Intense Media Coverage Research Articles

Thresholds of In/Visibility and the Scopic Power of Literature

Abstract In recent years the trope of invisibility has emerged as a critical concept in the humanities; initially associated with the issue of racial invisibility, it has been applied to all forms of marginalisation, be they racial, social, or political. Today, the context of hypervisibility, which results from intensive media coverage of certain events, has made discussing invisibility paradoxical. This article seeks to reassess invisibility as a key concept in the humanities and discusses the scopic power of literature to make the unseen visible. This will be approached via discussion of contemporary narratives dealing with disappearance and loss, with a particular focus on the literature of the middle passage.

CEO media coverage and cash holdings

Utilising a unique hand-collected dataset, this paper examines the relationship between media coverage of chief executive officers (CEOs) and cash holding. Using a sample of all stocks listed on the S&P 500 over the period 2005–2020, we find a positive and significant relationship between CEO media coverage and cash holdings. Our additional analyses demonstrate that CEO mobility and firm age positively moderate the relationship between CEO media coverage and corporate cash holdings, whereas CEO reputational capital and CEO tenure negatively moderate this relationship. This implies that CEOs with intensive media coverage tend to hold more cash than those with non-intensive media coverage because the media pays more attention to covering reputed CEOs who are characterised by great potential. Therefore, those with intensive media coverage hold more cash because they have more to lose in terms of future career outlook and financial incentives, especially since their reputations are fragile and easily damaged.

COVID-19 in Portugal: A Pandemic Redesigned by the Media

The news media in Portugal played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing people with important and up-to-date health information. However, the number of news reports did not always correspond to the severity of the pandemic. There was significant media attention at the beginning of the pandemic (in early 2020), but media coverage soon declined, and the Portuguese media began to report on a greater diversity of topics. The present study assessed the evolution of news reports in Portugal during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic by analysis of epidemiological data (cases, deaths, and hospitalizations) and television news lineups from the three major generalist television channels, RTP1, SIC, TVI. The study period was from March 2020 (when the first lockdown was instituted) to March 2021 (when there was the second gradual withdrawal of restrictions). Our results indicated that there was intense media coverage of COVID-19 during the first phase of the pandemic, even though epidemiological data showed there was not a severe health crisis at that time. However, the number of news stories about the pandemic soon declined, and this number was much lower during the worst period of the pandemic. Hence, the intensity of coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Portuguese media provided a distorted image of the actual pandemic. All things considered, we strongly advise for the inclusion of a communication plan that would help address future health emergency crisis. All things considered, we recommend that in future health crisis there is a planned communication strategy that takes into account media relations.

The historical coverage of televised media events in print media: The Case of the Eurovision Song Contest

This study argues that, historically, televised media events managed to become prominent in the public agenda, not only through their live broadcast on television, but also through their long-term, continuous visibility in the print media. This, both on the level of the intensity of their press coverage; and also on the level of their framing as important and significant events for society. In other words, media events have enabled a content-based “coexistence” between print media and television. Through a thematic-qualitative analysis, the study describes how two Israeli, popular and elite newspapers promoted the public discourse on two of the most famous media events in Israel’s history: the 1979 and 1999 Eurovision Song Contests in Jerusalem. Findings reveal an intensive print media coverage of the two shows, from both “soft” (gossip) and “hard” (politics) perspectives. In addition, differences were found in the historical coverage of the contests in popular newspapers, compared to elite ones.

Firm-level media news, bank loans, and the role of institutional environments

Employing an international sample of bank loans from 37 countries, we find that both borrowers' intensive media coverage and positive media sentiment reduce the interest rate spreads on bank loans. In syndicated lending, positive media sentiment increases the likelihood of a non-relationship bank leading or participating in a loan syndicate and decreases the loan share of the lead arranger. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the negative impact of media news on loan spreads is more pronounced in countries with better financial information and governance environments, a higher representation of privately owned media, and lower government control of banks. These findings underscore the significance of media coverage and sentiment in shaping the costs of bank loans worldwide.

Increasing emergency number utilisation is not driven by low-acuity calls: an observational study of 1.5 million emergency calls (2018–2021) from Berlin

BackgroundThe Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in Germany is increasingly challenged by strongly rising demand. Speculations about a greater utilisation for minor cases have led to intensive media coverage, but empirical evidence is lacking. We investigated the development of low-acuity calls from 2018 to 2021 in the federal state of Berlin and its correlations with sociodemographic characteristics.MethodsWe analysed over 1.5 million call documentations including medical dispatch codes, age, location and time using descriptive and inferential statistics and multivariate binary logistic regression. We defined a code list to classify low-acuity calls and merged the dataset with sociodemographic indicators and data on population density.ResultsThe number of emergency calls (phone number 112 in Germany) increased by 9.1% from 2018 to 2021; however, the proportion of low-acuity calls did not increase. The regression model shows higher odds of low-acuity for young to medium age groups (especially for age 0–9, OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.45–1.55]; age 10–19, OR 1.77 [95% CI 1.71–1.83]; age 20–29, OR 1.64 [95% CI 1.59–1.68] and age 30–39, OR 1.40 [95% CI 1.37–1.44]; p < 0.001, reference group 80–89) and for females (OR 1.12 [95% CI 1.1–1.13], p < 0.001). Odds were slightly higher for calls from a neighbourhood with lower social status (OR 1.01 per index unit increase [95% CI 1.0–1.01], p < 0.05) and at the weekend (OR 1.02 [95% CI 1.0–1.04, p < 0.05]). No significant association of the call volume with population density was detected.ConclusionsThis analysis provides valuable new insights into pre-hospital emergency care. Low-acuity calls were not the primary driver of increased EMS utilisation in Berlin. Younger age is the strongest predictor for low-acuity calls in the model. The association with female gender is significant, while socially deprived neighbourhoods play a minor role. No statistically significant differences in call volume between densely and less densely populated regions were detected. The results can inform the EMS in future resource planning.

Fókuszban a gyermek: A gyermekek érdekét sértő bűncselekmények büntetéskiszabási gyakorlata

Összefoglalás. A KDP keretén belül lefolytatott kutatómunkám magját a gyermekek érdekét sértő, valamint a család elleni bűncselekmények képezték. Kutatásom nóvuma a gyakorlati oldalban rejlett, egy egyedi szellemi terméket létrehozva az országos, illetőleg a Fővárosra kiterjedő aktavizsgálataim révén. Jelen írásom – mely tulajdonképpen a lefolytatott kétéves kutatásom rövid összefoglalójaként fogható fel – alapvetően a kutatási eredményeimre épít, így az – a jogerős ítéleteken keresztül – bemutatja a magyar helyzetképet, kiemelt figyelmet szentelve a büntetéskiszabási gyakorlatnak, valamint az arra hatást gyakorló tényezőknek. Summary. This is to summarise the main ideas and findings of my two-year research that I have conducted in the framework of the Cooperative Doctoral Program. One of the key goals of my research was to draw attention to the necessity of the increased criminal law protection of families, and especially of minors, and also, to provide a comprehensive view of how, by applying what means and how efficiently, this group of society can be protected through the application of the currently effective rules, i.e., mainly criminal substantive law and criminal procedural law. I think that the criminal law protection of the family is undisputedly a hot issue: just to take a look at the intensive media coverage of this topic. The protection of children in the family as a social unit should be paid special attention to, as they are in an especially vulnerable position. The effective Criminal Code (Act C of 2012, Btk) essentially broke with the regulatory scheme in the Criminal Code of 1978, which discussed the provisions aimed at the protection of children and families in the same chapter as the delinquencies against sexual morality, as now it deals with these in a separate chapter (Chapter XX). The core of my research was basically Chapter XX of the Criminal Code, which deals with the crimes that violate the interests of children and that are committed against the family, however, I attached primary importance to the former. The following is meant by delinquencies that violate the interests of children: the endangering of minors, child labour, preventing the exercise of visitation rights with a minor, changing a minor’s custody; while the following statutory definitions will qualify as crimes against the family: failure to observe the maintenance obligation, domestic violence, violation of family legal status, bigamy. Both regarding the crimes that violate children’s interests and those that are against the family, it was my goal to conduct an in-depth dogmatic analysis, in order to explore the theoretical side of delinquencies in question as comprehensively as possible. However, the major novelty of my research lay in the practical aspect, where I exclusively focused on the crimes that violate the interests of children, creating a unique intellectual product based on my case-file analysis on the national and Budapest levels, as thus, I had the opportunity to examine this scope of crimes and the related legal practices from a pretty broad perspective. This short article, which is basically a brief summary of the research that I conducted for two years, is fundamentally built on my research findings, which are primarily practical conclusions. I have presented the Hungarian situation through the binding court decisions, drawing special attention to the Hungarian sentencing practices and the factors that affect these.

Royalty, Celebrity, and the Press in Georgian Britain, 1770-1820

This article argues that the British press created a sense of celebrity around the royal family in the late eighteenth century by providing the British public with extensive information on the private lives of royalty. Analysing newspaper articles and printed images, it examines three case studies from the period: scandalous royal romances, the madness of George III, and the tragic death of a princess. These case studies highlight the increasing exposition of the private as well as public and political aspects of royalty at the intersection of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The article explores how intense media coverage of private royal matters created a discernible culture of “modern celebrity” in relation to the royal family in this era, a culture which ran counter to the official, traditional image of the monarchy. It considers the extent to which this media coverage forged emotional connections between the royal family and the British public, as well as examining the negative impact that media exposure could have on perceptions of the monarchy.

An “ethnically unique” athlete: An analysis of media representations of Jeremy Lin during the 2010–2011 and 2016–2017 NBA seasons

Jeremy Lin, an Asian American basketball player, achieved his meteoric stardom by giving outstanding performances and leading the Knicks to constant wins. Intense media coverage and scholarly work about Lin had been done during this starring time, while this research focuses on media representations of Lin during regular seasons. This article employs textual analysis and examines 461 articles from the first and last NBA seasons Lin played. The thematic analysis shows media representations of Lin became more diverse while rarely using racialized narratives. However, untrust and low expectations of Asian American masculinity are discovered in the analysis. In addition, stereotypical narratives such as “see someone Asian, say something Asian,” and the model minority myth beautify stereotypical impressions of Asian Americans and exacerbate their “otherness.” Such flattering compliments embedded in media coverage obfuscate Asian American identity, making it more difficult for them to prove their personality and masculinity. Although the media create and maintain hegemonic masculinity and stereotypes, they are also powerful to break down prejudice and discrimination and reshape people’s impressions of Asian American athletes, and even their whole community.

ESG Issues and Career Prospects of Directors: Evidence from the International Director Labor Market

AbstractUsing an international sample of firms, we investigate the career prospects of directors of firms experiencing negative ESG issues. By tracking the same director at the same firm over time, we document a significant drop in seats held at other public firms’ boards following intense negative media coverage of an ESG problem occurring at a given director's focal firm. Losses of seats at other firms are concentrated among executive directors, among directors of firms located in countries with high environmental and social norms, and among directors of firms located in countries with bank‐based systems. Nonexecutive directors and directors of firms located in less stakeholder‐oriented countries are not penalized for ESG issues by the director labor market.

Mass Media Influence on the Rapid Rise of Climate Change

Abstract When a political issue rises to the top of the public agenda, it puts pressure on decision-makers, shifts power to actors engaging with the issue, and opens a window of opportunity. This article shows that online mass media contributed to the rapid rise of climate change on European public agendas in and around 2019. It also suggests that climate issue publics, that is particularly concerned and interested citizens, were influenced most. Conversely, citizens without strong climate opinions are not subject to influence from intensive media coverage. The results come from vector autoregression (VAR) models that take advantage of unique daily salience time series. The time series are constructed from weekly repeated nationally representative surveys of the public (N = 25,445) and online news articles (N = 6,905) by a dominant mass media news outlet that boasts a particularly large, trustful, and diverse audience. Traditional mass media can retain a powerful agenda-setting role even in increasingly fragmented media environments. But the target of their influence depends on the issue and the composition of corresponding issue publics, plausibly due in part to individual differences in use and processing of information about the issue.

A Kurdish al-Qaida? Making Sense of the Ansar al-Islam Movement in Iraqi Kurdistan in the Early 2000s

Initially construed as the vital link between Saddam Husayn’s Iraq and al-Qaida in the runup to the Iraq war, the Ansar al-Islam (AI) group formed in Iraqi Kurdistan in December 2001 has been the subject of intense debate and huge media coverage. In academic research, however, its history, evolution and affiliation have received surprisingly little academic scrutiny. Commonly depicted as an al-Qaida affiliated group or a sub-group controlled by al-Qaida’s emerging organization in Iraq (AQI), the AI group should—this article argues—instead be understood as a strong independent-minded group with an ideology and operational pattern distinct from that of AQI. Although sharing many commonalities, the AI and AQI became de facto rivals, not allies. Contrary to accepted wisdom, the AI and its first successor group remained a distinct Salafi-jihadi insurgent group largely focused on fighting ‘the near enemy’, i.e., Kurdish and Iraqi authorities. It strongly resisted repeated calls for joining al-Qaida’s new umbrella organization in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) in 2006, and it paid no homage to AQI’s or ISI’s leaders. Also on the international level, the groups were fundamentally different. As opposed to al-Qaida’s terrorist plotting abroad, the AI’s international network were hierarchical structures, geared towards raising logistical and financial support as well as recruitment. The article highlights the need for greater attention to the complexities and nuances in patterns of contacts and cooperation between militant Islamist extremists. Informed by the growing scholarship on the multifaceted nature of contemporary jihadism, its numerous manifestations in local settings, and its strong internal rifts, this paper seeks to redress the early reductionist portrayal of the AI movement.

SAD but True: Species Awareness Disparity in Bees Is a Result of Bee-Less Biology Lessons in Germany

Bee and insect mortality has recently moved to the forefront of current nature conservation debates and experiences intensive media coverage worldwide. In order to understand the complexity, it is necessary to raise awareness of the diversity of bees. This study investigated whether students are aware of the species diversity of bees. We are guided by the concept of ‘plant blindness’ and show that it cannot be assumed that people are only ’plant-blind’. Therefore, we introduce the concept of Species Awareness Disparity (SAD) in bees to describe a phenomenon which can be defined as the failure to appreciate the significance of wild bee species and the inability to distinguish between individual species of the Apidae family. A total of 421 German students in grades 5–7 participated. The majority of students did not associate a diversity of species with the term ‘wild bee’ but rather consider the honeybee as the bee. Only 2.7% (N = 421) of the students were able to correctly identify pictures of wild bees and the honeybee. This highlights the importance of educating students about the identity and nature of bees in their environment so that they become aware of their meaning from both a personal and an ecological perspective.

The impact of climate change awareness on behavioral changes in Germany: changing minds or changing behavior?

BackgroundThe increasing frequency of extreme weather events across the globe, the intensifying international debates about the political urgency to mitigate climate change, as well as the respective more action demanding social movements have caused a significant increase in climate change awareness among the population. Little research, however, has systematically analyzed the behavioral impact of this development. Using Germany as a case study, we therefore scrutinize whether the recent increase in climate change awareness triggered mainly changes in public perceptions concerning environmental and sustainability issues or whether it has led to sustainable behavioral shifts. Based on previous research, we considered two routes through which an increase in climate change awareness can instigate changes: (a) directly by leading to behavioral changes towards more sustainable consumption decisions, or (b) indirectly by exerting pressure on the political process.ResultsThe analyzed data in the three consumption sectors of mobility, food consumption and housing confirm the continuing prevalence of an attitude–behavior gap: although there is a broad, strongly positive attitude towards climate protection and increasingly high problem awareness of climate change, so far this attitude does not immediately translate into notable behavioral changes. With regard to effects on political agenda setting, however, the effects are much more immediate. The results confirm strong pressure on the political process mainly through shifts in voter behavior.ConclusionsThe results show that the increase in climate change awareness has spurred dynamics in the debate around climate change both among the population and in the political realm. Fueled by the intense media coverage of the Fridays For Future movement and related activities, a snowball effect has been set off, opening a window of opportunity for significant shifts towards more effective and rigorous climate policies. Politicians and decision-makers now have the opportunity to implement sustainability measures with strong support of the population, even if these imply higher costs. Whether there will be further shifts in the current lifestyle towards a more sustainable one, lifestyle changes should be carefully monitored in the coming years, as relevant data are only now becoming available.

Learning about climate politics during COP 21: Explaining a diminishing knowledge gap.

A basic understanding of climate politics is necessary for citizens to assess their government’s policies. Media use is supposed to enable learning, while widening knowledge gaps. We analyze whether such a gap opened up in times of intense media coverage during the 2015 climate conference in Paris and explain learning through hierarchical regression analyses, drawing on a 3-month panel survey (n = 1121) in Germany. We find a diminishing knowledge gap: people with low previous knowledge catch up on the better informed, but overall knowledge remained low and learning was limited. This suggests a ceiling effect: possibly journalistic media did not provide enough new information for the well-informed. Closing knowledge gaps may also be explained by the media system with public television and regional newspapers reaching broad segments of the population. Higher knowledge was predicted less by media use than by education, concern, and being male.

Redefining journalism narratives, distribution strategies, and user involvement based on innovation in digital native media

Digital journalism is seeking to redefine its role in the communicative ecosystem in the network society of the third decade of the 21st century. This has been made through innovation processes that entail renewed narratives and formats, greater user involvement, and advanced dissemination strategies. Thousands of digital native media, most of which have come to prominence in last ten years, have undertaken this process of adaptation and reinvention. It has happened during a period of intense media coverage and constant technological changes. Based on the most recent research in the journalistic field, and on an empirical study of the most innovative digital native media within reach from an international perspective (n = 26; 20 digital native media + 6 traditional newspapers), this text reflects on current trends and the likely consequences of the changes underway within journalism, the journalistic profession, and research in the journalistic field. The results are structured according to the three assessed areas: mobile narratives, diffusion strategies, and user involvement.

Zaštitini faktori ličnosti za stres kod starih osoba tokom pandemije COVID-19 virusa - studija preseka

Background/Aim. One of the anti-epidemic measures in the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 in Serbia was the mandatory complete ban on movement for people over 65 years of age. Two main stress factors affecting their health have been identified: intensive media coverage of the new disease and total physical and even social isolation of the elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate impact of these anti-epidemic measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia on the health of people over 65 years old and to recognize protective factors for their health in the conditions of their obligatory isolation. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted on a 20‰ sample of inhabitants over 65 (184 in total) in the urban part of the city of Kruševac, in the central part of Serbia, during April and May 2020. Results. Anti-epidemic measures to combat the COVID-19 epidemic have been associated with deteriorating health in a significantly large proportion of the elderly in the sample (approximately 84%), such as unreasonable fatigue, tension, difficulties performing routine activities due to immobility, concerns, sleeping disorders, and hypertensive episodes. Gender, higher education, and material status were not related to protection and emotional well-being, but some personality factors are related to stress resilience. Conclusion. The protective personality factors for health are the respondents' inclination toward hope, having a purpose in life, faith, optimism, interest, as well a high appreciation of positive emotions in the respondent's life (love, joy, enthusiasm, closeness, and belonging) and having a fulfilled emotional life.

‘This bloody rona!’: using the digital story completion method and thematic analysis to explore the mental health impacts of COVID-19 in Australia

ObjectiveTo use the digital story completion method to prompt participants to describe thoughts, fears and mental health experiences in response to a story stem about COVID-19, to capture a specific...

Why Indigenous Canadians on reserves are reluctant to complain about the police

Recent widespread protests and intensive media coverage of actual and alleged acts of police misconduct against members of vulnerable populations (e.g., Indigenous and racialized persons, mentally ill and/or addicted persons) overrepresented in the criminal justice system have renewed interest internationally in the factors influencing civilian complaints against police. In Canada, a major concern exists regarding how Indigenous persons who feel improperly treated by the police perceive and confront barriers to making formal complaints about such treatment. This study focuses on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the police agency providing services to the majority of rural and northern reserve communities. Our survey and interviews with influential “community informants” (in this instance community court workers) with intimate knowledge of such local communities, shared culture and language, and vicarious appreciation of the experiences of community members support the view that Indigenous persons do encounter significant barriers to launching formal complaints and are consistent with other research literature. We discuss our findings, raise policy considerations for decision makers such as police leaders and police complaints bodies, and outline implications for future research.

The effect of the CEO media coverage on corporate brand equity: evidence from Poland

Research background: Despite increased attention in the literature to the importance of the CEO?s brand for companies, understanding of the effect of the CEO brand on the corporate brand remains limited. To contribute to this discussion, this paper investigates different facets of the impact of the CEO brand, and particularly its media coverage, on corporate brand equity.&#x0D; Purpose of the article: This study investigates the relationship between the different aspects of the CEO brand?s media coverage and corporate brand equity.&#x0D; Methods: Comprehensive media monitoring in the press and online sourcing of CEOs from the strongest Polish brands were conducted. For three years (2014?2017), media monitoring covered 81 CEOs, resulting in over 44,000 data points for this study. Regression analysis was conducted to determine whether a relationship exists between different facets of the CEO?s personal brand and company brand equity.&#x0D; Findings &amp; value added: This study provides a new perspective on the relationship between the CEO and corporate brands and showcases empirical evidence of the CEO brand?s relationship with corporate brand equity. It introduces two relevant and novel variables (CEO brand reach and CEO brand advertising value equivalent [AVE]) to the literature, which have been limited to the number of mentions and its sentiment. Accordingly, this study contributes to the emerging literature of CEO branding within the branding field. Contrary to expectation, the intensity of media coverage alone was not significant. Results indicate that reach and AVE of CEO media exposure are reflected in the corporate brand equity. The study also finds that negative sentiment toward a CEO?s brand negatively affects corporate brand equity. The study adds to the growing stream of literature on the role of CEO brand.