborne microorganisms were very high (1307CFU/m3for bacteria and 70.4 CFU/m3for fungi) and on the high end of normal for nitrous oxide (21.86ppm). Following the informational campaign and installation of the ventilation system, levels of bacterial contamination fell to 182 CFU/m3, and fungi fell to 35.8 CFU/m3. Simultaneously, workers’ levels of perceived importance for health and safety procedures increased.Conclusion:Both aspects of the study were successful, however, concentration of airborne microorganisms still exceeded recommended limits at the end of the study. Hospital administration and staff are encouraged to continue training and informing workers while assessing ventilation system until contamination levels fall to within internationally acceptable ranges.

Innovations in International Criminal Law Documentation Methodologies and Institutions

The conflict in Syria has become the most documented crime base in human history. Although the outside world was largely ignorant of the 1982 Hama massacre, information about today’s events on and off the Syrian battlefield is immediately disseminated around the globe through formal and informal media and social networks. From the beginning of the uprising, and in real-time, citizen journalists wielding smartphones from the grassroots began uploading videos and photographs of the revolution, the government’s crackdown, and the ensuing armed conflict at a rate never before seen in previous conflicts. Because the current information environment is increasingly internet-based and digital, human rights advocates have had to update their collection, storage, authentication, and analytical protocols. NGOs are thus exfiltrating regime documents, taking witness/victim testimonials remotely on new communications platforms, scrubbing social media sites for potential evidence, digitizing gigabytes of data that are then subjected to big-data and statistical analytical techniques, and securing potential evidence in encrypted digital vaults. These data are supporting classic human rights advocacy tools — naming and shaming exercises and the dissemination of damning human rights reports based upon moving accounts by victims. At the same time, multiple United Nations fact-finding efforts are also underway, at times with overlapping substantive mandates and employing varying methodologies. A new U.N. investigative mechanism created (not without controversy) by the General Assembly — the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism — is cataloging and collecting this data and rendering it increasingly useful for prosecutorial authorities. This chapter surveys current documentation efforts devoted to Syria and the various types of information being generated, preserved, and analyzed. It then surveys the various organizations — from the multilateral to the most local of levels — that have taken up the collection mantle, employing new technologies to amass and exploit these data with an eye towards eventually seeking justice, broadly defined. Importantly, this is an activity in support of justice that can be pursued, capacitated, and realized pre-transition, while a conflict is ongoing and even without a clear path to justice. Indeed, it is crucial to collect such potential evidence as quickly as possible before it can be hidden or tampered with or before it gets deliberately or inadvertently destroyed. Given the evolution of the conflict, and the degree to which territory has changed hands and reverted to regime control, certain sources of information that were available early in the conflict are no longer accessible, the strongest argument in favor of launching a documentation effort immediately once a conflict is underway and maintaining a continuous process throughout as best as possible. Together, these documentation projects have catalogued the commission in Syria of almost every type of war crime and crime against humanity known to humankind. The assumption is that this information will lay the groundwork for a whole range of transitional justice mechanisms — in the event that there is ever a transition. From the perspective of promoting more comprehensive criminal accountability, the challenge that awaits will be to transform these raw data into more structured information and then, ultimately, into admissible evidence. Because far-reaching justice may be years — or even decades — in the making, it is imperative that evidence of crimes being committed now is amassed in real time and preserved for when the time is ripe for justice and accountability in Syria. In the short term, all this documentation is contributing to episodic cases that are beginning to materialize extraterritorially in domestic courts around the globe. Indeed, these national efforts have emerged as the most promising avenue for justice.

Формирование навыков чтения у слушателей магистратуры по направлению подготовки «Международные отношения» (на материале статей СМИ)

We pay attention to the two competing trends within each functional style; note the ter-minological diversity when naming publicistic style. We analyze pragmatic and semantic peculiar-ities of the mass information language. We substantiate the expediency of using informational and analytical Mass Media texts as the linguistic material in classes with Master’s Degree Students in “International Relations” programme of Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. We pay attention to the professional and communicative competencies which should be acquired by students while mastering the “Foreign language of professional activity” discipline. We focus on the need to comply with meaningful and linguistic criteria in the selection of authentic texts for Master’s Degree Students. On the example of articles from the magazine “The Economist”, we consider the system of exercises and tasks for the professional-oriented reading skills development among students for more effective reading skills teaching. We differentiate the terms “exercise” and “task”, as well as “skim reading” and “reading for detail”. We substantiate the expediency of methodical processing of Mass Media texts in accordance with the linguistic level of Master’s Degree Students. We prove the necessity of system compliance of pre-text, text and after-text tasks and exercises based on the texts on the topic: “Migration: causes, problems and ways of solving it”. We give a generic list of tasks and exercises taking into account the three-stage system.

Внутріредакційні стандарти для спеціалізованих медіа: традиції і трансформації

The global trend for the professionalization of specialized media publishers with non-professional specialties is outlined in the direction of normalizing the principles of their editorial preparation. The basic feature and means of professionalization in publishing projects of amateurs is the observance and formalization of editorial regulations. Parameters of this regulation are primarily based on the requirements for the forms and rules of content publishing, indicating certain its style features and the ethical foundations of specialized media projects. According to the form, these regulations, respectively, are proposed to flexibly adapt to the communication platforms, the scale of communications and media concepts of publishers: they can acquire the form of a short media guide, and if necessary, expand into a full-fledged style-book. The consistent adherence to the editorial rules outlined there will, in effect, mean the institutionalization of specialized media released by users with non-core professional training. This will keep publishers identified from errors and mistakes in a spontaneous editorial policy, for which, during global digitization, there is a characteristic diffusion of cultural norms and media ethics. Blurry and non-articulation of the editorial’s work rules exposed informal media practice to an increasing number of pathogenic influences. In order to successfully withstand these influences, publishing neophytes in narrow mediums are invited to specify the basics of their more or less systematic editing content. The editorially arranged guidelines for data stream filtering and ethical post-truth content management should contain a certain set of generalizations on editorial preparation of materials in the following basic components: ‘General Publication Rules’, ‘Reasons for Publishing’, ‘Technical Rules for Designing publications’, ’Strategic rules of the media project (variants — concept, style ...)’, ‘Creative innovations in the project’, ‘Applications mode of the Latin’, ‘Rules of titling in publications’ etc. There may also be models for publishing publications (format descriptions) and methodical tips for writing materials in certain genres (replica, correspondence, note, business note, etc).

From aggressively formalised to intensely in/formalised: accounting for a wider range of videogame development practices

Beyond the dominant North American and Japanese console manufacturers and multinational publishers, the global videogame industry is fragmenting. New audiences, distribution platforms, and development tools are expanding the videogame industry into an ecosystem that is at once broadly global and intensely localised. Taking advantage of this nebulous environment are increasingly visible fringes of hobbyists, amateurs, students, and artists that are pushing videogame development in new directions in terms of aesthetics, design process, and distribution channels. The activities of these fringe creators represent a critical but undertheorised aspect of the videogame industry. This article builds on Lobato and Thomas’s notion of ‘informal media economies’ to suggest that the work of these fringes can be usefully considered as informal videogame development practices. It provides a historical look at the videogame industry that demonstrates how it transitioned from a period of aggressive formalisation through the 1980s to the early 2000s into a more intense intermingling of formal and informal actors and processes in the early 2010s. In doing so, this article traces the shifting conduits of creative practice, commerce, and power that these emerging informal practices represent so as to more fully account for the contemporary global videogame industry.

Sensory curation: theorizing media use for sensory regulation and implications for family media conflict

ABSTRACTMedia sensory curation theory, introduced here, complements theories of informational, emotional, and relational media gratifications. Sensory curation theory conceptualizes media devices as tools people use to help maintain sensory regulation by simultaneously capturing and curbing sensory input within built and natural environments. This article explicates the theory and introduces the Child and Adult Media Sensory Curation Inventories (MediaSCIs), separate measures of child and adult media sensory behaviors and preferences. A survey of 789 parents and adult caregivers of children ages 3 to 14 revealed moderate to strong correlations between general sensory processing and media sensory curation, validating the MediaSCIs. Controlling usage time, child media sensory curation strongly predicted problematic child media use and moderately predicted adult–child media conflict, which was four times as frequent among adult–child pairs with high MediaSCI scores than with low MediaSCI scores.

Influence of Political Socialization Agents on Pakistani Youth’s Political Participation: The Mediating Role of Media and Interpersonal Communication

Apathetic and disconnected from the political world, these are just two of the titles scientists, journalists and politicians have been attributing to youth. Hence, what factors weaken or encourage youth to participate in politics is forefront in academic and non-academic researches. Hence, in view of this context, the role of political socialization agents in engendering political activities among youth cannot be overstated. However, not much research is being carried out in this area. Thus, this study assessed the influence of family communicative environment and peer norms as political socialization agents on media and political participation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on social sciences students of Pakistani universities. Questionnaire (228) was used to collect data which were analyzed by using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that among other political socialization agents, peer norms was found to be more significant for youth’s media consumption and political behavior. In particular, results revealed that information consumption through traditional newspaper; TV and online newspaper led to political participation, centering political expression via interpersonal communication. Moreover, interpersonal communication is found to have direct influence on Pakistani youths political participation. This study provides an empirical justification for the potential of peer group as agent of political socialization for enhancing political activities among youth in Pakistan. Keywords: Political socialization, family, peer norms, informational media use, interpersonal communication, political participation.

The Development of Network and Media Culture In Youth Library Facilities

This study is focused on the activities of Ukrainian libraries for youth, as well their role in the development of informational and network media culture and media awareness amongst youth. Through monitoring of the reporting of youth libraries and content analysis of websites, blogs and social networking pages the existing library facilities in the creation of youth information networks and media culture were uncovered. Method of comparative analysis has allowed to compare the selected library facilities for the creation of youth informational networks and media culture with focus on the individual psychological characteristics of young people (during early and late adolescence) and specific features of the Ukrainian media education model. The existing methods and tools for the creation of information networks, and to enhance youth media competencies, relative to psychological and age-based factors were lighted. The possibility of adding libraries to the Ukrainian model of media education is also considered. Proved that one of the priorities, which require libraries to consolidate efforts, is a development of clear strategic actions in the network of youth libraries and the creation of networked information and media culture and to ensure this activity isn't chaotic, but purposeful and well organized.

Role of the marathon event as a disaster reconstruction project in the three Tohoku prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima)

In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami took many lives and caused great damage. After the earthquake, various disaster reconstruction projects were conducted in the sports realm. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of marathon events held as disaster reconstruction projects in the Tohoku area’s three prefectures (Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima). Data were collected from informational media in terms of participants’comments and as an overview of each marathon event. Main results were as follows: 1) After the earthquake, the marathon event’s title changed to include “disaster reconstruction,” and programs increased. Furthermore, the event proceeded with fund-raising activities and field trips to the disaster area. 2) The number of marathon events increased. After the earthquake, marathon events characterized by “competition of orientation,” “region PR,” and “earthquake reconstruction” were held in three prefectures. 3) Comments related to “earthquake” and “reconstruction” in the disaster environment’s context were extracted from runners. Therefore, marathon events were disaster reconstruction projects with the role of transmitting, through participants and media, the afflicted area’s reconstruction situation to people inside and outside the three prefectures.