Public Media Research Articles

The Silent Saboteur: The Impact and Management of Malicious Word-Of-Mouth in The Digital Age

In the digital era, the impact of malicious word-of-mouth on individuals and businesses is complex. Malicious online reviews and false information can spread quickly, causing serious damage to personal reputation and corporate branding. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of malicious word-of-mouth on various aspects of the economy and society, and proposes effective strategies for response. Through specific case studies, such as the controversy surrounding the BOY LONDON brand, the public relations crisis of the Wahaha brand, the damage to Jiang Ping's personal image, and the "pink-haired girl" incident, this article illustrates how malicious word-of-mouth can erode consumer decision-making autonomy, pose threats to personal physical and mental health, and tarnish the image of brands and enterprises. To address these challenges, companies and governments must take proactive measures, such as monitoring and responding to negative information on the Internet to maintain a positive image and strengthening Internet regulation to ensure the authenticity and transparency of information and to prevent the spread of false information. At the same time, improving public media literacy helps people identify and resist the influence of malicious word-of-mouth.

Research on the effectiveness and strategies of new media in promoting voluntary blood donation from a public health perspective in the post-pandemic era.

This study explores the effectiveness of new media in enhancing public enthusiasm for voluntary blood donation in the post-pandemic era and proposes effective publicity strategies to promote the sustainability and healthy development of blood donation activities. A questionnaire survey was widely used to collect public opinions and attitudes toward voluntary blood donation. The sample data underwent rigorous reliability and validity analysis to ensure authenticity and reliability. Statistical methods such as correlation analysis and regression analysis were employed to deeply investigate the underlying relationships between factors like new media publicity, emotional value, social recognition, convenience, information reliability, and willingness to donate blood voluntarily. Based on these analyses, a research model was constructed, and relevant hypotheses were verified through empirical methods. The study found that new media publicity may be associated with increasing the willingness of the public to voluntarily donate blood. Survey participants indicated that they were more likely to consider donating blood after exposure to new media publicity. Among these factors, the emotional value and content conveyed by the publicity appeared to be particularly important. Additionally, our research revealed that social recognition, the convenience of blood donation, and the reliability of promotional information seemed to have a direct impact on the public's willingness to donate blood. At the same time, these factors may indirectly promote actual blood donation behavior by enhancing the public's emotional resonance and acceptance of blood donation. This study suggests that new media may play multiple positive roles in promoting voluntary blood donation. Based on these findings, we propose a series of strategic recommendations, including further optimizing publicity content, striving to enhance the public's emotional resonance, improving the reliability of promotional information, and enhancing service convenience. These suggestions aim to potentially raise public awareness and willingness to participate in voluntary blood donation, providing a scientific basis and strong support for the promotion of voluntary blood donation in the post-epidemic era.

Deerminants of watchdog journalism: A global empirical approach

This article introduces and examines a hierarchical model of influences that identifies the variables affecting the watchdog role of journalists at three levels: the societal (press freedom and democracy), the organizational (media ownership), and the individual (editorial autonomy and perceived influences) on a global scale. Using data from 27,567 journalists in 6403 media organizations across 67 countries, the model's validity is confirmed. The findings reveal that variations in journalists’ perception of their role are more pronounced at the societal level compared to the organizational and individual levels. Furthermore, journalists tend to assume a watchdog role more prominently within public media as opposed to private or state-run outlets. Surprisingly, press freedom and democracy have a weak and insignificant impact on watchdog journalism, challenging established norms in the literature, a result that we critically discussed.

The Influence of Strategic Media on Nation Building: The Case of Sudan

The study systematically investigated the hypothesis that strategic media initiatives promote and accelerate nation-building processes (NBP) in Sudan. The strategic media variables examined included three essential ones: media language perfection (MLP), qualitative media coverage (QMC), and information building plan (IBP). Using a multilinear regression model (MLRM), the study analyzed the relationships among these predicting variables and their impact on the dependent variable. The evaluation of how the three predictors impact nation-building and state stability required the distribution of a survey containing 21 questions. 200 Sudanese journalists from different parts of the country received the questionnaire. They represent diverse backgrounds across private and public media institutions, including male and female participants. The principal data collection technique adopted by the study was the online survey, supplemented by other secondary sources such as journals, books, and professional internet websites. The use of a five-point Likert scale was feasible to evaluate responses. The analysis indicated that the three predictors collectively explained 94.2% of the variation in NBP (R² = 0.942, p < 0.001). Among these predictors, IBP demonstrated the highest impact (β = 0.624), followed by MLP (β = 0.589) and QMC (β = 0.247). These findings underscore the significant role of professional media in Sudanese nation-building by facilitating practical initiatives and addressing internal conflicts. The study contributes robust empirical evidence and theoretical insights into the efforts of Sudanese journalists, emphasizing the critical role of strategic media in fostering nation-building and enhancing state stability.

Hashtivism as media discourse: analysing pioneer environmental action in Public Service Media through transmedia formula

Various studies have analysed the news media’s participation in debates generated in the public digital sphere represented by social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Some of these debates have gained strength and become authentic movements linked to certain social struggles, such as feminism. Similarly, the so-called ‘environmental hashtivism’ or ‘eco-hashtivism’ is acquiring increasing importance in the context of this digital sphere. In view of this, the focus of this article is the distinctive area of public radio and television channels in Europe to examine the transmedia action #EKIN_klima, developed by the Basque public audiovisual corporation Euskal Irrati Telebista (EITB). The study of this pioneering initiative allows us to understand just how the eco-activism actions of the public news media can help to reposition it within the hybrid media system and contribute to the modernisation of its social function, along the lines of other actions, such as those carried out by the BBC against disinformation. In this way, it has been noted that the environmental issue is not only something to be included in the news media agenda, but also an opportunity for the public news media to legitimise its social and innovative character through transmedia branding actions.

On political interests and self-serving diversity: How state policymakers envision public service media

ABSTRACT Since 2012, diversity has been a declared pillar of Public Service Media (PSM) organizations worldwide – yet the term lacks conceptual clarity. This article offers an empirical analysis of how diversity is discussed and conceptualized in the process of legislating a new PSM law. Through reflexive thematic analysis of 160 transcripts of Israel’s parliament discussions during 2012–2018, we find that policymakers approach diversity as a crucial feature in PSM organizations, yet seem unable to produce an operationalizable definition of it. Our findings suggest diversity is easily manipulated for political interests – a phenomenon we coin as “self-serving diversity.” The Israeli case herein contributes a data-based approach to theorizing media diversity as a bendable ideology rather than a concrete embracive approach to society.

Public Participation Monitoring: Social Media Data Mining and Analysis of User Engagement Patterns

Social Media Platforms (SMP) like Twitter and Facebook have become public influencing medium in today’s digital age which facilitate community interactions. These necessitates the monitoring of public participation in these SMP. This work performs such an study by examining the user engagement patterns in social media in Indonesia during the national elections (#Pemilu2024), Ramadan celebrations (#Ramadan2024), and climate change discussions (#ClimateChange). The data for the study was collected during a period of six months from (January to June 2024) using event-specific hashtags and keywords. To identify the user engagement patterns datamining and Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools were utilized. The findings show that the Twitter platform has higher user engagement in morning with news updates and visual updates at evening. The Facebook show user engagement in afternoon with videos and evening engagement with shared articles. The Sentiment Analysis (SA) and network analysis was performed over the dataset and the findings have shown that higher positive sentiments towards elections and Ramadan but argumentative towards climate change discussions. The Twitter show rapid communication effectiveness compared to Facebook. Further the youth prefer faster update and older expect detailed content sharing.

Political communication from the standpoint of ideational turn: cognitive representation of the idea of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (in English)

The article examines the specifics of political cognition as a structural element of political communication. The main task of the study is to identify, in the conditions of an ideational turn, the characteristics of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization political and media axis, modeled in scientific and media publications and conditioned by different logic and political cognitions of the authors. The mediatization of modern political discourse makes it possible to consider ideology as a potential opportunity that creates grounds for organizing the institutional present through the symbolism recontextualization of the institutional past. The Argentine sociologist, anthropologist and semiotic, Professor of Communication Sciences at the University of San Andres, Elisio Verona’s position is recognized as a priority in understanding ideology. Critical linguistics is considered to be the most productive in terms of representing and describing the multiplicity of interaction between participants in political communication, balancing communication of political cognitions. In the conceptual modeling process, elements of political analysis are used, based on the appeal to ideas as causal variables. The research is carried out taking into account the importance of causal-constitutive logics, while causal logic is recognized as the priority logic of communication, with an orientation towards the idea as a focal point. The authors consider the idea of cooperation, which models the SCO’s institutional functions, through cognitive presentations in scientific and media sources, and ground its interpretation on the terminological and conceptual apparatus of Russian constructivism.

Echo of extinction: The Ivory-billed Woodpecker's tragic legacy and its impact on scientific integrity

Abstract Among the current surge in extinction rates, exceeding between 100 and 1000 times the prehuman background rate, a multitude of species quietly fade away, largely escaping the notice of our collective awareness. The extinction of only a select few species has the power to captivate public attention, stir emotions, and ignite debates comparable to the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). Reports purporting a rediscovery of this long-extinct species periodically surface and find their way into peer-reviewed journals, attracting worldwide attention from the public media. This phenomenon persists despite a glaring lack of evidence supporting such an exceptional claim, in disconnect with principles of population biology or even common sense, thereby risking erosion of public trust in the foundations of nature conservancy and the integrity of scientific methodologies in general. The tragic fate of this iconic species therefore holds significance beyond ecology, providing deep insights into extinction and conservation while highlighting the need for refinement of scientific rigor and standards of evidence in the peer review process and beyond.

Digital Sovereignty, the Private Sector, and a Social Republican Alternative

The European Union has stated the ambition to regain control over the digital sphere, which academics have construed as both a push for digital sovereignty and as a form of digital constitutionalism. The strategy promises to be an improvement over the previous period of digital liberalism. I suggest, however, from a republican perspective, that this strategy of digital sovereignty is not sufficiently critical of the reliance on the private sector. A dominant private sector comes with a risk of widespread infrastructural dependency and yields too much of the digital sphere to a way of thinking that is shaped in accordance with silicon valley companies. On a republican account, these are arguably forms of structural domination. To prevent these risks from materialising, the European strategy should instead emphasize the role of alternative ownership models, such as those found in the digital commons and in public service media organisations.

The Infl uence of Trickster Behavior in the Media Space on the Dynamics of Cultural Industries

The trend of media consumption in recent years has been the sharp interest of the mass audience in communication and entertainment. This practice can also be traced in the dynamics of the development of cultural industries, where the emergence of new words (“blog”, “podcast”, “hashtag”, etc.) is noted. This indicates that the media continues to play a huge role in the production and preferences of certain cultural products. Under the infl uence of mediatization, there is a steady demand for behavioral models that, based on humor, irony or deception, contribute to changing the existing order. One of these models is trickster behavior. Such actions in the society of impressions are perceived as a form of entertainment. The purpose of this article is to attempt a philosophical understanding of such transformations in public consciousness and media consumption in the context of cultural and economic dynamics. My thesis is that the trickster, who is a universal archetypal fi gure immersed in a socio-cultural context, plays an important role both in mythology and in religion, culture, media, economics, and politics. It serves as a unifying principle in the process of forming the social memory of peoples, exposing the negative qualities of man and society, showing the level of existing values and morality. Sociocultural, semiotic, historiosophical, communicative and psychoanalytic approaches have been applied to the study of trickster behavior. As a result of the research, manipulative tactics used by tricksters in the media space have been identifi ed, which make it possible to implement a strategy of theatricality: in behavior and speech on the verge of “norm – outrageousness”, an unconventional vision of the situation, a reaction to the challenges of social reality, the introduction of new cultural mythologies into public consciousness. The infl uence of their actions on the formation of sociocultural stereotypes is noted. The study expands the understanding of trickster behavior through the prism of established trends in media consumption and reproduction of cultural products (movies, games, blogs, performances by media personalities, etc.). The relevance of the trickster model of behavior is justifi ed by the digitalization and mediatization of the space of human existence. Keywords: trickster, trickster behavior, cultural industries, archetype, cultural mythologies

Analysis of Computational Bibliometric Mapping in Multimedia for Art Learning Media Publications using VOSviewer

This research explores the development of fine arts learning media using interactive multimedia research. The goal can be a reference for researchers in conducting and defining research themes, especially around multimedia learning. The method is used through a bibliographic approach with computational mapping analysis using VOSviewer. Article data is retrieved from the Google Scholar database using a publish-or-perish reference management application. Article titles and abstracts serve as guidelines when searching for keywords like "art," "learning media," and "multimedia." We found 447 seemingly related articles. The study period used as learning material is a paper from the last five years (2018 to 2023) indexed by Google Scholar. The results of research on fine arts learning media using interactive multimedia can be classified into four terms. The first term "Training" belongs to cluster 2 with a total of 34 links, an overall link strength of 138, and 59 events. The second term, "Media", belongs to cluster 2, with a total of 30 links, an overall connection strength of 142, and 74 events. The third term, "Multimedia", belongs to cluster 2, with a total of 27 links, an overall connection strength of 110, and 55 events. The fourth term "art" belongs to cluster 1 with a total of 34 links, an overall link strength of 138 and 59 events. From 2018 to 2020, the survey found research fluctuations in several media-based art learning media studies (65, 110, and 124 publications per year, respectively). The number of studies decreased from 44 (2021) to 16 (2023) from 2021 to 2023. Thus, there are still many opportunities for researchers to discuss it.

Russia – Africa: The Role of the Media in the Process of Cross-Cultural Communication

The article is devoted to the role of mass media in the process of intercultural communication with African countries. Due to the growing sanctions pressure from the European Union and the United States, Russia is looking for alternative political and economic allies, which it seeks to fi nd among the countries of the African continent. In this context, the issue of intercultural communication with this region is becoming increasingly important. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the image of African states in the leading Russian print media does not correspond to Russia’s stated political ambitions towards these countries. It is observed that the image of the partner countries in the Russian media is not presented fully enough, with an emphasis on the negative side. The article substantiates the idea that the awareness of Russian residents about the culture of Africa is an important component of successful communication. The study aims to evaluate the functions of the media in the process of forming the image of a number of countries and, in accordance with this, analyze the image of Africa being formed in the Russian media fi eld. The novelty of the research lies in presenting a new perspective on the role of the media in the process of intercultural communication. The theoretical basis was scientifi c articles, documents published by public organizations and public authorities. The method of content analysis is used as an approach to the study of media texts. The research materials were published by the major Russian online media “Argumenty i Fakty (Arguments and Facts)” and “RIA Novosti”. The results show the presence of a negative asymmetry in the representation of the image of Africa. The prospect of this study is further and more detailed monitoring of the tone of media publications about Africa and the formation of specifi c proposals for correcting information policy. Keywords: coverage policy, image of Africa, intercultural communication, prospects for interaction, role of the media

БҮГІНГІ БҰҚАРАЛЫҚ АҚПАРАТ ҚҰРАЛДАРЫ КЕҢІСТІГІНДЕГІ ЛИНГВОЭКОЛОГИЯ МӘСЕЛЕЛЕРІ

The number of mass media outlets in the information space is growing every year, with a particular increase in TV channels, websites, and portals disseminating information in the Kazakh language. A key issue today is not only to expand the quantity of Kazakh-language media but also to enhance the quality of their content. The aim of this research is to analyze the language culture within Kazakh-language media, particularly in the social sphere, to identify shortcomings, and to develop examples that align with the norms of the literary language. This article provides a detailed analysis of the issues related to linguoecology as reflected in the media, offering a comprehensive review of linguistic and stylistic errors, the use of inappropriate language, and the creation of artificial proverbs and sayings. The analysis is grounded in the principles of language culture and literary norms. Examples frequently encountered in media publications and television broadcasts are examined. Furthermore, the article suggests ways to improve the linguistic environment by addressing the influence of extralinguistic factors and provides scientific recommendations for enhancing language use. The research methods employed include analysis, control, and review. The conclusions and insights are particularly relevant for authors, journalists, and broadcasters who produce content in the Kazakh language.

A cross-sectional study on utilization and barriers of eSanjeevani telemedicine services in rural areas of South India: Curing at a distance

Background: Telemedicine services are essential in a country like India, where the doctor-to-patient ratio and hospital-topopulation ratio are lower than the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended ratio. To prevent the long waiting time for doctor appointments, diagnosis, and treatment plans in person, an alternative system such as eSanjeevani telemedicine is necessary to tackle medical emergencies in a populated country like India. Objectives: To assess the utilization and barriers affecting the utilization of eSanjeevani services among residents of rural areas in Karnataka. Materials and Methods: A Cross sectional community study was conducted in the rural areas of south India, using a pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule. Multistage cluster sampling method was used to select 400 households. The collected data has been expressed in terms of frequencies and percentages. Results: The study identified that most of the study participants were from lower middle class as per the modified Kuppuswamy Scale. Only 34.8% were aware of the eSanjeevani services and among them 22% utilized eSanjeevani services in which General medicine services (86.3%) were used the most. Major barriers for utilization included network issues (29%) followed by no room for queries/questions (20%). Conclusion: Telemedicine has the potential to enhance the availability and accessibility of healthcare to everyone. At the moment, lack of awareness, low network connectivity, and inherent technological limits pose major challenges for accessing telemedicine. Utilization of telemedicine can be increased by making people aware about the advantages of using it through strong Information, Education and Communication and media publicity

A Diachronic Study on the Study of Cheondogyo’s Publication Media during the Japanese Colonial Period : Focusing on 『Gaebyeok(開闢)』

A Diachronic Study on the Study of Cheondogyo’s Publication Media during the Japanese Colonial Period : Focusing on 『Gaebyeok(開闢)』

Capturing the voices of working Arab mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A quick content analysis of their messages on Twitter (X)

Introduction: Working mothers from different cultures have been heavily challenged during the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Infectious disease outbreaks increase women’s missions, which challenge their abilities to balance time among the different tasks. The purpose of this study was to capture the voices of working Arab mothers through their posts on Twitter to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to understand how working Arab women’s lives were affected and how the pandemic’s burden interacted with existing challenges in Arab women’s lives, such as gender hierarchies and patriarchal social structure. Methodology: Arab mothers’ posts on Twitter during the first 3 months of the pandemic (March–June 2020) were extracted manually. The search strategy followed included a combination of terms searched in Arabic, with each keyword being searched separately with one of the fixed terms (COVID-19 or Corona) in the search engine. Keywords searched for are work, mother/s, worker/s, working mothers, children, kids, husband, online teaching, cleaning, tired, pressure, and home chores. Only 40 posts were relevant and included in the current study. Conventional content analysis was followed to analyze the mothers’ posts on Twitter. Results: The findings showed that these mothers struggled to manage family, household, and children’s online learning (N = 14); work from home and/or be at the worksite (N = 12); the negative consequences on mental and social wellbeing (N = 17); and the financial crises during the pandemic (N = 4). They were disappointed with the insufficient support provided by husbands (N = 2) and the government’s response in addressing their needs as working mothers during the pandemic (N = 7). Conclusion: Recognizing the extent to which disease outbreaks affect women is a fundamental step to understanding the effects of health emergencies on them and creating effective policies and interventions. Public health policies, measures, and media are needed to promote better self-care for families, especially mothers, to avoid future tensions in the healthcare system during and after the pandemic.

THE WEAPONIZATION OF INFORMATION: HOW DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS UNDERMINE SELF-DETERMINATION

This research paper examines how disinformation campaigns harm self-determination processes by examining the psychological mechanisms by which public opinion can be manipulated, including confirmation bias and emotional manipulation. This body of work takes on task of understanding how these tactics can affect political choices, from voting behavior to the support of a protest, hampering the development of democracy. The paper reveals real-world consequences of disinformation on self-determination movements through a case study of a selection of significant events, such as Brexit referendum and 2016 U.S. presidential election. It is vital to have high-level international legal frameworks and accountability mechanisms to address this problem. The proposals include establishing international conventions, increasing transparency in social media, strengthening public media literacy & establishing partnerships among stakeholders. This study concludes that protecting self-determination rights demands shared work to address misinformation, ensuring that people can interact suitably with right information for participation in democratic procedures. Addressing these challenges ensures respect for the integrity of public discourse and fundamental rights of the people worldwide in an increasingly complex information landscape.

Changes in Public Perception of ChatGPT: A Text Mining Perspective Based on Social Media

Public perceptions are the decisive factor affecting ChatGPT development. Previous research mostly employed single quantitative or qualitative methods to analyze the perceptions of ChatGPT as a whole over a period of time, ignoring the dynamics of public perception. The true perceptions of ChatGPT remain an open question. We extracted 56,769 comments from 1 December 2022 to 15 February 2023 on Sina Weibo to investigate the changes in public perceptions based on sentiment and concerns. The trend analysis results revealed that positive attitudes dominated in stage 1, but attitudes reversed and negative sentiment gradually increased. Impact, Fault, and Regret were constant topics of public concern, while there were also worries about ethics and social division. Besides, excessive media publicity on ChatGPT results in over-trust, thereby affecting human-machine interaction and triggering reflections on individualism and the weakening of subjectivity. Our findings provided valuable insights for the future development of ChatGPT.

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Digitalization has significantly influenced the challenges facing the media industry. The very process of media transformations "is no longer a technical need, but is already a social reflection and need, a need for communication, a need for solving political and technological problems in the society of this time" (Bebić & Volarević, 2016). Therefore, the attention of users is increasingly difficult to capture, thanks to the diversity of media publications, and in this sense traditional media often fail to respond to specific audience demands (Trattner, et al., 2022).Today, users are exposed to a large amount of information on a daily basis, their content is increasing, so media content cannot be imposed on users, but they choose only what they are interested in for consumption. However, traditional electronic media have understood the importance of the new multidimensional environment, therefore they are using a multiplatform through the Internet that use digital technology both to place the content and to personalize the offers against the user (Ćitić, 2020).