ABSTRACT Norman Leto’s Photon (2017) is a transdisciplinary work integrating biological (bios), technological (techné), and artistic (art) perspectives to speculate on the future of human existence. The film can be read as an aesthetic-philosophical simulation of possible trajectories of civilization, technology, and posthumanism. Existing scholarship on Photon is largely essayistic and aesthetic, with limited attention to the film as a speculative cognitive model or experimental epistemic tool. Although Leto is often described as an outsider artist, his work remains underexplored in scientific and futurological contexts. This article identifies key elements in Photon that reflect bio-tech-med concepts and examines its potential applications in education, science communication, and futurology. The film is proposed as a “living cognitive model” that operates within mass communication environments. The study addresses how Photon negotiates the boundary between science and art, whether it can function as a form of knowledge comparable to scientific modeling or philosophical hypothesis, and how its narrative and visual strategies integrate interdisciplinary knowledge for future-oriented speculation. Findings suggest that Photon operates as a “thought capsule” connecting multiple disciplines and stimulating reflection on the human condition, the limits of knowledge, and processes of transformation. It functions both as a product of technological culture and a critical instrument for its analysis. Leto’s work supports an expanded view of epistemology as visual and affective as well as linguistic, enabling “knowledge scenarios” that engage the viewer as an active participant. Methodology includes semiotic and narratological film analysis, hermeneutics, and frameworks of posthumanism and transhumanism.

In the new media era, public educational discourse has tended toward popularization, with Zhang Xuefeng’s educational discourse serving as a typical representative. From the perspective of corpus linguistics, this study constructs two corpora: the Zhang Xuefeng Educational Corpus (ZXC) and the Expert Educational Corpus (EEC) of university scholars. With AntConc, NeoSCA and SPSS adopted, a comparative analysis is conducted on lexical richness and syntactic complexity. The results indicate that there is no significant difference in sentence length between the two types of discourse, while extremely significant differences exist in lexical richness, subordinate structures, coordinate structures and phrasal structures. Overall, Zhang Xuefeng’s discourse tends to be simplified and popular, whereas expert discourse is more rigorous and standardized. This study reveals the differentiation law of popularization and specialization in new media educational discourse, interprets the adaptive value of simplified expression in mass communication, and provides empirical references for optimizing the dissemination of public educational information and balancing professionalism and accessibility.

Marketing has undergone a major transformation due to technological advancement, changing consumer behavior, and the rapid growth of internet-based communication channels. This chapter examines the comparative effectiveness of traditional and digital marketing by analyzing their reach, cost, trust, targeting capability, and influence on consumer purchase decisions. Traditional marketing, which includes television, radio, print advertisements, billboards, and direct mail, has historically played a central role in mass communication and brand-building. In contrast, digital marketing uses online platforms such as social media, search engines, email, and websites to enable targeted, measurable, and interactive consumer engagement. The study adopts a descriptive and primarily quantitative approach using primary data collected through a structured questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. The findings indicate that while traditional marketing continues to be associated with credibility and long-term brand recall, digital marketing is increasingly preferred for its personalization, wider day-to-day consumer exposure, lower cost, and measurable results. The study also highlights generational differences in marketing preference, with younger consumers showing stronger engagement with digital platforms. The chapter concludes that neither traditional nor digital marketing is universally superior; instead, an integrated strategy that combines the trust-building capacity of traditional media with the precision and adaptability of digital tools is most effective in the contemporary business environment.

The relevance of this study lies in the fact that modern reality can no longer be imagined without advertising. Thus, today advertising is considered an integral element of everyday culture, one of the main types of the mass communications system, which to some extent covers almost all segments of society by influencing the social indicators of the conditions and way of life that are important for each person. In addition, advertising is associated not only with the commercial purpose of business, but also with the formation of a kind of system of value orientations, beliefs and standards in people. Therefore, in modern conditions, it is quite relevant to study the features of the use of psychological tools in advertising, since it is able to determine the lifestyle of a modern individual and the image he imitates. It is also important to clearly understand the very essence of advertising and the degree of its influence on the psychology of the individual, because this is necessary to determine the further development of effective marketing strategies, ethical standards in the advertising environment, as well as to preserve human mental health. The purpose of the study is to generalize the theoretical foundations of social advertising in modern conditions. In the process of writing this article, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis, generalization, systemic method, dialectical, generalization method. It is determined that social advertising is a kind of direction in the development of social and information culture, the purpose of which is to transmit socially important information designed to form and change the opinion of society, social rules and behavioral models. The information displayed in social advertising can focus on the widest range of problems, in particular, the formation of a favorable image of state authorities and public organizations, overcoming bad habits, as well as the formation of a new system of moral values, etc. It has been established that the essence of social advertising is expressed in its non-commercial nature (since this type of advertising, in contrast to commercial advertising, does not involve receiving any profits), focus on current social problems (social advertising focuses on current social problems related to health, ecology, public rights, security, etc.), popularization of universal human values ​​(social advertising makes it possible to form positive moral qualities and a model of social behavior), influence on public opinion (social advertising should ensure changes in human attitudes towards a particular social problem, as well as motivate action and form a clear behavioral model).

This study examines the influence of Indian cinema on the social perceptions of young women in contemporary Indian society, highlighting cinema as a powerful medium of mass communication and an important agent of socialization. Indian films portray women in diverse roles ranging from traditional to modern identities, influencing perceptions related to gender roles, relationships, identity, and societal expectations. A descriptive research design with a quantitative approach was adopted, and data were collected through structured questionnaires. The findings indicate that cinema plays a dual role by promoting empowerment while also reinforcing stereotypes and unrealistic ideals. The study emphasizes the need for critical media awareness from a social work perspective.

Public Relations has evolved after the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the incorporation of computer-aided audience behavior analysis and personalized mass communication (AI, n.d.). Relations are being transformed. However, the strategic and ethical outreach, analytics, and engagement model remains an underdeveloped area of study (Van & Vaccaro, 2021). This study aims to understand the value and relevance AI communication technologies add, and the ethical communication value. This includes soft limits of automated decision-making. This study mixed quantitative analysis of 1,200 communication AI campaigns, and qualitative analysis of 25 communication professionals in corporate, governmental, nonprofit, and digital PR. The data included original texts, AI-crafted versions, and predicted vs. real audience engagement metrics. Thematic analysis and statistical performance tests were conducted, and were also aided by a human-in-the-loop validation of contextual and ethical precision. The findings of the study showed personalized AI campaigns outperformed all other forms of communication, with a 24-31% increase in engagement, a record high 28% increase in performance improvement, and overall, 62% of campaigns reported higher engagement after personalization. Sentiment analysis was able to track down threats and operationalize resource intervention in a study where the AI mapping of risk was about 72% accurate, allowing for dampening of the given threats by about 18% of participation. However, relative to the more nuanced and sensitive areas of study, the AI analysis accuracy drops to about 54% to 61%, and it is clear that the AI does not capture a complex human context. Predictive data does have the potential to sharpen communication, especially when predictive data is aligned with a humanistic, ethically grounded center. Highlighted from the data is the coupling of the predictive capability of AI and human intervention. The benefits of AI adaptive pull convergence, greater amending, and re-scripting of the engagement relative to the tone, ethnocentric override, ethical permissibility, and engagement performance. The research aligns with the AI-Human synergy model, suggesting that although AI enhances human design, it will ultimately be humans who will remain at the center of the paradigm to construct and weave genuine relationships from a deep and trusted interlace of human connection.

This study examines whether mass communication students share common media experiences, given the increasing fragmentation of media consumption. A survey of 234 students across five universities assessed preferences in television, film, books, music, and video games. Findings reveal limited shared media experiences, with video games offering the most commonality. The results underscore the need for mass communication instructors to adapt pedagogy to evolving media habits.

The Special Issue “Technological Convergence in Visual Arts: Integrating AI, Data-Driven Systems, and Immersive Media for Creative Transformation” invites original research, reviews, and creative–critical works that examine how rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, data-driven systems, and immersive technologies are reshaping visual arts. It focuses on the evolving intersections of computational intelligence, virtual and augmented environments, and artistic practice—highlighting shifts in creation, curation, authorship, ethics, and audience experience. Emphasizing interdisciplinary inquiry across visual arts, media studies, design, and cultural studies, the issue seeks theoretically rigorous, methodologically innovative, and practice-based contributions that explore new forms of storytelling, interactive installations, virtual exhibitions, and digitally mediated cultural expression, ultimately advancing discourse on the transformative impact of technological convergence on contemporary creative practices. Issue Editor: Dr. Chaitanya ShinkhedeAssistant Professor, School of Media and Communication, MIT World Peace University, PuneEmail: chaitanyashinkhede@gmail.com Dr. Tejee IshaHead of Department & Assistant Professor, Faculty of Mass Communication & Media Technology, Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurugram, Haryana – 122505, IndiaEmail: totejeeisha@gmail.com Dr. Harish BarapatreYadavrao Tasgaonkar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Karjat, Maharashtra, IndiaEmail: Jksa.Saudi@gmail.com Dr. Balkrishna K. PatilAssistant Professor & Head of Department, PhD in Computer Science, Former Tech Lead, Nashik, Maharashtra, IndiaEmail: balkrishnapatileng@gmail.com Dr. Bayram ÇAĞLARLecturer, Kocaeli University Ömer İsmet Uzunyol Vocational School,Department of Auditory Techniques and Media Production, TurkeyEmail: bcaglar@kocaeli.edu.tr

We evaluated the role of intestinal fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) in regulating lean mass, glucose tolerance, bile acid, and lipid profiles after diet- compared with semaglutide-induced weight loss in mice. Mice lacking FGF15 lost more lean mass during dietary intervention, whereas semaglutide decreased lean mass irrespective of FGF15; dietary intervention reduced hepatic triglyceride levels more efficiently, whereas greater improvement in glucose tolerance and elevated cecal bile acid levels were observed with semaglutide; and loss of FGF15 altered bile acid levels, whereas semaglutide treatment further regulated these levels in both genotypes, with particularly pronounced changes observed in the absence of FGF15. Weight-loss intervention strategy and dietary context modulate gut-liver and muscle communication and preservation of lean mass.

The emergence of digital media has played a major role in changing how war is being told, understood and shared among people in the world today. This paper examines the way in which contemporary conflicts are mediated in digital platforms and the effect of such mediations on the use of language, mass communication, and the education system. In the age when the perception is created through social media and online news sources, as well as through algorithms and various other methods of content generation, the war stories no longer remain within the frames of conventional journalism. Rather, they are built up of fragmented, real-time, and frequently emotionally charged digital utterances. The paper methodologically uses a qualitative discourse analysis approach based on the critical discourse analysis (CDA) to analyze the chosen digital texts on the topic of war, such as news reports, posts in social media, and educational commentaries. The paper examines the framing of language, constructions of metaphors and ideological placement to influence the way the society comprehends conflicts. The results indicate that digital war stories are more likely to polarize the discourse, ideological binaries, and pedagogical interpretations in the academic environment. The paper finds that the digital war stories are essential to the formation of collective memory and the educational discourse, and also cause the concern of misinformation, narrative bias, and ethical presentation. It emphasizes the necessity of critical media literacy in schools to enable students to decode and critically use digital content about war.

General Background: Social media has become a strategic medium for mass communication in disseminating gender justice issues. Specific Background: Instagram is utilized by Afkaruna Official to communicate gender justice based on Islamic feminist perspectives to diverse audiences. Knowledge Gap: Existing studies rarely analyze communication strategies, message representation, and audience reception within Islamic feminist digital activism. Aims: This study examines the urgency of dissemination, communication strategies, and audience responses. Results: Instagram serves as a strategic space shaped by persistent gender bias and low literacy. Strategies include optimized content distribution, persuasive education, visual storytelling, and inclusive Islamic framing. Audience responses are generally positive through likes, comments, and shares, although active dialogue remains limited. Novelty: The study integrates digital communication strategies with Islamic feminist perspectives in social media activism. Implications: The findings indicate that social media contributes to gender justice literacy and public awareness while requiring more participatory communication approaches. Highlights• Instagram operates as a discourse space connecting religious values with equality narratives• Content strategies rely on narrative depth, visual formats, and inclusive language• Audience engagement shows acceptance through symbolic interaction rather than discussion KeywordsGender Justice; Information Dissemination; Mass Communication; Social Media; Islamic Feminism

The relevance of the research is determined by the need to analyze transformations of mass communication caused by the formation of a «synergistically complex reality» (N.I. Lapin). Consequences of digitalization also form a complex communicative discourse characterized by the synergy of traditional and new media into a single environment of media consumption. It is shown that the main factors of the formation of synergistically complex media consumption are the digital metamorphosis of the world (W. Beck), mass self-communication (M. Castells) – they largely determine specifics of modern communicative discourse, which acts as an agent of the socialization of youth and the formation of national human capital. Taking into account the inherent consequences of these processes for new Russia, the authors propose a sovereign model of synergistically complex media consumption, corresponding with the genotype of Russian culture. The proposed model takes into account cultural and civilizational conditionality of media consumption.

The rapid growth of social media has significantly changed the way the public, especially in Malaysia, interacts with law enforcement institutions such as the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP). With increasingly easy access to various digital platforms, public perceptions are now not only formed more quickly but also more easily influenced through open, immediate and interactive communication channels. This new dynamic has caused the digital space to become the main site for the formation of public discourse, including issues related to integrity, professionalism and misconduct of police officers. This situation presents a major challenge to the RMP in managing public perceptions, as negative sentiment, even stemming from a small number of incidents, can spread widely and affect overall trust in the institution. Based on these needs, this study presents a conceptual study through literature analysis with the aim of introducing the Understanding–Adaptation–Diffusion (UAD) Framework as a strategic communication model that can help the RMP navigate public perceptions in today's digital ecosystem. The objectives of this study are: (i) to introduce UAD as a conceptual framework that can explain how public sentiment is formed and changed through social media displays; and (ii) explore more responsive and transparent communication approaches in disseminating information to strengthen the reputation of policing institutions. UAD describes three main stages in public perception management: comprehension, which refers to the way audiences interpret media narratives and frames; adaptation, which is the institutional response to emerging sentiments; and dissemination, which emphasizes the need for clear, accurate and credible strategic communication. This study also incorporates Framing Theory (Goffman; Entman) and McQuail's thinking on mass communication, thus positioning UAD as a relevant contextual framework for the Malaysian environment. It is hoped that the contribution of this study can help public institutions build more effective digital communication strategies, increase transparency, and ultimately strengthen the level of public trust in the fast-moving information age.

Stunting remains a major public health problem in many developing countries, primarily due to inadequate nutrition. Nutrition education has been widely implemented; however, comparative evidence on the effectiveness of different communication pathways and educational media in promoting sustained maternal behavioral change remains limited. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of communication pathways and educational media in supporting behavior changes related to toddler nutrition. Studies were identified using the PICO framework through searches in PubMed and Scopus, following PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria were open-access articles published between 2020 and 2025 that assessed behavioral outcomes and evaluated communication pathways or educational media. The methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Of the 2,500 articles identified, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that interpersonal communication provides the most consistent evidence to support sustained nutrition-related behavioral change through personalized two-way interactions. Community and mass communication pathways mainly improve awareness and attitudes, with less consistent effects on long-term behavior. Educational media, particularly video-based media, enhance engagement and comprehension but are most effective when integrated into interactive communication pathways. Combining communication pathways with educational media appears to be the most effective approach for improving maternal feeding practices.

The preservation of traditional culture presents a significant challenge in the era of digital media. Traditional Chinese philosophical thought, characterized by its relatively high cognitive threshold, faces practical issues including insufficient integration with emerging media contexts and interpretive barriers in contemporary mass communication. Grounded in multimodal discourse analysis theory, this study examines the integration of traditional Chinese philosophy with game narratology in the AAA title Black Myth: Wukong, exploring how the game employs multimodal coordination strategies-encompassing language, imagery, and sound-to construct and disseminate philosophical concepts. The findings reveal that the game reconstructs traditional precepts through dialogic devices such as "Reverse-Parodying the Eight Precepts," evokes cultivation imagery through the suspended sculptures of the Little Western Paradise, and blends electronic sound effects with traditional instruments to articulate philosophical propositions. This multimodal coordination mechanism creates an immersive cultural space that transforms abstract doctrines into perceptible, interactive experiences. The study concludes that embodied communication mechanisms within game narratives effectively lower cognitive barriers to understanding traditional Chinese philosophy, demonstrating an innovative dissemination pathway for integrating traditional culture with popular media.

The study examined demographic factors and the dissemination of misinformation on social media among undergraduate students in University of Calabar. Two purposes and two research questions were formulated. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design, with a sample of 256 undergraduate students from the department of Mass Communication, University of Calabar for the 2023/2024 academic session. The major instrument used for data collection was Social Media Use and Fake News Dissemination Questionnaire (SMUFNDQ). Data collection was done by the researcher who randomly administered the instruments to the students. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts and the results of the analysis revealed that over 50% of the respondents have a negative perception of fake news dissemination. Also there was a significant relationship between social media and fake news dissemination among the students’. It was also revealed that the probability of sharing misinformation on social media was higher among female students, and students between the ages of 26-30 years. This spread of misinformation is also prevalent among year two mass communication students and also, that students used Facebook more to disseminate misinformation compared to other social media platforms. It was concluded that the university management should put up some check mechanism to reduce the dissemination of fake news among students generally. The study recommended among others that the school authority should workout modalities to reduce spread of misinformation among students of higher institutions.

Introduction: With the increasing availability of longer-range missiles and explosive-carrying unmanned aerial vehicles, the risk to civilian targets, including hospitals, has increased worldwide. Recent events place Israeli cities and hospitals at high risk of such attacks. Following four months of preparations, a large-scale missile attack drill was conducted at Beilinson Tertiary Medical Center. Drill components included missile strikes on hospital buildings, followed by a multi-casualty chemical incident caused by a missile strike on a HAZMAT container. Methods: Descriptive analysis of the drill design, preparatory actions, and after-action reports. Results: Preparations included: re-training hospital staff on the actions during an imminent missile strike, training of ED and ED staff reinforcements on logistical and medical preparedness for mass casualty chemical incidents. The drill scenario included structural damage to four hospital wards. Injured patients and staff members were evacuated to the ED, and a rapid safety assessment was performed, leading to the decision to evacuate them. In the following stage, over 50 simulated chemical injury patients from a nearby explosion were transported by EMS to the hospital. Insights gained from the second stage highlight the need to improve staff preparedness for mass chemical incidents, communication, and command and control challenges by fully training personnel in decontamination areas. There was a personnel shortage in the decontamination areas operating in the ED ambulance bay, and frequent staff rotations were needed due to fatigue. Staff training on actions during a pre-strike alarm, post missile strike safety assessment, and ward evacuation proved effective. Conclusion: A hospital missile strike scenario is extremely challenging. It requires enhancing hospital preparedness, focusing on rapid actions during a pre-strike alarm and post-strike care and evacuation of the injured. It also requires immediate assessment of post-attack structural safety and the need for complete evacuation of structurally unsafe hospital areas. Difficulties included assuring patient flow and command and control during decontamination.

The research paper examines the condition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy among faculty members in journalism and mass communication at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study relates to the theory of Diffusion of Innovation, being based on the analysis of the factors such as socioeconomic status, geographical location (urban or rural), tenure, and institutional encouragement that affect the competencies of teachers in the fields of AI knowledge, use, analysis, and critical thinking. The structured questionnaire was used to gather data on 19 members of the faculty of various universities in the region. The results show that there are profound differences in AI literacy, which is conditioned by a combination of demographic and institutional factors. Although the vast majority of them demonstrate a theoretical comprehension of the role of AI in the modern media (print, broadcast, and online), their practical skills in using AI tools to assist with pedagogical and professional activities are rather inconsistent. It is worth noting that the disparity between literacy is most evident in the rural and under-resourced institutions where limited access and exposure are the key factors. The paper highlights a need to implement systematic training, incorporate AI in the curriculum, and provide favorable policy interventions to improve AI competency. It concludes with targeted recommendations for students, educators, academic institutions, and policymakers aimed at bridging the digital literacy divide and fostering the responsible, effective adoption of AI in journalism education.

This study examines the effects of mass communication on NCT Dream fans (NCTzen) through YouTube content by applying an encoding–decoding analysis to the video “Dream in Jakarta #2.” As YouTube has become a dominant platform for global cultural circulation, K-pop idols increasingly utilize platform-based media to communicate with fans and sustain fandom engagement across national and linguistic boundaries. This research adopts a qualitative descriptive approach to explore how meanings encoded in YouTube content are interpreted, negotiated, and internalized by audiences. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with NCTzen, non-participant observation of YouTube comment sections, and documentation of audiovisual elements, subtitles, and platform features. The findings indicate that the content produces multiple mass communication effects, including the strengthening of emotional bonds between idols and fans, increased cultural curiosity toward Indonesian food and local identity, and the formation of collective meanings within the fandom. Most audience interpretations align with dominant and negotiated readings, suggesting a high level of congruence between encoded messages and fandom expectations. The study also demonstrates that platform affordances such as subtitles, algorithmic visibility, and interactive comment spaces play a significant role in stabilizing and amplifying these interpretations. By extending the encoding–decoding model into a digital fandom context, this study contributes to the understanding of how mass communication effects are co-produced by media texts, platforms, and interpretive communities in the contemporary digital era.

The development of religious institution-based broadcasting media has opened a strategic space for Islamic boarding schools (pondok pesantren) to build their institutional image within society. Radio and TV Persada of Sunan Drajat Islamic Boarding School in Lamongan serve as da'wah media and mass communication tools that play a significant role in shaping public perception regarding the existence and values of the pesantren. This study aims to analyze the role of Radio and TV Persada in shaping the image of the Sunan Drajat Lamongan Islamic Boarding School and to identify the supporting and inhibiting factors in its implementation. This study uses a qualitative case-study approach. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews with media managers, Islamic boarding school leaders, and listeners/viewers, observation of broadcast content, and documentation of Persada Radio and TV programs. Data analysis was carried out through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The analytical framework of this study draws on mass communication theory, specifically uses and gratifications theory, to understand how media messages are constructed and received by audiences. The results show that radio and television play an important role in building a positive image of Islamic boarding schools by consistently broadcasting religious, educational, and institutional information relevant to community needs. Consistency of messages, credibility of preachers and Islamic boarding school leaders, and the media's proximity to the community are key factors in strengthening the institution's image. That said, limitations in human resources, broadcasting technology, and broadcast coverage remain challenges to optimizing the media's role. This study is expected to contribute theoretically to the development of studies on da'wah communication and pesantren media, as well as practically to pesantren broadcasting media managers in designing effective communication strategies to build a sustainable institutional image.