News Media Research Articles

Political Polarization Triggers Conservatives’ Misinformation Spread to Attain Ingroup Dominance

Conservatives are often blamed for spreading misinformation, but it is unclear whether certain situations trigger them and, if so, why. The authors examine situations that are politically polarized, meaning the topic and/or its framing conveys conflict, discord, or disagreement between the two main political parties (conservatives and liberals). The authors study whether conservatives react to polarized situations by spreading ingroup-skewed political misinformation that is objectively inaccurate but not necessarily understood to be false and whether liberals are less reactive. Using a multimethod approach, the authors conduct six studies, including analyses of statements by public figures and speeches by U.S. presidents, as well as controlled experiments. The results indicate that in polarized situations, conservatives’ need for ingroup dominance is elevated, so they convey more misinformation than liberals. In less polarized situations, conservatives’ need for ingroup dominance is tempered, reducing their misinformation conveyance. These findings suggest that misinformation should not be blamed solely on the individual trait of conservativism, as polarized situations exaggerate conservative motives and behaviors. While news media, social media, political figures, and others may be incentivized to emphasize political polarization to gain audiences and bolster engagement, the resulting misinformation harms truth, trust, and democracy. Possible remedies include improved fact-checking and media literacy education.

Socio-Anthropological Analysis of Musical Characteristics and Contemporary Status of Naxi Chinese Folk Songs

Background and Aims: The musical heritage of the Naxi people, an ethnic minority in Yunnan Province, China, embodies a unique blend of traditional and contemporary influences, serving as a vivid example of cultural resilience. The aim is to analyze the socio-anthropological aspects of the musical characteristics and contemporary status of Naxi Chinese folk songs. Materials and Methods: A qualitative research approach was employed, integrating ethnographic fieldwork in Tacheng Township, Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China, semi-structured interviews with three key informants, and participant observation. The data were collected in Tacheng, a region known for its rich Naxi musical culture. This approach allowed for an in-depth exploration of the interactions between the Naxi community and their musical traditions, focusing on how cultural practices are transmitted, adapted, and sustained in contemporary settings. Results: The study revealed that Naxi folk songs, particularly the genre "Guqi," are not only artistic expressions but also crucial carriers of community memory and identity. Adaptation strategies such as incorporation into cultural festivals and modern media were observed. Challenges include a generational gap in the transmission of knowledge and the impact of economic development on traditional practices. Conclusion: Naxi folk songs demonstrate significant resilience through adaptation and continuity, reflecting broader themes of cultural sustainability and identity negotiation. Recommendations for enhancing youth engagement and leveraging digital media for cultural preservation are proposed to ensure the longevity of these musical traditions.

Does the Media’s Partisanship Influence News Coverage on Artificial Intelligence Issues? Media Coverage Analysis on Artificial Intelligence Issues

This study aims to analyze news coverage on artificial intelligence (AI) issues and highlight the characteristics and differences in reporting based on media partisanship. By examining AI-related news in the South Korean media, this study reveals how conservative and progressive outlets frame the issue differently. The analysis found that conservative media coverage predominantly focuses on positive aspects, emphasizing development value frames such as the benefits and societal progress brought by AI. In contrast, progressive media often highlight crisis value frames, focusing on issues like side effects, ethical concerns, and legislation surrounding AI. These partisan differences reflect fundamental societal priorities and influence public discourse and policy agendas. Understanding media framing is crucial for fostering informed public dialogue on the societal significance of AI and promoting evidence-based decision-making. By recognizing partisan biases and critically evaluating media coverage, citizens can engage in constructive discourse beyond ideological divides. This study underscores the role of the media in promoting interdisciplinary discussions about the future trajectory of AI and in preparing society for its impacts. Ultimately, evidence-based public discourse is essential for shaping responsible AI policies and mitigating potential risks in the digital age.

Analyzing Media Content in Turkiye and the UK during the COVID-19 Pandemic Considering the Dimensions of Quadruple Helix Collaboration Processes

The outbreak of COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022 highlighted the significant role of news media as a tool of communication among different social actors. Due to the novelty of the virus, most citizens turned to official news outlets to obtain reliable information about the disease and pandemic regulations. Therefore, a content analysis of news coverage in different countries provides insight into their Quadruple Helix dynamics, which reflects new patterns of knowledge democracy under consideration of the media-based public sphere. This article aims to trace the patterns of prevalent topics related to COVID-19 news in Turkish and British mainstream news agencies between September 2020 and March 2022. By deploying content analysis, this research endeavours to elicit public discourses created around the pandemic. These media agencies engaged in critical commentary on the pandemic situation and the policies enacted during this period, updating citizens with the latest information. However, the differences in the political and social structures of each country influence their Quadruple Helix knowledge exchange, which has a high impact on transformation processes.

Evolving Social Media Strategies in Local Journalism: Experiences from Argentine Patagonia

Studies on journalistic work and production on social media typically focus on large media outlets in developed countries. In this article, we shift the lens to a peripheral area of a peripheral country: Argentine Patagonia. Our objective was to analyse journalistic production on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in the eight most-followed local and regional news media outlets. We analysed the narratives, the extent to which they apply transmedia journalism, and how they have evolved compared to studies from 2021. We also conducted structured interviews with social media managers to gain insight into their professional practices. We conclude that, 15 years since the creation of the first profiles, promoting website content remains the primary goal of North Patagonian media networks. Since 2021, there have been more frequent updates but less native production, especially on Facebook and Twitter. Despite the shortage of staff and precarious working conditions, some news media outlets have been able to innovate on Instagram, introducing a variety of multimedia formats, a more conversational tone, diverse update rhythms, adapted content, and even specific content that is organised into sections. Information production for the platforms has been integrated into journalistic routines even when public interaction with the audience remains very limited.

Archives of Dissent: First Friday, the Unauthorized News and the Legacy of Haunani-Kay Trask

Abstract: On March 11, 2022, 'Ōlelo TV aired its last episode of First Friday: The Unauthorized News , which honored the life and accomplishments of Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask. Running intermittently for over thirty-five years, First Friday covered news and perspectives not discussed by local and mainstream media sources in Hawai'i. The show was initially formed in equal collaboration between John Witeck, Jo Scheder, Haunani-Kay Trask, and David Stannard and cohosted by Stannard, Trask, and later her sister Mililani Trask. First Friday included discussions of Hawaiian sovereignty that unapologetically centered Hawaiian viewpoints. The show aimed to educate and empower its viewers to get involved in local, state, and international politics, and was a significant example of independent news media. Although First Friday covered a range of topics both local and global, this essay begins to trace the legacy of Haunani-Kay Trask through her conversations on sovereignty on First Friday and her refusal of Americanness.

PATRIARCHAL ERASURE AND MANUFACTURED PASSIVITY: ASYMMETRIC GOVERNMENT AND NEWS MEDIA ATTENTION TO PROTESTS IN CHINA

Is media attention to protest events gendered, and what is the relationship between gender, media, and protest? Using novel big data from Chinese social media, Weibo, spanning 2010-2017, this study offers the first systematic analysis of gender bias in media selection and description of protests in China and establishes the “gender-protest-media triad.” In accounting for this gender bias, we distinguish between two types of media accounts on Weibo: government and news media outlets. The results indicate that women-majority protests, despite being more violent and risky, are less likely than men-majority protests to receive coverage in both government and news media outlets (media selection bias). Furthermore, when reporting on women-majority protests, government media sources tend to describe them as more passive than men-majority protests (media description bias). Our research establishes the “gender-protest-media triad”: (1) Women participate violently in protests as a reactive response to exploitation and marginalization; (2) Women's protests are disproportionately underreported and misrepresented in the media; (3) Such patriarchal media bias deprives women protesters of the public attention and resources necessary to pressure institutions for redress of their grievance. This triadic cycle is symptomatic of what we term the “paternalist stability model”: A mode of governance converging patriarchal logics with neo-Confucian stability maintenance, central to the maintenance of patriarchal hegemony in China and throughout the Sinosphere.

"Being Simple on Complex Issues" - Accounts on Visual Data Communication About Climate Change.

Data visualizations play a critical role in both communicating scientific evidence about climate change and in stimulating engagement and action. To investigate how visualizations can be better utilized to communicate the complexities of climate change to different audiences, we conducted interviews with 17 experts in the fields of climate change, data visualization, and science communication, as well as with 12 laypersons. Besides questions about climate change communication and various aspects of data visualizations, we also asked participants to share what they think is the main takeaway message for two exemplary climate change data visualizations. Through a thematic analysis, we observe differences regarding the included contents, the length and abstraction of messages, and the sensemaking process between and among the participant groups. On average, experts formulated shorter and more abstract messages, often referring to higher-level conclusions rather than specific details. We use our findings to reflect on design decisions for creating more effective visualizations, particularly in news media sources geared toward lay audiences. We hereby discuss the adaption of contents according to the needs of the audience, the trade-off between simplification and accuracy, as well as techniques to make a visualization attractive.

Analysis of the "Greenwashing" Phenomenon in the ESG Investment Environment

With the continuous development of the green financial market and the evolution of ESG reports, the corresponding "greenwashing" problems emerge in endlessly. This study takes ESG reports and enterprise greenwashing papers from 2022 as the object of analysis and reviews the research results in this field from the aspects of classification, causes, expression forms, influence and governance of greenwashing phenomena. According to the analysis. with the increasing scale of China's green finance market, the forms of greenwashing are gradually diversified. The imperfect information disclosure system, the asymmetry of market information and the more pursuit of short-term interests by enterprises are the main factors for the occurrence of greenwashing phenomenon. The impact of green analysis from consumer, corporate governance, gradually to the social and environmental level. Based on the above content, the research puts forward many governance opinions on greenwashing behavior, e.g., improving the system and unified standards from the government level as the perspective, strengthening information disclosure and news media supervision from the market perspective, strengthening internal governance from the perspective of enterprises, and improving the level of professional knowledge.

The text of mass communication in the modern media cultural space

The text of mass communication in the modern media cultural space

The Relationship Between News Coverage of COVID-19 Misinformation and Online Search Behavior

ABSTRACT The spread of health misinformation poses a threat to public health as it can influence individuals’ health beliefs and, potentially, behaviors, and their support for public health policies. The mainstream news media have the potential to inadvertently increase the salience of misinformation through their reporting. This study explores the agenda-setting effects of mainstream news media coverage on public salience of public health misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed the association between news media coverage and public salience – as measured by Google Trends relative search volume – of three different pieces of COVID-19 misinformation: (1) hydroxychloroquine is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19; (2) the COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility; and (3) ivermectin is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19. We plotted news coverage of each piece of misinformation against Google Trends relative search volume over time. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were used to account for autocorrelation and analyze the relationship between the two time series. News media coverage volume was a significant predictor of same-day relative search volume for hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. The relationship between news media coverage and searches for COVID-19 vaccines and infertility was not significant. These findings indicate mainstream news media coverage may contribute to the public salience of misinformation. Mainstream media outlets should contextualize their reporting on misinformation with verification from scientific consensus.

Local news as political institution and the repercussions of ‘news deserts’: A qualitative study of seven UK local areas

A transformation in the political economy of local news provision has led to claims that an increasing number of local areas have become ‘news deserts’ – areas that are poorly served or not served at all by professional and dedicated news services (Abernathy, 2022). Such developments have raised widespread concerns about the future health of local democracy. One aspect of local news’ declining capacity that has received little attention to date is the impact on its role as political institution. This paper first examines the impact of changes on those most closely affected by the reduction or closure of UK local news media outlets – the consumers and sources of local news. Through empirical research in 2021-22, the authors explore Cook’s theory of the news media as political institution (2005), by examining local citizens’ experience of – and attitudes towards – their local news outlets, and the extent to which they believe these continue to perform an institutional role. Second, the paper seeks to explore the extent to which other information services – most notably social media and online communities - substitute for the institutional roles of local news outlets. The paper argues that the diminishing role of local news media as political institution has significant political and democratic implications which are not being addressed by policymakers, who are more concerned with the economic interests of corporate media owners than the broader democratic and societal interests of local communities.

TV방송과 유튜브의 상대 높임 사용 양상 비교 - 토론 매체에서의 ‘합쇼체/해요체/해체’를 중심으로

This study aims to compare and analyze the usage patterns of relative honorifics in discussion programs on TV broadcasts and individual media platforms like YouTube. The goal is to identify the characteristics of honorific usage in both media and to present various strategic approaches to relative honorifics observed in these contexts. To achieve this, the study will examine actual utterance data from discussion programs on TV broadcasts and YouTube to explore the patterns of honorific usage. Previous research on the usage of honorifics in news media has mostly focused on TV broadcasts, often based on the formal and ritualistic nature of broadcast language. However, with the advent of smartphones and the easy accessibility of YouTube, informal language patterns have become more prevalent. YouTube allows participants to speak freely without the constraints of formal broadcast language, creating new social relationships based on familiarity with the audience. Therefore, this study seeks to provide foundational data on changes in the use of honorifics by comparing the usage patterns observed on YouTube with those in TV broadcast discussion programs. This comparison aims to offer insights into the evolving patterns of honorific usage in broadcast media.

Exploration of Ferns in Indrokilo Botanical Garden, Boyolali for the Development of Interactive Multimedia for High School Biology Learning

In today's digital era, conventional learning media has begun to be abandoned. Currently, many modern learning media have been developed such as interactive multimedia, video media, and others so that the learning process becomes fun and students are actively involved in the learning process. The purpose of this study is; to explore the diversity of ferns in the Indrokilo Boyolali Botanical Garden and develop interactive biology multimedia materials for high school. The methods used are field exploration, taxonomic identification, and development of interactive multimedia. The research location is at the Indrokilo Boyolali Botanical Garden and the research was conducted for 3 months starting from December 2022 to February 2023. The results of the research and identification at the Indrokilo Botanical Garden found 31 types of ferns from 14 families and 3 classes. The interactive multimedia developed combines text, images, animations, and interactive videos. This multimedia has been evaluated and received positive validation results, so it can be used as interactive media in high school. Interactive media with other plant samples still needs to be developed because the Indrakilo Botanical Garden is a source of plant diversity

The Implementation of Tourism Communication for Developing Tourismpreneurship and Destination Branding in Cijengkol Village, Subang

Cijengkol Village in Subang Regency boasts significant local tourism potential, including the Cijengkol Seven Springs known for its water pH resembling infused water, and River Tubing, a popular activity along the upper stretch of the Ciasem river. This community service initiative aims to promote understanding of tourism entrepreneurship and destination branding, vital for harnessing local potential and enhancing regional tourist attractions. By encouraging environmental responsibility and fostering collaboration in developing regional tourism, the program seeks to empower Cijengkol Village residents. Effective tourism communication skills are seen as key to unlocking economic opportunities indirectly. The initiative addresses two main challenges: a lack of awareness regarding tourism's potential as a key sector, affecting micro, small, and medium enterprises, and underutilization of modern digital media for tourism communication. The approach involves specialized training for community members, particularly those involved in Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDES) and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Cijengkol Village. The outcome includes the formation of Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis) candidates who understand a tourism vision and mission aligned with SMART goals for sustainable tourism management. Consequently, the candidates are equipped with collaborative concepts and strategies for tourism management in Cijengkol Village, serving as a foundation for future implementation.

Concrete cracks, wood burns: Competing narratives in the construction sector

Innate to the human condition are rules of thumb, or heuristics, important for our survival. It is widely understood that wood is combustible, and concrete is prone to cracking. These factors significantly drive our perceptions concerning the selection of materials used in construction. The present study aimed to better understand the competing narratives employed by supporters on both sides of this construction ‘material warfare’ and specifically investigate their advantage and disadvantage arguments. To meet our research objective, we looked at news media articles through Google search tool using keywords ‘wood vs concrete building construction’. The articles are published as early as 2006, and along the years, the competing conversations are more prominent with the ‘birth’ of mass timber in North America. The topic is also becoming an interest for specific audiences, such as architects, engineers, and insurance companies. Through inductive thematic analysis of 100 articles, we find that cost and sustainability are two dominant factors in the narratives. Each industry claims to be more cost effective and sustainable than the other, typically sniping at each other. This rhetoric, we argue, will not be beneficial for society and environmental justice. A sustainable built environment requires cross-sector collaboration between wood and concrete companies to handle difficulties that they cannot address successfully within their own sector.

헬스케어 공급망 리스크 주요 이슈 분석: 뉴스기사를 중심으로

This study investigates the major risk issues and their causes in healthcare supply chains, using network analysis and qualitative analysis of news media publications, and then proposes response and operational strategies for managing healthcare supply chain risks. We divided our study into two time periods for a comparative analysis of key risk issues in different degrees of environmental uncertainty. The year 2020 marked the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first period of our analysis is four years covering 2016-2019, prior to COVID-19 disruptions. The second period is also four years during 2020-2023 when the full force of COVID-19 disruptions affected healthcare supply chains. The keywords used to collect news media publications were “healthcare,” “healthcare industry,” “healthcare services,” “hospital,” “health center,” and “medicine.” The results of the study indicated that the major risks experienced in healthcare supply chains were due to the following factors: the type of patients who needed healthcare services, care services provided (lab tests, treatment, prescriptions, etc.), care service methods used (surgery, utilization of medical devices), and examination and diagnostics (clinical kits, etc.). While these factors were identified as possible causes of risk in the healthcare supply chains involving procurement of supplies and raw materials, these risks tend to intensify in the increased disruption period (year 2020-2023). Managing these risk issues in the disruptive periods contributes significantly not only to the performance of healthcare organizations but also to the well-being of the society at large. This study offers theoretical implications in that it analyzes the causes of risks in the healthcare supply chains and provides a basis for a comparative analysis of the relationships of risk factors in healthcare supply chains during a normal environment and a very disruptive environment. From a practical perspective, this study suggests effective countermeasures for managing healthcare supply chain risks with examples that can be used as a guideline by healthcare executives, managers, and policy-makers of healthcare services.

The Social Media Comment Section as an Unruly Public Arena: How Comment Reading Erodes Trust in News Media

The comment section accompanying news stories on social media offers an important interactive context for news, but may also afford the possibility to spread anti-establishment, trust-eroding comments. Exposure to such comments may affect social media users’ trust in news media. However, evidence of over-time effects is scarce. This study draws upon cultivation theory and uses a three-wave panel survey in the Netherlands ( N = 906). Findings indicate that increased comment reading at T2 exacerbates and deepens news media mistrust at T3, suggesting that exposure to the comment section accompanying news stories posted on social media indeed has negative ramifications for news media trust. News media seem to be closing off their own comment section and delegating commenting to social media in part to create a buffer between themselves and trust-eroding comments. Our findings suggest this buffer is not as solid as news media might hope.

Examining the Barriers to Licensed Private Cannabis Retailers in Canada: A Quantitative Content Analysis of Canadian News Media Coverage

Background Since the Government of Canada legalized non-medicinal cannabis use/consumption on October 17, 2018, licensed private cannabis retailers have faced numerous challenges. These challenges negatively impacted retail operations and potentially undermined public health and safety. We aimed to identify these challenges to inform policy decisions. Methods We conducted a quantitative news media content analysis using Nexis Uni and Eureka databases to identify articles from Canada's highest-circulating newspapers and CBC News website from 2017 to 2022, referencing at least one barrier to private cannabis retailers. We screened and extracted data using Covidence and deductively coded the data using our newly developed comprehensive cannabis retail framework and inductively as new themes emerged. The barriers identified in the media were quantified through descriptive analyses. Results The search yielded 9,371 articles, of which 307 relevant articles were included. The main findings revealed that the barriers most commonly reported by the media were related to government regulations, supply chain, and competitors. The salience of these barriers also changed over time. These barriers were most frequently mentioned in the Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald, Toronto Star, and the National Post. Conclusion Our framework was suitable for describing the data and identifying several media-portrayed barriers to private cannabis retail operations in Canada and how they differed in salience over time. However, a more in-depth understanding of the barriers from retailers’ perspectives may further support the government's policy agenda of achieving public health and safety. The results from this study may also serve as a baseline measure to evaluate Canada's cannabis retail market and provide new insights into the growing body of literature about the cannabis retail market.

Encounters convening publics: opposing politics and confronting trouble-making

ABSTRACT In this article, we examine the outbursts of a white passenger on a London tram, antagonizing others through swearing, nationalist, racist and anti-immigrant talk and the responses of carriage members to her confrontational talk. Our analysis uses a video recording of the event made by a passenger that circulated widely on social and news media. We document multiple forms of response, including the video-witnessing itself. We describe how the trouble-making passenger antagonizes other passengers in order to produce opponents. In addition, we track how members of the carriage, in responding, show their right to respond, seek to avoid the terms of the confrontation and, once constituted as political opponents, their opposition to the politics being expressed. In examining the responses to the trouble-making and the politics being contested between the persons involved and, in tracking how public transport is attempted to be transformed into an ad hoc agora, we contribute to Barnett’s work on convening public space, ordinary action, and politics in human geography.