Media Outlets Research Articles

‘You can’t trust the mainstream media’: exploring shifts in racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, antisemitic and Islamophobic sentiment within Australian far-right alternative news media

Alternative news media, which opposes mainstream news media, has been utilised by the far right to proliferate their ideology. This study explores how the scale of discussion, and negative framing, of different groups that are commonly targeted by the far right changes over time. Taking 7089 articles published by a prominent Australian far-right alternative news media outlet over a 7.5-year period, and a corpus of 311 keywords, a keyword frequency analysis and sentiment analysis establish the scale of discussion and negative framing of groups across four time states. Additionally, a computational word frequency analysis in tandem with a qualitative close-reading explores the context of discussions. The findings identify a range of targets of the far right, each centred around different political, racial, religious, gendered and sexual identities. A long-term shift towards extreme right ideologies is found, through increasingly hostile attitudes towards LGBTQIA + people, escalating antisemitism and direct engagement with neo-Nazism.

An increasing cooperation between Vilnius and Bucharest: the reflection of Lithuania in Romanian media

The purpose of this article is to analyse how the most read Romanian media outlets (Libertatea, Digi24, Ştirile Pro TV, Adevărul, Click!) were reporting news about Lithuania in the period between 24 February 2022 and 15 April 2024, with two aims being elaborated in the research. The first goal is to focus on the reflection of Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the second goal is to assess the Romanian media coverage on the news related to Lithuanian national security. The research suggests that the Romanian media is extensively reporting news from Lithuania. These news items can be grouped into three categories: the first category is the security news; the second category is the other news containing anything directly related to Lithuania excluding security questions; the third category is the contextual news, with only contextual references to Lithuania among other things. Meanwhile, the security category can be grouped into three subcategories, those being: the news from Lithuania; the news covering Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the contextual news. The analysis confirms the intensively developing bilateral relations as well as wide coverage of Lithuanian security questions in Romanian media. The study aims to expand the perceptions of the geographical dimension of the Lithuanian network of bilateral relations, and representation of Vilnius’ security perceptions in NATO allies.

DOMAIN: Explainable credibility assessment tools for empowering online readers coping with misinformation

Despite all the fact-checking initiatives on news and social media aimed at countering misinformation, they remain insufficient to promptly address the wide array of misleading information disseminated by both news and social media outlets. Rather than attempting to identify or filter misleading information, this work advocates new tools for assisting online readers in identifying misinformation among the massive online content pushed every day through multiple platforms. We introduce DOMAIN, an article assessment resource bundle comprising a multidimensional indicator to categorize articles into different types (hard news, soft news, opinion, satire, and conspiracy), a set of explanatory metrics to help users understand the results, a tool for verifying the reliability of the article’s source, and a text summary of the assessment. This work also studies how DOMAIN tools impact online readers, specifically focusing on i) understanding the extent to which computer-generated assessments influence human perceptions of credibility; ii) evaluating the effectiveness of automatic article categorization in human assessment of credibility; and iii) identifying the most relevant explanatory metrics for promoting informed and critical consumption of information.

Message from the Editor-in-Chief

The IJHE continues to be the choice of journal for many global researchers. As such, the strength of the IJHE journal is reflected in this issue’s five research articles from Canada, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. This issue has a strong focus on improving the online curriculum and learning space for students. Global events continue to dominate media outlets and present everyday challenges for some with seemingly no end or resolve. With significant political change in the air, it is important that we continue to prioritise education and lifelong learning, researching areas that will improve educational access and strategies for success. The IJHE provides an important platform for the development of theory, the addressing of policy questions, and the dissemination of innovative practice in the field of tertiary education, specifically widening participation and lifelong learning.

The Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Countering Disinformation Moderated by Intellectual Humility

<span lang="EN-US">There is an ongoing debate among scholars on how to tackle disinformation. Media education initiatives to increase literacy are effective ways to counter disinformation. Hence, the European Commission (2022) published <em>Guidelines for Teachers and Educators on Tackling Disinformation and Promoting Digital Literacy Through Education and Training</em>. The present research looked at the role of social media literacy in increasing awareness of the role of social media in spreading disinformation. We developed an educational intervention based on the European Commission guidelines. We investigated its impact on perceived social media literacy, the intention to share fake news on social media, and general conspiracy beliefs. We conducted a within-subject (two times measurement: before the educational intervention and one week after) +1 experiment with <em>N</em> = 127 young adults (aged 18 to 23). After filling in an initial survey, the experimental group received a 15-minute educational intervention on the role of social media for disinformation dissemination in complex digital information environments. One week later, all participants completed the second survey to assess perceived social media literacy and general conspiracy beliefs. In both surveys, participants saw three Instagram posts from a fictitious media outlet to express potential intentions to share on social media. Among the three posts, two showed false information. Findings showed that educational intervention produces a significant increase in perceived social media literacy and a decrease in general conspiracy beliefs. Intellectual humility moderates the impact of educational intervention on algorithmic awareness.</span>

The role of platforms in the journalistic ecosystem: innovative business models of Italian media outlets

Increased dependence of the news media system on online platforms has caused a readjustment of the traditional business models that supported media enterprises until a few years ago, which in some cases has resulted in a redefinition of the boundaries of the journalistic field. To test the interplay between different strategies of relationship with platforms and a different location within the field, the paper considered four Italian news outlets. Two, Will Media Italia and Factanza, are newcomers, information projects anchored in the logic of online platforms and disseminated almost exclusively on social media. Two, The Post Internazionale and Domani, are inhabitants of the field, media outlets with greater links to the traditional logic of journalism. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with selected members of the four news media outlets, the study aims at answering two key-questions. First: what forms of revenue are the media outlets analyzed aiming for in order to maintain their economic sustainability? How do the characteristics of media outlets influence the use of different forms of advertising, even as a function of the response of the online and platform environments they inhabit, albeit with different strategies? Second-and closely related-how is it preserved, the editorial autonomy of the media outlets analyzed? That is, how do these media outlets attempt to make their business both economically sustainable and not overly dependent on forms of monetization generated by the platforms?

The Contribution of Halide Edib Adıvar to the Development of the Women’s Movement in Türkiye and Her Influence in the Context of Gender Equality

Halide Edib Adıvar, a prominent literary figure, holds a significant place in Turkish political scenes and Turkish literature during the Republican era. Her personal life, activities she participated in, and particularly her views on women's rights distinguish Halide Edib in a unique position. During the National Struggle, Halide Edib actively engaged in Anatolia and was among the first female speakers to emphasize the need for Turkish women to attain a dignified position in modern societies through her speeches, literary works, and writings. Acting as an educator advocating for active female participation in the education sphere, Halide Edib portrayed modern and educated female models in her works. Through her novels and writings, she made substantial contributions to the Turkish women's movement by presenting strong representations of women and questioning societal gender roles. Halide Edib Adıvar used various media outlets such as columns, articles, and books to promote gender equality. Drawing attention to women's education in her novels and writings, she encouraged awareness on the subject. In accordance with the directive of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, she co-founded the Anadolu Agency with Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu in Ankara on April 6, 1920, seventeen days before the inauguration of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April 23, 1920. Halide Edib actively engaged in journalism by translating the political content of newspapers published in English at the agency. Halide Edib also played a role in the Women's Defense of Homeland Society, one of Turkey's first women's associations, striving to empower women for greater societal and political involvement. This study employs qualitative research methods to comprehensively examine Halide Edib Adıvar's role in societal change, her contributions to the women's rights movement, and her impact on empowering and raising awareness among women in Turkey and globally.

A lokális média kérdőjelei. A székelyföldi nyomtatott sajtóorgánumok néhány jellemzője

In this study, I analyze the connection between local media organizations and the rural areas these local media organizations are operating, assuming that these rural media organizations contribute to the formation of representations about the region in which the respective media organizations operate. Therefore, in the case of Szeklerland, the local Romanian and Hungarian-language media organizations contribute to the development and distribution of different images of Szeklerland. In this article, I present some features of the Romanian and Hungarian media ecosystem in Romania, an ecosystem a part of which are the local, rural media organizations, therefore the media outlets operating in Szeklerland as well. I present some of the characteristics of the media ecosystem – ownership system, demographic characteristics of journalists, professional self-image of journalists, the perception of journalism among journalists and readers, general characteristics of media discourse – based on the Romanian and Hungarian literature published in the last more than three decades in Romania.

Interlopers by choice, or interlopers by circumstance? Alexey Navalny and alternative journalistic projects in contemporary autocratic Russia

In February 2024, Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny died in a Western Siberian prison aged just 47. Known as a vocal opposition leader in Russia in the 2010s, he was regularly trying to be elected but also organised the largest mass anti-establishment and anti-corruption protests in Russia before his untimely death. Deprived of access and coverage in the Russian mainstream media, Navalny and his associates established their own media channels, including personal YouTube channels and online media outlets such as Navalny LIVE to avoid censorship and expose the corruption and abuses of power of high-ranking officials in Russia. However, at the same time, Navalny and his colleagues cannot be labelled as ‘journalists’ in a normative sense. They were not professional journalists and had not gone through the processes of journalistic socialisation, but rather ‘tried on’ journalistic roles and investigative journalism practices to expose corrupt elites. In this sense, Navalny and his team can be called (explicit) interlopers who adopt journalistic identities and force a reconsideration of what journalists are and journalism is. In this study, we look at the case of Navalny and his team and their investigative documentaries on YouTube. We relate his practice to the journalistic concept of (explicit) interlopers, analyse how their unique and alternative journalistic project has diversified a largely monopolised and authoritarian Russian public sphere, and propose extending the notion of interlopers by differentiating between interlopers by choice, and interlopers by circumstance.

The Elephant(s) in the Newsroom: A Mixed Methods Study on the Use of News Agency Material

ABSTRACT News agencies remain one of the most important sources of journalistic reporting. It is all the more astonishing that, with a few exceptions, they still represent a major blind spot in journalism research. Using a mixed method approach of quantitative content analysis and qualitative interviews with practitioners from media outlets and news agencies, this study investigates how and how much online media outlets of different media types located in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia use material from different news agencies. The study also examines the differences in subject areas and geographical reference areas and explores the rationale behind how and how much news agency material is used. The study confirms the very high and, partially, even increasing relevance of news agencies in media markets in the present and the foreseeable future. It also asks critical questions about the implications for journalism and democratic societies as a whole.

A critical cognitive analysis of Japan’s nuclear contaminated water discharge discourse

This research investigates the use of compound image schemas in the discourse surrounding Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge. By analyzing editorials from Asahi Shimbun, this study reveals how discourse producers, from government bodies to media outlets, employ image schemas to navigate, shape, and legitimize their stances on this contentious issue. The investigation identifies the prevalent use of PATH and CONTAINER schemas, facilitating the construction of complex narrative spaces that define “in-group” and “out-group” dynamics, thereby guiding public perception and discourse participation towards an implicit endorsement of specific policy directions. The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between micro-level discourse strategies and macro-level cognitive frameworks, projecting tailored narratives into the public sphere. This projection, rooted in sophisticated cognitive mechanisms, illustrates the strategic use of discourse to influence public opinion and legitimize environmental policy decisions, reflecting broader social implications and the power of discourse in shaping environmental risk perceptions.

Analysis of cigar marketing expenditures by product category, placement strategy and geolocation in the USA, from 2017 to 2022

SignificanceThe marketing of cigars, little cigars and cigarillos (CLCCs) and cigar wraps is under-regulated and understudied in the USA. To describe strategies CLCC manufacturers and vendors used to advertise their...

“journalists are just employees”: Examining Journalistic Autonomy from an Audience Perspective

ABSTRACT Autonomy is a fundamental requirement for the professional practice of journalism. However, while its role in ensuring well-informed audiences is widely acknowledged, the way in which audiences make sense of journalists’ autonomy remains unexplored. Similarly, the understanding of how audience perceptions of journalists’ autonomy, their attributed professionalism and authority, and the resulting impact on journalism practice remains incomplete. To address these gaps, this study conducts a qualitative analysis involving semi-structured interviews with 64 news users in Chile. Results show that journalists’ autonomy, from audiences’ view, is limited by labor forces and organizational influences. Journalists’ working conditions are perceived to be connected to high levels of editorial control, yielding a deficiency of autonomy that relegates journalists to a subservient role, compromising their professionalism, undermining their authority, and eroding the quality of the information they provide. Also, findings show that autonomy assumes a prominent role as a distinct form of authority when journalists diverge from conventional news norms, establishing a closer connection with their audience. Furthermore, independent journalists frequently garner recognition for their autonomy and credibility, attributed to their detachment from specific media outlets. The article delves into the implications of these findings for journalism studies and practice.

The Role of Language in the Media During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide

In 1994, around 800,000 people were killed in 100 days of genocide in Rwanda. The primary targets of the genocide were the minority Tutsi, but many moderate Hutus were killed as well. In order to facilitate mass participation in the genocide, the ruling elite created and promoted media tools to disseminate anti-Tutsi propaganda and convince ordinary Rwandans to take part in the killings. The media instruments used included the RTLM radio station and newspapers such as Kangura. Using excerpts from radio broadcasts, as well as scholarly works by journalists, broadcasters, and media experts, this paper explores the role of the media in the genocide, including the formation of the media outlets and the various types of language used in the media, (such as high context and low context language), in addition to explaining how this language was used to promote genocide, and making recommendations for the prevention of the use of hate media in future conflicts.

Media construction of pseudo-events: Lula da Silva at the Portugal’s parliament during a historic annual celebration

The Carnation Revolution (25th April 1974) has changed the course of Portugal, leading it to transition from an autocratic to a democratic Government. Every year, celebrations are conducted at the national Parliament. In 2023, it counted with another guest: Lula da Silva, Brazil’s ongoing president. Considering the notion of cultural memory and media construction of social reality through media events, this article notes Lula da Silva’s presence and exceptional address was portrayed on newspaper front pages of several journalistic media outlets. Therefore, it aims at understanding meaning and discourse production with Lula da Silva’s visit to Portugal on the 25th April 2023 through media coverage and first page highlight. Lula da Silva is noticed by the front pages under analysis as a controversial, entertaining, and eventful celebrity linked to specific positioned actors that is invited to the Parliament and prompts indirectly and directly discontentment and, at the same time, support. Also, it discusses how such spotlight over Lula da Silva turned that visit and Parliament’s address it into a pseudo-event. Adopting a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis approach, this research work intends to offer a multimodal eye upon those front pages and critically reflect on populism, coloniality, cultural memory, and journalism.

(S)Tumbling Blocks: Making Sense of and Creating a Model for Mental Blocks in Sport

The yips are a complex phenomenon that leaves athletes unable to perform previously mastered athletic skills. Here, we coin the term athletic skills mental blocks (ASMBs) to collectively define the phenomenon, which has garnered several terms across scholarship and media outlets. Previous ASMBs literature is often post-positivist in nature, offers minimal insight into complex firsthand experiences, includes small sample sizes, and/or analyzes one or two sports. Through a pilot study of 12 tumbling athletes, and a primary study including 16 collegiate and professional athletes and coaches from baseball, golf, and tumbling, this study offers an in-depth understanding of ASMBs that highlights shared ASMB rationalizations across multiple sports. Guided by sensemaking theory, we use a rigorous thematic analysis to draw out themes within four aspects of the experience: phenomenon, perceived causes, strategies to overcome, and consequences. We highlight the role communication plays in ASMBs sensemaking through revealing the importance of internal dialogue and communication with coach, family, and teammates. We offer theoretical implications by illuminating how naming/labeling processes and identity are vital components to ASMB sensemaking and generating an ASMB sensemaking model that can be used in future research. Practically, this research serves sports organizations by expanding the vocabulary surrounding ASMBs and helps destigmatize the mental health complexities inherent in ASMBs across sports.

Spanish (Neo-)Party Press: The Case of the Digital Native Newspaper La Última Hora and Podemos

ABSTRACT This paper argues that the traditional party press model is currently making a comeback, due to social polarisation, digital technologies and the online-only press, whose partisan and ideological nature provides a favourable context for media outlets acting at the service of a specific political party. In Spain, the consolidation of the online-only press has coincided with the breakdown of the two-party system, leading to the appearance of La Última Hora Noticias (LUH), a digital native newspaper that defines itself as independent, but whose discourse is identifiable with the position of political party Podemos, in what can be regarded as a sort of “neo-party press”. This paper aims to shed light on this trend by analysing LUH in terms of the characteristics of the traditional party press, the topics that it covers, the frequency with which it mentions Podemos and its leaders and how it represents them, and the different parties that it defends or criticises. The results reveal that LUH uses party-press techniques, clearly identifies with Podemos’ political interests, and resorts to formulas that are closer to propaganda than to political journalism.

Knowledge popularization in a technocratic-populist context, or how the Israeli state shaped media coverage of large-scale urban plans

In this study, we examine recent actions taken by the Israeli state to naturalize technocratic understandings of land-use plans through the mass media, and assess the implications of this for power-knowledge relations between the state, planners and citizens. Our research focuses on the years 2013–2018, when state planners and officials began working with PR agents to promulgate state-generated, pro-growth representations of plans through mainstream media outlets. We focus on coverage of three types of large-scale plans, all of which involve complex and varied knowledge contents: city master plans, new neighborhood plans, and urban renewal plans. Using critical discourse analysis and semi-structured interviews with key planners and journalists, we examined what kinds of knowledge and information about these plans were conveyed, and how. We found that a significant percentage (some 40%) of the articles published during this period were based directly on state-issued press releases, and exclusively conveyed state-sanctioned perspectives. We interpret this as an attempt by the state to highlight its own role in planning and housing, while taking advantage of journalists' lack of planning knowledge and pressure to publish in order to construct ‘citizen-technocrats’ whose knowledge mirrors that of state-affiliated actors. We situate these findings within the emerging academic discourse on “technocratic populism,” a form of governance in which populist regimes communicate technocratic knowledge directly to citizens, and show how mis/disinformation tactics usually associated with populist discourse now appear in planning communications in Israel. This practice, we argue, has served to entrench a shift toward a centralized form of neoliberalism, while promoting illiberal conceptions of state-citizen relations in the planning context.

The Impact of Headline Characteristics on Clicks: A Case Study of a Chinese Local Medium

ABSTRACT This paper addressed the question of whether the headline characteristics of a WeChat post affect its click counts. The research collected more than 40,000 posts from the WeChat official accounts of two local Chinese media outlets, scrutinizing headline features such as headline length, clickbait-type punctuation marks, and Arabic numeric symbols, and controlling for sharing amounts, content themes, and emotion words in titles. It found that the headline length and whether it contained clickbait-type punctuation marks had a significant impact on the number of clicks. Among them, the shorter the headline, the more likely it was to get a higher number of clicks, and the higher chance for the post to become a “100,000 + clicks” content. Moreover, an interesting finding was that headlines containing positive emotional words seemed to have a negative impact on click-through rates.

En busca de la audiencia: materialización del rol cívico, de infoentretenimiento y de servicio en las noticias

Basado en un análisis de contenido de noticias de 12 medios de comunicación en España (n = 6 088), el trabajo analiza la presencia de los roles periodísticos que abordan las audiencias: de servicio, infoentretenimiento y cívico. Los resultados han puesto de manifiesto que el rol de infoentretenimiento es el más presente, y que es muy similar la presencia de los roles de servicio y cívico. Se ha concluido que los medios periodísticos conceptualizan a sus audiencias como espectadores. Respecto a los factores que explican la mayor presencia de cada rol, la temática noticiosa es el más relevante.