This book brings together a diverse, international array of contributors to explore the topics of news “quality” in the online age and the relationships between news organizations and enormously influential digital platforms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Covering topics ranging from internet incivility, crowdsourcing, and YouTube politics to regulations, algorithms, and AI, this book draws the key distinction between the news that facilitates democracy and news that undermines it. For students and scholars as well as journalists, policymakers, and media commentators, this important work engages a wide range of methodological and theoretical perspectives to define the key concept of “quality” in the news media.
Author(s): Regina G. Lawrence, Philip M. Napoli
Series: Media and Power
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 233
City: New York
Cover
Endorsement
Half Title
Series Information
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Figures
Tables
Contributors
Acknowledgments
Part I Foundations
1 Introduction
Defining Key Terms: Platforms, Quality, and News
Chapter Overview
Note
References
2 Communication Technology and Threats to Democracy: We the People Are (Also) the Problem
Defining the Threats
Structural Explanations
Processing Explanations
Combining the Two: Structured Processing
Structured Processing in Context
Discussion and Conclusion
Note
References
Part II Measurement Approaches to News Quality
3 Social Media Metrics and News Quality
News Quality
Relationship Between News Quality and Social Media Popularity
Drivers of Social Media Engagement
Power of Popularity Cues
Consequences of the Current Social Media Ecosystem
Proposed Solutions for Preventing a Lemons Market
References
4 Is That News for Me?: Defining News-Ness By Platform and Topic
Platform Effects
Considering Story Elements Across Platforms
Replicating Across Issues
Methods
Measures
News-ness
Story Elements
What Affects News-Ness?
How People Make Assessments of News-Ness
Do the Elements People Use Differ By Issue?
Conclusions
References
5 User Comments as News Quality: Examining Incivility in Comments On Perceptions of News Quality
Theoretical Framework
News Quality and User Comments
Online Incivility and News Quality
Issue Obtrusiveness, Online Incivility, and News Quality
Method
Design and Procedure
Stimulus Material
Measures
Perceptions of News Quality
Reading Habits
Manipulation Check
Analytical Strategy
Results
Discussion
Practical Implications
Limitations and Future Directions
Note
References
6 Beyond the “Trust” Survey: Measuring Media Attitudes Through Observation
Introduction
Literature Review
From Single Measures to Multi-Dimensional Measures
Measurement Challenges
Methods
Results
Discussion
Note
References
Part III Algorithmic Systems and News Quality
7 All the News That’s Fit to Tweet: Sociotechnical Local News Distribution From the New York Times to Twitter
Introduction
Related Work
Curated Flows
News Quality and Social Media Platforms
The New York Times
Data and Methods
Data Collection
Labeling Local News
Analytical Framework
Results
Local News Production (RQ1)
Editorial Curation (RQ2)
Platform Curation (RQ3)
Discussion and Conclusion
The Multi-Faceted Local News Crisis
Potential Interventions
Limitations
Conclusion
Notes
References
8 Out of Control?: Using Interactive Testing to Understand User Agency in News Recommendation Systems
Introduction
Studying Recommender Systems in Different Fields
The Complicated Function of User Agency in News Consumption
User Involvement in Recommender Systems
Methods
Usage of the Website
Other Interface Elements
Final Questionnaire
Explorative Addition
Results
Hypotheses Testing
Control Vs. the Feeling of Being in Control
Discussion
Notes
References
9 Gaming AI: Algorithmic Journalism in Nigeria
Introduction
The Role of Algorithms in News Distribution and Production
Algorithms and Journalism
Evolution of Gatekeeping
Role Conception Versus Role Performance
Methodology
Findings
Algorithmic Gatekeeping, Quality as Casualty
Role Performance On the Hub
News Personalization On the Hub
Fact-checking, Fake News, and Democracy
Conclusion
References
10 Editorial Values for News Recommenders: Translating Principles to Engineering
Introduction
Related Work
Principles Do Not Define Behavior
Metrics
Data Sets
Feedback Methods
Evaluation Protocols
Conclusion
References
Part IV News Quality, Government, and Media Policy
11 How Australia’s Competition Regulator Is Supporting News, But Not Quality
Introduction
News Deserts and a Legislative First
Can Public Interest Journalism Exist Without Quality?
Standards as a Missed Opportunity
How Social Accounting Might Promote Quality
Conclusion
References
12 Government Interventions Into News Quality
Introduction
The Politics and Practicalities of News Quality
Critical Information Needs and News Quality: The U.S. Case
Public Interest Journalism and News Quality: The U.K. Case
Public Interest Journalism and News Quality: The Australia Case
Discussion
Conclusion
References
13 Conclusion
References
Index
