Communication Technology and New Media Commons^™

Analysing Government Communication Strategies In Combating Information Disorder On Social Media: A Study Of Uganda’S Tax Monitoring System, Simon Tumwine Mugisha

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This research provides an analysis of the communication strategies that government communicators are utilising in a bid to counter wrong narratives on the Ugandan social media space, using the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). The study focuses on the nature of information disorder that revolved around the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS), introduced in January 2021 by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and how it was stemmed. Through extensive content analysis of social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, 2 Key Informant interviews (KIIs) with key URA officials and 2 two In-depth interviews (IDIs) with tax and …

An Analysis Of The Star Newspaper Online Subscribers’ Willingness To Pay For Content, Lordrick Oswald Mayabi

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Newspaper publishers in Kenya continue to amass and grow numbers of online consumers having migrated to social media in the wake of the digital disruption. Despite the huge following online, newspapers continue to give out most of their content for free. But with the continued loss of advertising and sales revenue for the newspapers, some have started to seek ways of supplementing the lost revenue through charges on some of the content on their platforms. The objectives of this study were a) To analyse and understand The Star Newspapers online consumers, b) To establish the pay structure that is most …

The Influence Of Artificial Intelligence On Journalism: Exploring Ethical Considerations For Kenyan Newsrooms, Manny Grace Anyango

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

The 21st century is defined by rapid technological advancements, among which artificial intelligence (AI) stands as a transformative force. AI's integration into journalism has redefined traditional workflows, offering unprecedented automation, efficiency, and audience engagement opportunities. However, these advancements raise significant ethical concerns, including biases, transparency, accountability, and privacy. This study examines AI's integration into journalism, focusing on Kenyan newsrooms Tuko News, Nation Media Group, and BBC to explore its impact on journalistic practices and ethics. Employing a qualitative approach, the research captures insights from journalists, editors, and technical staff, examining the specific AI tools in use, their impact, ethical challenges, …

Factors Informing The Transition From Journalism To Corporate Communications, Muyanja Robert

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study investigated the shift of journalists to corporate communications, motivated by economic instability, professional obstacles, and the changing dynamics of the media sector. The study sought to evaluate the present work conditions of journalists, investigate the challenges encountered during their move to corporate communications, and analyse the motivations behind this career change. Decreasing earnings, unstable job security, and escalating workloads in conventional journalism have driven numerous journalists to pursue stability, professional advancement, and improved work-life balance in corporate positions. This transition presented problems, such as adapting to new professional standards, inter-role conflicts, and substantial emotional and identity upheavals. The …

Content Monetization Strategies In The Digital Age: The Case Of Vision Media Group And Nation Media Group In Uganda, Namata Violet

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study sought to examine the strategies employed by media organizations in Uganda to generate revenue from their content within the digital landscape. The specific objectives were: (i) To establish the criteria media houses use to select content for publication in the digital era., (ii) to examine monetization strategies that mainstream media have instituted in the disrupted media environment, (iii) to assess the viability of monetization strategies that mainstream media have instituted in the disrupted media environment. The study used the qualitative approach and adopted the case study research design. It focused on two media organizations, Vision Media Group and …

Navigating Media Freedom Amidst Safety Concerns On Digital Platforms: An Analysis Of The Experiences Of New Vision Journalists In Uganda, Namirimu Esther Robinah

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study examined the interplay between media freedom and journalists’ safety on digital platforms in Uganda, mainly focusing on Vision Group Media between 2019 and 2024. It explored the compounded challenges faced by journalists on their digital platforms, including physical assaults, legal harassment, cyber threats and psychological intimidation, within a restrictive media environment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 elections that exposed these journalists to digital threats. The study was mainly based on the New Media Theory, which enabled a more transparent analysis of the risks faced by journalists and in order to understand digital journalists’ perspectives thoroughly, …

Is It Real Enough? A Mixed-Methods Study Of Realism, Engagement And Counterargument In Transmedia Edutainment For Sustainable Behaviors, Aya Shata, Michelle Selig

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

Advancements in technology have driven media convergence, paving the way for innovative storytelling formats like Transmedia Edutainment (TE-E), a new promising strategy for advocating prosocial behaviors. However, there is limited research on narrative processing and the persuasive outcomes of TE-E, particularly in environmental contexts. Therefore, this paper examines TE-E as a new communication strategy that leverages storytelling across multiple platforms to promote pro-environmental messaging. Drawing on entertainment-education literature and narrative persuasion theories, specifically the narrative engagement model and perceived realism as theoretical frameworks in this study, to help understand the role and influence of TE-E. Using a mixed-method design, five …

Critical Environmental Communication Framework, Shumaila J. Bhatti, Srivi Ramasubramanian, Andrea Feldpausch-Parker, Bruno Takahashi, Silje Kristiansen

Media Studies - All Scholarship

This study develops a Critical Environmental Communication (CEC) framework to assess the landscape of Environmental Communication research and to what extent and in which ways critical and justice-oriented perspectives are included. The CEC framework consists of four interconnected themes: (a) Marginalized Ecocultural Identities, (b) Context and Scale, (c) Power and Agency, and (d) Justice, Equity, Diversity, Access, and Inclusion (JEDAI). Using this framework in a bibliometric analysis examining 1,297 Environmental Communication publications, we assess the occurrence of these themes in the scholarship. Our analysis found that Marginalized Ecocultural Identities, and Context and Scale were most frequently occurring, while Power and …

Re-Centering Relation In Media Literacy Practice, Paul Mihalidis, Bobbie Foster, Shannon Burth, Srivi Ramasubramanian, Melissa Tully, Patrick R. Johnson

Media Studies - All Scholarship

As calls for media literacy in formal and informal learning spaces continue to grow, educators’ understanding of media literacies and their purposes remains complex. In 2021, the authors of this paper led a multi-methods research project on media literacy education in the United States, focusing on impact and equity. Findings showed that educators share a commitment to equity and justice but are unclear on how to incorporate them into their work. In response, our research team developed a field guide that maps out equitable media literacy practices for classrooms and communities. In this study, we detail the findings from 11 …

Ai In Newsrooms: Assessing Perception, Challenges And Possibilities In Bangladesh’S Media Landscape, Nadia Rahman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

With the relentless progression of technological advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a transformative force across various sectors, and newsrooms are no exception. Developed nations have already integrated AI into journalistic practices, showcasing its versatility in different news functions. However, the developing nations, including Bangladesh, a south Asian nation faces challenges in catching up, marked by technological and economic disparities. As an emerging economic force Bangladesh encounters different obstacles in the adoption of AI in its media landscape. Despite the expansiveness of its media industry, the country grapples with limited technological support and inadequate training opportunities. These challenges bring up …

Social Media Usage And The Future Of Museum Outreach: A Case Of The Uganda Museum, Patrick Massa Birabi

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Despite its cultural significance, the Uganda Museum, the oldest museum in East Africa, faced challenges of declining visitor numbers and limited social media engagement. the Uganda Museum's digital presence on platforms such as X.com and Instagram remains underutilized due to a lack of strategic alignment with its mission. This study evaluated the extent of social media use for outreach, identified associated challenges and opportunities and developed actionable recommendations for enhancing the Uganda Museum’s digital engagement. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, which combined 381 visitor surveys with in-depth interviews with 15 museum staff members, and evaluated the Uganda Museum's social …

Framing Palestine Celebgrams On Instagram Social Media Post The Events Of October 7 2023, Labiq Yafuz, Subaidi Subaidi

Journal of Middle East and Islamic Studies

This research examines the framing conducted by Palestinian influencers on the social media platform Instagram following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The study analyzes how these influencers use the platform to convey information about the conditions in Gaza after the attack. The methodology used is content analysis of several Palestinian influencers' accounts to observe differences in their content presentation. The findings indicate that the content uploaded by these influencers focuses on daily life, social impacts, and geographical conditions post-attack. This content aims to provide information and education to viewers about the current situation in Gaza. The …

Picking Corn, Aaron Sanderford

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Nebraska’s shifting media landscape, marked by the decline of newspapers and traditional broadcast viewership, has created an opportunity for innovative, local storytelling. My professional project, Picking Corn, is a podcast that gives voice to Nebraska’s political conversations, focusing on in-depth, long-form interviews with key political figures. Inspired by successful models like The New York Times Daily and NPR Politics Pod, this podcast aims to engage audiences by prioritizing thoughtful questions and meaningful dialogue.

In its first year, Picking Corn reached over 3,300 listeners across platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. The podcast achieved a 72% episode completion rate—far exceeding …

Echoes Of Exiled Journalists From Africa: Motivation, Resilience, Values And Innovation Of Global Journalism, Gregory Gondwe, Elodie Viale

Communication Studies Faculty Publications

This study examines the motivations, resilience and innovative contributions of

exiled journalists from sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on those from the Democratic

Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

It categorises these journalists into voluntary exiles, who leave due to a commitment

to journalistic integrity and dissatisfaction with censorship and corruption,

and involuntary exiles, who flee threats, violence or imprisonment linked to their

investigative work. Through in-depth interviews with 32 exiled journalists, the study

explores their adaptation strategies in host countries, their persistent motivations

despite significant challenges and their use of new communication technologies and

online platforms …

A Book Review Of Speed Capital: Indianapolis Auto Racing And The Making Of Modern America. By Brian M Ingrassia. Urbana, Chicago, And Springfield, Il: University Of Illinois Press, 2024., Paul Baxa

Journal of Motorsport Culture & History

No abstract provided.

Euphemism In Ai Discourse As Colonial Harm & Effect: Learnings From Subaltern Puerto Rico, Jacqueline Oquendo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Through three integrated studies, this dissertation explores complex human-AI interactions by comparing the perceptions of two groups of U.S. citizens: subaltern Puerto Ricans and stateside Americans’ interactions with ChatGPT. This corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Analysis or CLCDA, triangulated with 1:1 semi-structured interviews, validates scholars’ concerns about the biases inherent in generative AI. Contributing to those concerns, this dissertation reveals that ChatGPT deploys discourse strategies that, when executed, facilitate digital colonialism. Euphemistic language is prominent among its discourse strategies, replacing controversial words, phrases, and topics with more palatable ones. When prompted on events of historical significance, I find that ChatGPT’s discourse obscures …

They've Got Game

DePaul Magazine

DePaul alumni occupy positions across the sports industry. Specialized business and communication programs aim to increase those stats.

Mitigating Identity-Related Anxiety Through Humor And Immersive Storytelling With 360-Degree Video In Virtual Reality: A Study On Microaggressions’ Mental Health Effects, Changmin Yan, Alan Eno, Adam Wagler

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Background: Microaggressions are subtle slights that can cause significant psychological distress among marginalized groups. Few studies have explored interventions that might mitigate these effects. Objective: This study aimed to investigate if and how humor-infused immersive storytelling via virtual reality (VR) could reduce identity-related psychological distress caused by microaggressions. Methods: Using a community-based participatory research approach, we developed a 7-min 360-degree VR film depicting scenarios of microaggressions across various identities. Fortysix college students participated in a controlled study where they were exposed to this immersive VR experience. We measured identity-related psychological anxiety, character identification, perceived humor, and perceived …

Understanding Older People’S Voice Interactions With Smart Voice Assistants: A New Modified Rule-Based Natural Language Processing Model With Human Input, Zhengxu Yan, Victoria Dube, Judith Heselton, Kate Johnson, Changmin Yan, Valerie Jones, Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Marcia Shade

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has expedited the integration of Smart Voice Assistants (SVA) among older people. The qualitative data derived from user commands on SVA is pivotal for elucidating the engagement patterns of older individuals with such systems. However, the sheer volume of user-generated voice interaction data presents a formidable challenge for manual coding. Compounding this issue, age-related cognitive decline and alterations in speech patterns further complicate the interpretation of older users’ SVA voice interactions. Conventional dictionary-based textual analysis tools, which count word frequencies, are inadequate in capturing the evolving and communicative essence of these interactions that unfold over a series …

Media Censorship’S Development In The Information Age: Authoritarian Case Studies In Europe During The 20th And 21st Centuries, Carter R. Linke

Honors Thesis

The Information Age has dramatically changed how people consume information. With the availability of smart devices and the Internet greater than ever before, a population’s ability to receive multiple news reports and instant messaging has continued to prove beneficial to democratic societies. With these same technology improvements, authoritarian governments have been forced to adapt censorship policies to eliminate the Information Age’s push towards the free press. Since the 20^th century, authoritarian countries have introduced policy solutions to the growing connectivity across the globe. From the German Holocaust to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, censorship has aimed to control their …

The International Experience: Foreigners In Fayetteville, Khadn Blaine Adderley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project is aimed toward showcasing the stories of some international students who currently attend or recently attended the University of Arkansas and have lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas. With the University of Arkansas being home to a range of international students from all over the world, it’s important to get an understanding from some of those students who leave their home country to spend the next four years as a member of the Fayetteville community. This project is a podcast that is split up into four episodes, highlighting the experiences of international students, University of Arkansas employees who assist with …

Are They Tools? Anglophone West African Countries’ Students’ Misconception Of Media Literacy And Critical Thinking For Combating Misinformation, Muhammed Jamiu Mustapha, Mutiu I. Lasisi, Victor Vladmirovich Barabash

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This study examines the media literacy and critical thinking levels of students of West African higher educational institutions as tools for combating misinformation in the sub-region. Data analysis using the mediation approach revealed differences in students' understanding of media literacy and critical thinking and partially predicted their efficacy in combating misinformation. This stems largely from a misunderstanding of media literacy and critical thinking concepts as tools, as well as a lack of adequate provision for teaching the concepts and considering them as strategic tools for combating misinformation in the region. The study recommends concrete policy and managerial solutions to the …

An Examination Of How The Media Portrayed Professional Female Athletes During The 2023 Women's World Cup In The Match-Up Between Spain And The United States, Brianna R. Breazier

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Professional Projects

This project is an examination of how the media portrayed professional female athletes during the 2023 Woen's World Cup in the match-up between Spain and the United States. This project consists of a literature review of the history of both countries, an overview of feminist theory, and past studies that show current patterns of biases or stereotypical behavior in today’s mainstream media. This project also consists of a cross-examination and comparison between Spain and the United States, specifically examining the timeline of events between the two. The purpose of this study is to compare the media trends of professional female …

Social Media Journalism And Its Impact On Social Change: The Case Of Twitter(X), Daniel Ebo

Masters Theses

Journalism has evolved over the years, embracing the changes that come with technological advancement. Traditional journalism has converged with digital media to provide easier and accessible ways of news production and distribution. Twitter (now X) has become a major medium for advocacy in recent years, with people trending hashtags to get the needed attention for social change, notable among them being #BlackLivesMatter, #EndSARS in Nigeria and more recently, a hashtag to reverse mandatory wearing of hijab by women in Iran. Several studies have interrogated the impacts of social media on journalism, but less has been studied on specific mediums and …

The Uses And Gratifications Of Social Audio-Focused Apps: A Case Study Of The Clubhouse Application, Dalia Abdelhamid Younes

Theses and Dissertations

Social audio has recently emerged recently as a new form of social media based on voice. It spread rapidly through the Clubhouse application, which became a significant trend during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explore Egyptian content creators' motivations to join Clubhouse, study their motivations to produce their content, and identify the gratifications obtained from using this application. It also seeks to investigate the application`s sustainability within the Egyptian context by outlining the challenges faced by the Egyptian content creators. The study employs the uses and gratifications theory, conducting in-depth interviews with 17 Egyptian content creators. The findings …

Reducing Loneliness And Improving Social Support Among Older Adults Through Different Modalities Of Personal Voice Assistants, Valerie Jones, Changmin Yan, Marcia Shade, Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Zhengxu Yan, Hyeon Jung Heselton, Kate Johnson, Victoria Dube

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

This study examines the potential of AI-powered personal voice assistants (PVAs) in reducing loneliness and increasing social support among older adults. With the aging population rapidly expanding, innovative solutions are essential. Prior research has indicated the effectiveness of various interactive communication technologies (ICTs) in mitigating loneliness, but studies focusing on PVAs, particularly considering their modality (audio vs. video), are limited. This research aims to fill this gap by evaluating how voice assistants, in both audio and video formats, influence perceived loneliness and social support. This study examined the impact of voice assistant technology (VAT) interventions, both audio-based (A-VAT) and video-based …

When And Why Do Arabs Verify? Predicting Online News Verification Intention During The 2023 Gaza War, Menna Elhosary

Theses and Dissertations

Guided by the network gatekeeping and secondary gatekeeping theoretical frameworks, this study employed a 2 (news headlines: pro-Palestine/anti-Palestine) x 2 (news sources: the Times of Israel/Al-Jazeera English) experiment embedded in an online survey on a purposive sample of Arab social media users (N= 452), aiming to understand the antecedents of online news verification during the 2023 Gaza War1. The study investigated the motives that might have encouraged or discouraged Arabs from verifying the war-related news circulated on social media. A model was proposed to examine the role of confirmation bias in shaping perceptions about sources and messages, thereby impacting online …

The Impact Of Interaction Time And Verbal Engagement With Personal Voice Assistants On Alleviating Loneliness Among Older Adults: An Exploratory Study, Changmin Yan, Kate Johnson, Valerie Jones

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Background: Loneliness in older adults is a critical issue that negatively affects their well-being. The potential of personal voice assistant (PVA) devices like Amazon’s Alexa Echo in reducing loneliness is an emerging area of interest, but it remains under-researched. Objective: this study aims to investigate the effect of interaction time and verbal engagement with PVA devices on reducing loneliness among older adults living alone. Method: In this experiment, individuals aged 75 and older (n = 15), living alone, were provided with Amazon Alexa Echo devices. They were instructed to interact with the device at least five times a day …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

The Contribution Of Mass Media In The Life Of The Nation And State, Benni Setiawan

Informasi

No abstract provided.