Showing papers in "Asian Journal of Communication in 2014"
TL;DR: Overall, EE's effects on health outcomes – as measured by knowledge, attitudes, intention, and behaviors – was small but significant, with an average effect size (r) of .12, p < .001.
Abstract: In this paper, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies on the effects of entertainment education (EE) on health communication. A search of databases identified 22 studies (N = 19517) that met our inclusion criteria and contained relevant statistics. Analysis of the results suggested that overall, EE's effects on health outcomes – as measured by knowledge, attitudes, intention, and behaviors – was small but significant, with an average effect size (r) of .12, p < .001. Research designs (field studies vs. experiments) and exposure time (multiple episodes vs. one episode) were significant moderators of influence of EE in health communication. However, the impact of delivery channels, health issues, and study locations was not significant.
126 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined Twitter use by the central government in Korea and the federal government in the USA by employing the webometric technique to extract their Twitter activity (basic Twitter statistics such as the numbers of followers, followings, and Tweets) and the social network analysis technique to map the relationship between their Twitter accounts and the direction of outlinks in their Tweets.
Abstract: This study examines Twitter use by the central government in Korea and the federal government in the USA by employing the webometric technique to extract their Twitter activity (basic Twitter statistics such as the numbers of followers, followings, and Tweets) and the social network analysis technique to map the relationship between their Twitter accounts and the direction of outlinks in their Tweets. The results of the initial analysis indicate some differences in Twitter strategies between the two governments. For example, Korean ministries were well connected through a dense network, engaged in collective cooperation, and retweeted common content to reinforce their collective agendas regardless of their main administrative functions, whereas US government departments were less collective and more individualistic and retweeted those messages that specifically fit the purpose of each department. In addition, the results for outlinks indicate that US government departments preferred private sources of inf...
54 citations
TL;DR: Daya Kishan Thussu's Communicating India's Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood is an elegant and insightful inspection of India's evergrowing soft power and her emerging global presence as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Daya Kishan Thussu's Communicating India's Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood is an elegant and insightful inspection of India's ever-growing soft power and her emerging global presence. As the title ...
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how South Korean and Japanese public diplomacy organizations employ digital media to embrace the principle of networked public diplomacy through analyses of the web and social media practices.
Abstract: This article examines how South Korean and Japanese public diplomacy organizations employ digital media to embrace the principle of ‘networked public diplomacy’ through analyses of the web and social media practices. A network analysis was used to map interorganizational information networks among core public diplomacy organizations in each country. To reveal the key organizations' communication strategies on Facebook, a content analysis was also conducted. The findings indicate that Japan had a strong internal network infrastructure achieved through dispersed connections and partnerships; however, Korea had a centralized network, including a limited number of dominant actors. The results of content analysis suggest that both South Korea and Japanese public diplomats focused on promoting their cultural products and national values through their use of texts and visual images. In addition, user profile analysis gaged the degree of users' engagement in the organizations' profiles and identified the demograp...
45 citations
TL;DR: Choi et al. as mentioned in this paper examined whether Twitter can serve as a public sphere where opinion leaders (in this case, journalists) can speak up about politically controversial issues, and found that journalists who perceived a greater discrepancy between their opinions and the opinions of Twitter users about controversial issues in South Korea were less willing to voice their opinions on Twitter.
Abstract: This study examined whether Twitter can serve as a public sphere where opinion leaders – in this case, journalists – speak up about politically controversial issues. Based on the theoretical framework of the spiral of silence (SOS), 118 Korean journalists from nine national newspapers and two network broadcasting companies were surveyed about their behavior on Twitter with regard to two controversial issues in South Korea. Results showed that journalists who perceived a greater discrepancy between their opinions and the opinions of Twitter users about controversial issues in South Korea were less willing to voice their opinions on Twitter; moreover, the journalists' ideology was found to be a significant factor in expressing their opinions about controversial issues on Twitter. Specifically, politically conservative journalists were more likely to perceive that their opinions were in the minority; therefore, they were less likely than politically liberal journalists to discuss their opinions on Twitter be...
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, cultural studies have been used in legal studies, and its advantages have been well canvassed, including its ability to be useful to the law and to the legal community.
Abstract: Interdisciplinarity has become a transforming force in legal studies, and its advantages have been well canvassed. How might cultural studies be useful to law? One often equates cultural studies wi...
37 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated the effects of news use from traditional and new media, nationalistic attitudes, and motivations for Internet use on anti-Japanese political behaviors such as boycotting and protest participation.
Abstract: Although the rise of nationalistic activism in the Chinese online sphere has drawn much scholarly attention, few studies have examined how nationalism, usages, and motivations of the Internet affect nationalistic actions among general Internet users in China. Using Sino-Japanese diplomatic disputes as a testing ground, this study investigates the effects of news use from traditional and new media, nationalistic attitudes, and motivations for Internet use on anti-Japanese political behaviors such as boycotting and protest participation. Analyses of online survey data revealed that nationalism is positively correlated with information-seeking and social-interaction motivations for Internet use regarding Sino-Japanese disputes. Results also showed that the stronger the motivation for using the Internet to discuss topics associated with Sino-Japanese disputes, the more likely respondents engaged in anti-Japanese behaviors. This study indicates that nationalistic attitudes and motivations involved in the use o...
35 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the gradual, yet significant, evolution in technology deployment by the ruling elite in Singapore and trace the developments in e-engagement to bridge the affective gap between a ruling elite and an increasingly IT-savvy population, which has demonstrated its astuteness in using new media to articulate its disenchantment.
Abstract: Responding to the rapid adoption of new technologies, political parties, both incumbent parties and minor ones, have been quick to leverage web 2.0 technologies for party communication and mobilization. A coterie of work addressed how social media such as Facebook are used as political tools for the promotion of candidate and party campaign platforms. However, a present bias is observed as current literature focus on western democracies. To bridge the gap, this study examines the gradual, yet significant, evolution in technology deployment by the ruling elite in Singapore. This paper traces the developments in e-engagement to bridge the affective gap between the ruling elite and an increasingly IT-savvy population, one which has demonstrated its astuteness in using new media to articulate its disenchantment. Developments in the last five years indicate that the government's earlier endeavor to centralize and streamline its political engagement via a single portal, REACH, is insufficient to say the least. ...
33 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors conducted a series of surveys with a random sample of 5807 residents in 10 cities in China and found that Chinese respondents perceived TV to be the most credible among all media and that TV was rated as more credible than newspapers In addition, two official mouthpieces, China Central Television and the People's Daily, were both perceived to be highly credible.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive investigation on perceived media credibility in China In order to assess people's attitudes toward six media formats (television [TV], newspapers, radio, magazines, websites, and mobile devices), a series of surveys were conducted with a random sample of 5807 residents in 10 cities in China Findings indicated that Chinese respondents perceived TV to be the most credible among all media and that TV was rated as more credible than newspapers In addition, two official mouthpieces, China Central Television and the People's Daily, were both perceived to be highly credible But readership in general was a nonfactor in terms of credibility These findings challenged conventional thinking on media credibility Implications and directions for future research are discussed
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a quantitative content analysis of English-language news coverage of human trafficking in the USA, India, and Thailand was conducted to determine whether the launch of a large-scale international anti-trafficking treaty had an impact on the amount and framing of media coverage on the issue, finding that while coverage of the issue increased after the treaty, was more localized, and suggested causes and remedies more frequently, it also placed less blame for the problem occurring, focused primarily on crime and policy sides of human trafficking rather than human rights or public health, and lacked the
Abstract: Despite the vast research on human trafficking, little is known about mass media coverage of the issue This study, a quantitative content analysis of English-language news coverage of human trafficking in the USA, India, and Thailand, analyzes human trafficking coverage before and after the launch of a large-scale international anti-trafficking treaty to determine whether the treaty had an impact on the amount and framing of media coverage on the issue Findings reveal that while coverage of the issue increased after the treaty, was more localized, and suggested causes and remedies more frequently, it also placed less blame for the problem occurring, focused primarily on crime and policy sides of human trafficking rather than human rights or public health, and lacked the voices of victims How the news media, and in turn the public, deal with mediating such an issue is a significant and meaningful question, and this paper suggests that United Nations policy-makers need to take proactive steps in order fo
31 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a systematic content analysis of Indian English green print advertisements for the years 2010 and 2011 to verify if greenwashing is prevalent was performed, and the results indicated that 51.7% of the claims were greenwashed and most of them were vague or ambiguous.
Abstract: This study performs a systematic content analysis of Indian English green print advertisements for the years 2010 and 2011 to verify if greenwashing is prevalent. Green advertisements were analysed based on four dimensions – (1) claim specificity, (2) greenwashing category, (3) incidence of associative claims and (4) presence of certifications. The results indicate that 51.7% of the claims were greenwashed and most of them were vague or ambiguous (37.7%). Most claims lacked specificity (67.0%) and image claims (60.0%) were widely used. Very few advertisements (3.3%) employed certifications to substantiate their claims. Interestingly, we also found that more than half of the image-related claims (55.8%) were categorized as misleading and highly specific claims were considered acceptable. We suggest that either the self-regulatory body – the Advertising Standards Council of India – or the legal regulatory framework accommodate well-defined provisions for regulating green claims in advertisements to curb gre...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss three cases: the transformation of a bloggers association; the organisation of "cybertroopers" by the dominant governing party; and, the use of a blog, Facebook, and Twitter by the prime minister (PM), Najib Razak.
Abstract: The advent of the Internet has enabled a disruption of the Malaysian government's long-standing control of media content. However, there are also opportunities for the government to extend into the Internet what Cherian George has called ‘narrow tailoring’ policies, designed to ensure ‘hegemonic consensus.’ Demonstrating the interconnections of intraparty factional rivalry, blogging and newspaper management, as well as the extension of government influence into online content, this paper discusses three cases: the transformation of a bloggers association; the organisation of ‘cybertroopers’ by the dominant governing party; and, the use of a blog, Facebook, and Twitter by the prime minister (PM), Najib Razak. Each of the cases highlights particular ‘blog affordances’, a concept used to parse the potentials and limitations of blogs and other social media with regards to state hegemonic control through media ownership. In addition, an adapted concept of ‘extended parasocial relations’ is proposed in relation...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined ideas of beauty through the lens of outdoor advertisements, and found that differences across cultures exist and that beauty ideals are culture dependent, and that differences between cultures exist in advertising and consumer culture.
Abstract: This research expands scholarship on cross-cultural investigations by examining ideas of beauty through the lens of outdoor advertisements. Using a content analysis method, 293 images of women in outdoor advertisements from six different cultures, including Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, South Korea, and Turkey, were reviewed through a framework of advertising and consumer culture, globalization, and theories of beauty. The findings revealed that differences across cultures exist and that beauty ideals are culture dependent.
TL;DR: Bollywood movies have gained global prominence in the past decade as discussed by the authors, and movies such as Three Idiots have won both popularity and critical acclaim in many places around the world, such as India, USA, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and USA.
Abstract: Bollywood movies have gained global prominence in the past decade. Movies such as Three Idiots have won both popularity and critical acclaim in many places around the world. The phenomenon has natu...
TL;DR: This article found that exposure to heterogeneity and political efficacy jointly mediate the impact of informational uses of smartphones on political participation and showed that informational uses are significantly related to encounters with heterogeneity, political efficacy, and participatory behaviors.
Abstract: This paper assesses how use of smartphones relates to exposure to heterogeneity, political efficacy, and political engagement and suggests a new mediation model that can be applied to mobile communication. Drawing on online survey data collected during the 2012 presidential election in South Korea, this study finds that exposure to heterogeneity and political efficacy jointly mediate the impact of informational uses of smartphones on political participation. The current study also shows that informational uses of smartphones are significantly related to encounters with heterogeneity, political efficacy, and participatory behaviors. Additionally, recreational uses of smartphones were found to have a positive association with exposure to heterogeneity. However, relational uses of smartphones were not associated with democratic outcomes. The findings suggest that smartphones, by increasing the possibility of encountering diversity and subsequently enhancing political efficacy, create an additional pathway to...
TL;DR: The authors examined two under-researched effects of partisan selective exposure: (1) the reduction in the number of societal issues that individuals consider important (i.e., nominal agenda diversity) and (2) the reduced in the variety of issues (e.g., thematic agenda diversity).
Abstract: A deliberative democracy calls for citizens who are well informed about a diverse range of public issues and a media system that shapes the public agenda for deliberation and consensus building. However, with the current proliferation of a high-choice media environment, citizens can engage in partisan selective exposure by only consuming news that matches their own political attitudes and dispositions. This study examines two under-researched effects of partisan selective exposure: (1) the reduction in the number of societal issues that individuals consider important (i.e., nominal agenda diversity) and (2) the reduction in the variety of issues (i.e., thematic agenda diversity). A national survey was conducted in Hong Kong, a transitional democracy with a highly partisan media environment. The results showed that although reading more newspapers is positively related to nominal agenda diversity and thematic agenda diversity, citizens who receive their news only from partisan newspapers are less likely to...
TL;DR: In this paper, the role organizations play in developing countries as an integral function of interconnectedness between organizations and community, and significant differences were found between Indian and Chinese organizations in the levels of community-building.
Abstract: Community-building is studied as a multidimensional process that leads to sustainable improvements in the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole. The study looks at the role organizations play in developing countries as an integral function of inter-connectedness between organizations and community. A total of 100 Indian and Chinese organizations were analyzed for the available corporate social responsibility (CSR) information and initiatives using quantitative content analysis. The sample was drawn from the 2011 Forbes Global 2000 list. Significant differences were found between Indian and Chinese organizations in the levels of community-building. Findings also revealed information on the most common CSR terms, issues, and modes used by the organizations and how those differ culturally. Cultural scores on collectivism were also looked at for each country to analyze the relationship between organizations and community-building.
TL;DR: In an increasingly globalized media structure, where transnational conglomerates dominate in different corners of the world, masculinity and the nationalistic ideals that are cultivated through the male body are becoming increasingly borderless and exchangeable as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The cultural production of masculinity has been tied to nationalism throughout mass media history. The male body – and all of its nationalistic inscriptions – has long been a source of popular consumption for audiences and profit for cultural producers. But in an increasingly globalized media structure, where transnational conglomerates dominate – directly or indirectly – in different corners of the world, masculinity – and the nationalistic ideals that are cultivated through the male body – is becoming increasingly borderless and exchangeable. A political economy approach helps to explain systems of media and cultural ownership that have been responsible for creating the images of masculinity, and how these images are inextricably linked with the paradox of nationalism in an era of global capitalism. Using examples from India, this essay sketches out a path for political economy scholars to examine masculinity and nationalism – long considered domains of cultural studies – and tie them with global media ...
TL;DR: In this article, the negative asymmetry in economic news coverage is influenced according to the obtrusiveness of an issue and the number of positive and negative economic news articles in two South Korean newspapers were compared to the actual economic situations.
Abstract: This study investigates whether the negative asymmetry in economic news coverage is influenced according to the obtrusiveness of an issue. The numbers of positive and negative economic news articles in two South Korean newspapers were compared to the actual economic situations. Consumer prices/unemployment and the gross domestic product/trade balance were studied as obtrusive issues and as unobtrusive issues, respectively. As a result, the obtrusive issues showed typical asymmetry through which negative changes were followed by a significantly greater amount of news coverage, while positive changes were not paid attention to by the news media. In the case of the unobtrusive issues, the newspapers followed neither positive nor negative economic changes. Only one newspaper covered one of the unobtrusive issues, the trade balance, in an asymmetric way. The investigation of the spectrum of journalistic attention and examination of moderating factors for journalistic asymmetry is discussed.
TL;DR: The authors discusses challenges and rewards of studying Chinese journalism from within, drawing on experiences in the field, and discusses the importance of access to the media circuit in the post-Mao reform period.
Abstract: Research access to mainland China, once severely circumscribed, has expanded tremendously during the post-Mao reform period, with important implications for the study of Chinese mass communication. Fieldwork possibilities mean that scholars are privy to a great deal more of the media circuit – not only to voluminous content that can be systematically sampled, but also to structures, contexts, practices, processes, places, and people involved in production and reception. Drawing on experiences in the field, this article discusses challenges and rewards of studying Chinese journalism from within.
TL;DR: The results indicate that although each bureau had different goals in terms of using Me2Day, users were more likely to use the service if their bureau actively posted messages or responded to user comments.
Abstract: This study examines the debates and discussions surrounding the Korean government's Me2Day, the largest social networking and microblogging site in the country used by 26 government bureaus, including the Blue House. Me2Day users post messages composed of up to 150 characters and establish links with other users through multimedia-based information and knowledge obtained from their browsers, desktop computers, e-mail messages, and mobile phones. This study provides a better understanding of the characteristics and structures of cyberspace communication between the Korean government and citizens. The results indicate that although each bureau had different goals in terms of using Me2Day, users were more likely to use the service if their bureau actively posted messages or responded to user comments. Users tended to have critical attitudes toward the Korean government when they were allowed to freely post messages and share information.
TL;DR: The authors compared media coverage of Linsanity in major US and Taiwanese newspapers and found that Lin had an ambivalent image in the US media, being simultaneously cast as a modern hero, and humble underdog with whom all Americans could identify, while also remaining a perpetual foreigner.
Abstract: Linsanity was the buzzword of 2012 even for those who did not follow sports news. The term was coined when Jeremy Lin, an undrafted player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), seemingly came from nowhere to resuscitate the New York Knicks following a disappointing season start. Yet, Linsanity signifies a more complex phenomenon than sudden fame. As the first Taiwanese-American in the NBA, Jeremy Lin's racial background made him an anomaly on the American basketball court and a hero to Taiwanese. Media portrayal of Linsanity in the US and Taiwanese contexts thus provides a rich and unique case that enables analysis of mediated constructions of ethnicity, nationalism, and identity in global media sports. By comparing media coverage of Linsanity in major US and Taiwanese newspapers, this article suggests that Lin had an ambivalent image in the US media, being simultaneously cast as a modern hero, and humble underdog with whom all Americans could identify, while also remaining a perpetual foreigner. ...
TL;DR: This article examined young adults' intention to adopt preventive behaviors against influenza infection in developing countries (Thailand and Cambodia) and developed countries (the USA and Singapore) and found that self-efficacy was the only variable significantly related to behavioral intention in the developing countries.
Abstract: Applying the health belief model, this study examined young adults' intention to adopt preventive behaviors against influenza infection in developing countries (Thailand and Cambodia) and developed countries (the USA and Singapore). Self-efficacy was the only variable significantly related to behavioral intention in the developing countries. In contrast, perceived threat, expected benefits, and media attention were significant predictors in the developed countries. Trust in information sources also had a consistent impact across the two samples. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper conducted a survey of 459 professional journalists in Hong Kong and found that women journalists did not treat many types of news stories as gender specific, while men did.
Abstract: While women have made significant progress in gaining access to the field of journalism over the few past decades, some scholars have noted a persistent tendency for men and women journalists to be assigned to different types of news work, as if some news topics are gender specific, ie, some news topics can be better handled by men, whereas others can be better handled by women But do professional journalists themselves perceive news topics to be gender specific? What individual level factors may explain beliefs in the gender specificities of news topics? Drawing on a representative survey of 459 professional journalists in Hong Kong, this article showed that journalists did not treat many types of news stories as gender specific Women, journalists with a stronger commitment to professional ethics, and single journalists were less likely to believe in gender specificities of news topics Among women journalists, educational level was related to beliefs in gender specificities Implications of the find
TL;DR: This article investigated the level of civility of Indonesians' political discussions on Facebook and found that polarized political views and the people's politeness culture were two significant factors underpinning the high level of politeness in political discussion.
Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the level of civility of Indonesians' political discussions on Facebook. Civility, which has always been an important concept in online political discussion, is particularly significant when there is diversity of opinions and disputation. While previous studies have focused more upon factors such as anonymity's role and its relevance to civility, this paper proposes two further important factors: (1) diversity of opinion and disagreement in discussion and (2) the cultural context of the country and how it determines civility and politeness in online debate. Qualitative content analysis of Indonesians' political discussions on Facebook revealed that polarized political views and the people's politeness culture were two significant factors underpinning the high level of civility in political discussion.
TL;DR: The authors argue that the label Web 2.0 is problematic, as it constitutes a dominant discourse by which professional elites define "what is associated with the Web today as common sense" and "what ente...
Abstract: Some argue that the label ‘Web 2.0’ is problematic, as it constitutes a dominant discourse by which professional elites define ‘what is associated with the Web today as common sense’ and ‘what ente...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors combined observation and content analysis to examine professional Internet Protocol television (IPTV) content in terms of sensationalism, localism, and interactivity, and found that these videos were sensational, localized, and somewhat interactive.
Abstract: This study combined observation and content analysis to examine professional Internet Protocol television (IPTV) content in terms of sensationalism, localism, and interactivity. Observational results found these videos were sensational, localized, and somewhat interactive. Content analysis showed that IPTV was different from traditional TV content in that it used more sensational sex and celebrity stories, used more tabloid packaging, and appealed more to emotions through vivid storytelling techniques, in both entertainment and news content. In addition, localism was reflected in the selection of geographically and culturally proximate stories. The ‘local hook’ was more important in news than in entertainment. This case utilized some interactive features and social media for redistributing and for promoting selected content, but it still lacked two-way user interactivity. Implications are discussed.
TL;DR: This paper explored the impacts of two contextual factors on linguistic intergroup bias in Chinese media, namely, time and occupation, and found that they can be explained by both motivational and cognitive mechanisms in LIB.
Abstract: This study aimed to test linguistic intergroup bias (LIB) in the Chinese media. Language abstraction of crime stories was compared between the propaganda model and the commercial model. The results revealed LIB in Chinese language and Chinese journalism. They can be explained by both motivational and cognitive mechanisms in LIB. Moreover, the study explored the impacts of two contextual factors on LIB – time and occupation. The analysis of time illustrated the development trend of Chinese journalism, where the propaganda model has been revealed to be invading and eroding the commercial model. The analysis of occupation indicated the mutual influence between language abstraction and stereotypes, and discussed its impacts over the images of particular social groups as well as the challenges it brought to the state and the Party. This study further explained how and why the journalistic models manipulate language abstraction in order to meet their communication goals as well as the political needs of social ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the meaningful change among transforming processes of imported science news from "original scientific research" and "overseas news reports, to "domestic compiled science news".
Abstract: Scientific news is one of the major resources that help the public to understand new scientific knowledge. The latest technology in research and development primarily utilizes English as the language of communication in academic journals and scientific communities. Compiled science news therefore has become a major agent for many non-Western societies to understand the latest technological developments. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the meaningful change among transforming processes of imported science news from ‘original scientific research’ and ‘overseas news reports,’ to ‘domestic compiled science news.’ The research findings showed that scientific knowledge categories of compiled science news in Taiwan appeared to be apparently unbalanced, and the compiled skills present obvious weaknesses. Furthermore, more seriously compiled science news in Taiwan has continually suffered from the ‘double media distortion’ syndrome. The first distortion appeared from the ‘original scientific resea...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the assumption that news websites apply their specific institutional rules to incorporating the platforms of social media into news content, and proposed the operation of three rules: functional platforms, functional individuality, and functional prominence.
Abstract: This study examines the assumption that news websites apply their specific institutional rules to incorporating the platforms of social media into news content. This study proposes the operation of three rules: functional platforms, functional individuality, and functional prominence. As functional platforms, Singapore's and South Korea's news websites embed Facebook and Twitter into news content, whereas China's news website provides local-based social media into the content. In terms of functional individuality, the news websites focus on such individual activities as reply and connect. For functional prominence, the news websites locate the entry point of social media predominantly at the middle of the screen. However, these specific rules vary with the nationality of each news website.