Mainstream News Media Research Articles

Provoking Gut-Level Reactions: A Study on Journalistic Framing During the 2020 Meatpacking Crisis

ABSTRACT This study investigates news frames used by mainstream news media in the United States to portray the 2020 meatpacking crisis. By integrating framing and animal standpoint theory, it reveals the mechanisms that perpetuate social ignorance about daily practices within the meat industry, particularly those that exclude the perspectives of farmed animals. Through an engagement with intersectional ecofeminism and Critical Animal and Media Studies (CAMS), the investigation probes the cyclical patterns of violence inflicted upon farmed animals in the meat industry as portrayed by news outlets, a phenomenon that simultaneously impacts marginalized human communities. The inclusion of farmed animals as news sources in journalism is discussed as a prescriptive approach to remedy social ignorance on animal agriculture news.

The construction of English ecological discourse system in cognitive linguistics applicable to semantic association network model

Abstract Based on the features and knowledge elements of the semantic network, this paper proposes a formal model of the semantic network of English ecological discourse and constructs an abstract description based on classification learners and reduced operation commands. In the formal description, the semantic features are extracted based on the sequence model, the text composition is completed based on the word relationship for the adaptive semantic network, and the hierarchical structure of the semantic network is constructed. By selecting English ecological news discourse data from mainstream news media in the United Kingdom and the United States and combining it with the adaptive semantic network, the subject of the discourse system is determined, and the characteristics of the title tone and modal verbs are analyzed. English ecological discourse has 115,000 modal verbs. Low-modal verbs reached 993,000, and high-modal verbs accounted for the smallest proportion, 516,000. The ecological characteristics of English news are revealed through the ecological discourse analysis of this paper.

Dada in the Underground: linkeck and West Berlin’s Anti-Authoritarian Newspapers, 1968–69

Abstract This article explores the importance of periodicals for the 1960s protest movements in West Germany. It opens with the significance of both mainstream news media and New Left journals. Attention then turns to a different class of periodical, the anti-authoritarian underground newspaper, examined here through one emblematic example, linkeck [leftangle], which was produced in a centre of revolt, West Berlin, in 1968–69. While linkeck had limited circulation and was short-lived, it achieved notoriety and gave rise to a series of successors. To understand linkeck’s impact and meanings, this article comments on its origins in an anti-authoritarian commune and its philosophy on work, politics and relationships; its ephemerality; its influences and interests; its distinctive style and its conflicts with the law. In conclusion, the essay argues that linkeck epitomizes anti-authoritarian themes and form, and that periodicals were the movements’ most characteristic genre. Throughout, the essay also considers key resonances between linkeck and earlier twentieth-century (anti-)artistic avant-gardes, notably Dada.

A critical discourse analysis of the representation of Ukrainian refugees across the British mainstream news media

This research investigates the dominant rhetorical/ discursive strategies in the British mainstream news media regarding their reports on Ukrainian refugees in the United Kingdom (UK). While news media have negatively constructed the non-European refugees, as previous studies have revealed, this research is unique because it specifically focuses on European refugees as its research sample. The ultimate objective was to demonstrate how the news media in the UK portrayed the incoming Ukrainian refugees on British soil. The data were 40 Ukrainian-refugee-related news reports published in four mainstream news media in the UK from March until July 2022. The data was then analysed by using Wodak’s Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), consisting of six analytical categories: Referential, Predication, Argumentation (Topoi), Perspectivisation, Mitigation, and Intensification (Reisigl Wodak, 2008). The research found that regardless of their ideologies, all four news media consistently employed the discursive strategies of humanization and individualization and pervasively established a positive argumentative strategy on Ukrainian refugees. These dominant strategies depict a positive representation of Ukrainian refugees. Moreover, despite the overall negative picture of third-world refugees in British news media, the finding of this research is distinctive from the previous ones, showing that the British news media actively constructed the Ukrainian refugees positively and sympathetically. It is argued that the news media’s ideological stance of Eurocentrism and biased racial values played a decisive role in framing the pictures of European/Ukrainian and non-European refugees in their reports.

Making the invisible visible: examining Black women in Black Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was created by three women in 2013 after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the murder of teenager Trayvon Martin. Since inception, BLM has gained national attention through its organization of and participation in numerous social movement activities, many of which have been driven by Black women. However, previous research and the persistent existence of racism and sexism indicate that Black women may be marginalized and made invisible within mainstream news media that discusses social movement activities. Mass media continues to be a powerful agent of socialization within society; therefore, it is critical to examine how various forms of media portrays different groups. The current paper examines how newspaper media portrays Black women engaged in Black Lives Matter movement activities. We utilize content analysis to analyze 645 newspaper articles that discuss BLM. We use intersectional inequality along with Patricia Hill Collins' controlling images as guiding theoretical frameworks to analyze our data and interpret the findings. Overall, findings show that Black women are largely invisible within newspaper articles discussing Black Lives Matter. This occurs in a variety of ways, such as focusing on protester response to police violence against Black men and using gender-neutral language when discussing individuals engaged in movement activities. Moreover, findings indicate that newspaper media utilize all of Collins' controlling images in their depiction of Black women in BLM; however, the utilization of controlling images in not equal. We discuss these findings in detail in addition to providing directions for future scholarly research.

Can’t] Delete: an intervention in mainstream news media representations of image-based sexual abuse

Cases of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) – the creation or distribution of private sexual or nude images – are on the rise across the world and internet, but the public does not understand this issue as a form of sexual violence. This is due in part to the role of journalists and the news media as the first site where the general audience hears about new issues. Research into IBSA has not considered the role of the news media to educate the public, so this article seeks to explore this gap through the creation of an experimental work of journalism. The creative component is an interactive journalism feature hosted on a website that offers the audience opportunities to engage with victim perspectives within the context of an explanatory journalism article about IBSA. This approach seeks to be an example for future journalism about sexual abuse and improve public understanding of IBSA.

Social media, political discourse and the 2019 elections in India: Journalists’ perspectives on the changing role of the mainstream media in setting the political agenda

With the rise in social media usage, India now grapples with the problem of polarized political discourse via digital platforms. In light of the general elections in 2019, veteran Indian journalists, during in-depth interviews, discussed how social media influenced political discourse and enabled a polarized political narrative that gave rise to aggressive nationalism and majoritarian viewpoints. Journalists asserted that social media were instrumental in setting the agenda for the mainstream media and that social media had redefined their professional roles as the platforms enabled the politicians to bypass the mainstream news media and reach the voters directly.

Painted in Broad Strokes: English-Language News Media Coverage of Home Care in Relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada

As eldercare was at the forefront of mainstream news media during the COVID-19 pandemic, these media accounts may draw on and/or further reshape public understandings of home care in Canada. A frame analysis informed by critical discourse theory was used to examine 56 English-language articles related to home care (March 2020–March 2021). Home care is often “tacked on” to discussions of long-term residential care and is constructed by what it is not, by what it is a preferred alternative to, and by what it might circumvent (i.e., neglect, contagion). Infused with taken-for-granted meanings and linked to population aging and system crisis, home care is positioned as the progressive future of Canadian eldercare. Although home care investment is a common call, at times the gravity of the problem is imbalanced against small-scale individualistic solutions. Inequities of home spaces and impacts on families are obscured, with homes characterized as idealized places of dignity and (relative) safety. Older adults are positioned as vulnerable, passive victims, in contrast to their benevolent helpers. The authors discuss how we can clarify and strengthen political advocacy and public discourse around eldercare without reinforcing compassionate ageism, apocalyptic demography, and fear of aging while recognizing the nuances around receiving care in either home or residential settings.

News media framing of correctional officers: “Corrections is so Negative, we don’t get any Good Recognition”

The work of correctional officers (COs) is essential yet remains largely hidden from society. As such, media framing plays an important role in shaping public perceptions of COs and their work. COs encounter adverse events over the course of their occupational work and are legally—and sometimes publicly—held accountable. In the current study, we first present a text-based frame analysis of local news media published between January 2019 and December 2019 to see how COs are represented in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). We then draw from 25 interviews with COs employed at Her [His] Majesty’s Penitentiary in St. John’s, NL, to learn how the officers interpret the media’s framing of their occupation. Grounded emergent theme analyses of interview data reveal officers share concerns about what they perceived as unfair negative media framing. COs more often feel like objects of media framing with little agency to shape media narratives about their work. COs’ lay theories about their representation in mainstream news media illuminate a misalignment between media framing and their own work experience. This misalignment is a source of anxiety and additional job strain.

News exposure and Americans’ perceptions of China in 2019 and 2021

Abstract Purpose The relationship between China and the United States has been in freefall in recent years. Both the Covid-19 pandemic and the U.S.-China trade war contributed to more negative perceptions of China among the American public. This study analyzes how Americans’ news consumption and personal traits affected their general perceptions of China before and after the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020 to explore how major international events might influence people’s perceptions of foreign nations. Design/methodology/approach This study relied on data from two national online surveys conducted in the United States in early 2019 (N = 1,250) and 2021 (N = 1,237). Both surveys measure the respondents’ media use, personal traits, and their perceptions of China. Findings The findings indicate that perceptions of China were mostly shaped by exposure to partisan and social media—rather than consumption of mainstream news media. However, these relationships were significantly stronger in 2021 than in 2019, pointing to a growing influence of the U.S. news media in U.S.-China relations. This study also found that partisanship and personal traits were strong predictors of Americans’ attitudes toward China. Practical implications Researchers can learn from this study which variables should be included in surveys that focus on public perceptions of foreign affairs. Social implications This study shows that media effects and personal traits interact in complex ways to shape Americans’ perceptions of China. Originality/value This study analyzes and compares data from two national representative samples, offering insights into how major international events might influence public opinion. It also measures the possible impact of the Chinese social media platform TikTok on Americans’ perceptions of China.

Examining Partisan Reporting of Critical Race Theory Using Meta’s CrowdTangle

Mainstream news media outlets can influence the opinions and attitudes of their audience based on how they frame information. This framing can also to polarization. Presently there exists partisan controversies and state-level legislation in the United States regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT). We examined partisan reporting related to CRT using Meta’s metrics platform, CrowdTangle and tracked Facebook posts by news media outlets from January 30, 2020, to January 30, 2022. We were interested in how mainstream news media reported on CRT and wanted to examine significant differences in consumers interactions with posts and page following from right-leaning, left-leaning, and neutral news media outlets. We also examined the overperformance of posts. We identified social media accounts that played a vital role in sharing content related to CRT and determined the potential impact of posts. We found that right-leaning news media were more likely to post about CRT, compared to left-leaning and neutral news media outlets, with reporting beginning in June 2020. Neutral and left-leaning news media outlets began reporting on CRT months later. Our results demonstrated that right-leaning news media outlets had more followers and more post interactions. We also found variations in user interactions based on the partisan nature of the news media. Additionally, neutral news media had higher overperformance scores compared to other outlets. Our findings will be beneficial to those involved in policy making regarding social media, media distrust, and race relations within the United States.

The growing norm of sexual harassment in Pakistan’s mainstream and ethnic news media

Across time, in a variety of forms and spaces -from homes and workplaces to digital domains of social media- women have become victims of sexual harassment. Over the last couple of years, the world has witnessed appalling cases followed under the #MeToo campaign that has inspired an increasing number of women to share their experiences of sexual harassment in different contexts. Nevertheless, social and family pressures may discourage female journalists operating in conservative societies to express their concerns and experiences. The case of Pakistan is noteworthy. While women constitute a major proportion of the Pakistani society, the country’s men hold power in all major sectors and institutions. Sexual harassment can hinder women’s professional lives in any sector. However, female journalists’ experiences of sexual harassment are hardly documented in the academic literature about the Pakistani news media. Thus, informed by the framework of postcolonial feminist theory and intersectionality, this study aims to contribute an analysis of how sexual harassment is experienced by the Pakistani female journalists in the country’s mainstream, as well as ethnic news media. To achieve this aim, this study uses qualitative methods of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and offers a thematic analysis of data.

News to me: far-right news sharing on social media

ABSTRACT News sharing on social media is ubiquitous and extends across demographics, platforms, and political ideologies. Online far-right communities are no exception, with a barrage of embedded news stories populating the social media feeds of far-right users. This has potentially profound implications for liberal democracy, especially given the propensity for far-right communities to spread disinformation via ‘fake news’. Yet, we do not know enough about how news content is embedded into far-right discourses, nor the extent to which the practice may contribute to the digital transmission of far-right ideologies. Accordingly, this paper investigates how far-right communities share news media to promulgate illiberalism on social media platforms. The paper aims to uncover the dominant discursive devices deployed to integrate news media reports into far-right discourses. To achieve this aim, this paper applies critical discourse analysis alongside conceptualisations of legitimacy and far-right ideology to an original dataset of social media posts in an Australian context. It finds that news sharing in far-right online circles may legitimise and reify far-right ideology through the juxtaposition of mainstream news media indicating the validity of far-right grievances. The paper also introduces a prototype model of news sharing legitimisation.

Citizen Science in News Media: Boundary Mediation of Public Participation in Health Expertise

In this article, I examine how scientific boundary work describes or represents citizen science as credible forms of expertise. Citizen science is an ambiguous concept, and I leverage that ambiguity to examine citizen science as a proxy for nonprofessional or noninstitutional scientific practices more generally. I argue that media representations of citizen science perform boundary work through different articulations of institutional “buy-in” to the legitimacy or credibility of citizen science. Using a discourse analysis of mainstream news media, I trace three framings of citizen science’s relationship to institutional networks, which I describe as subservient to, corrective to, and exceeding the norms of institutional expertise. I find that the perspectives of professional, credentialed scientists dominate public discourse concerning citizen science and perform different adjudications of how citizen science contributes to networks of expertise. By focusing on citizen science concerning human health and medicine, I additionally show how mainstream framings of citizen science engage with overlapping media representations of personal health responsibility and patient empowerment. I suggest that representations of citizen science as a form of “missing expertise” can conflict with portrayals of citizen science as “going too far” in the pursuit of treatments or interventions.

Populist Attitudes Predict Compliance-Related Attitudes and Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic Via Trust in Institutions

Abstract. While previous research discussed populism as a phenomenon of declining trust, we investigated the predictive value of populist attitudes for citizens’ trust, attitudes, and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we tested the role of trust in several institutions simultaneously. As preregistered, the cross-sectional ( N = 1,090) and longitudinal ( n = 216) data collected (April to June, 2020) in Germany ( n = 617) and Poland ( n = 473) showed that stronger populist attitudes predicted higher trust in (a) alternative news media but less trust in (b) mainstream news media, (c) political institutions, and (d) scientific institutions. Moreover, we found negative effects of populist attitudes on acceptance and compliance, mediated via trust in political and scientific institutions (but not news media).

Research on Exploding Video Creation Strategy based on Visual Communication

With the rapid development of digital media technology, the form of information dissemination is constantly updated, reflecting the development and progress of the times. Facing the new situation and task, the analysis of the new strategy of visual communication design of communication content is an extremely important link. As a new way of communication, short video has changed the way people get information and socialize. The rise of short video makes the audience gradually develop fragmented audio-visual habits, which in turn affects and changes the production and communication mode of traditional media. Using the theory of communication to analyze, it is not difficult to see the characteristics of communication methods. The era of big data enables communicators to grasp the needs of audiences more accurately and optimize communication methods. More and more mainstream news media have entered the field of short video creation. Creating explosions and detonating traffic is the only way to expand the media's influence, seize the right to speak online and guide public opinion. From the perspective of visual communication, this paper analyzes the audience's media choice and the change of visual center, and gives some suggestions on the creation strategy of explosive short videos.

PRACTICES OF AND CHALLENGES FOR CITIZEN JOURNALISM IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA OF BANGLADESH

In the past few years, it is observed that social media was the first to respond to some issues that become the talk of the town. Broad and easy access to mobile devices and social media has created immense opportunities for the public to share and publish their works on open forums. The audience as the prosumer (producers and active consumers) generates ‘user-generated content’ that undoubtedly influences the mainstream media’s content production procedure and manner through distributing them to many news or social platforms. This process leads to citizen journalism as a parallel mode of journalism where collection, collaboration and dissemination of the information go through a single channel. This study is based on both primary and secondary data sources to understand the impacts, challenges, and opportunities of citizen journalism needed beside the journalism. The qualitative data are collected from seven in-depth interviews with senior journalists, editors, academics and news managers. And two semi-structured interviews were conducted with citizen journalism project coordinators. Their analysis regarding this citizen journalism practices in mainstream media creates access to information by opening a new door to more significant resources. However, the concern remains whether incorporating citizen journalism into mainstream journalism poses any threat or not. It is observed that the absence of practicing journalistic rules and regulations in social media makes their credibility questionable and generates confusion. Online news sites use mobile technologies to create and disseminate their media products, gradually attracting the audience and readers. As a result, people are often used to accessing news from online sites rather than print media. With this current demand, mainstream news media is focusing on more interactivity on their online platforms and encouraging their audiences to join in the news production process.

Misinformation in the media: global coverage of GMOs 2019-2021

ABSTRACT Misinformation is a serious problem in scientific debates ranging from climate change to vaccines to nuclear power. In this study we quantitatively assess the phenomenon of misinformation – defined as information which is at variance with widely-accepted scientific consensus – on genetically modified crops and food (“GMOs”) in the mainstream and online news media over a two-year period. We found an overall falsehood rate of 9% with a potential readership of 256 million. None of the misinformation was positive in sentiment; most was negative. About a fifth of Africa’s media coverage on GMOs contained misinformation, a worrying finding given the potential for genetic engineering to deliver improved nutrition and food security in the continent. We conclude that misinformation about GMOs in the mainstream media is still a significant problem, and outranks the proportion of misinformation in other comparable debates such as COVID-19 and vaccines.

Silence, Voice, and Public Listening: Media Coverage of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Norwegian Parliament appointed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2018 to investigate past injustices inflicted by the Norwegian state upon Norway’s Indigenous people, the Sámi, and two national minorities, the Kvens and the Norwegian Finns, as well as to create a foundation for reconciliation between these minorities and the majority population. This study investigates the media coverage of the TRC from 2016 to 2021. We found shrinking and uneven media coverage over time. Whereas news logics in minority and local media favoured TRC news and debates, coverage in nationwide mainstream news media was rare. While some explanations for these differences relate to marginalisation of Indigenous and national minority voices in media, others can be linked to the TRCs work methods and practices, which are designed to not attract journalistic attention until the final report is published in 2023.

The #MeToo Phenomenon on Indian Social Media: Moving Onward from the American #MeToo

This article sought to reflect upon the online #MeToo movement in India, as it began to unfold, especially October 2018 onwards. The focus lied upon the role of social media, mainly Twitter, in originating, sustaining and popularizing the movement both online as well as giving it a momentum in the real world, especially through mainstream news media. This article made a concerted attempt at examining technology and its interaction with gendered forms of social media communication. Through empirical and theoretical analyses, concepts such as trolling, anonymity and digital heterogeneity vis-a-vis social media feminist activism have been examined, as have been the structural shortcomings pertaining to class, caste, sexuality and race. It sought to assert that social media carried an effective potential in countering the neoliberal male discourse of selectively granting women agency and visibility in media spaces.