Is There an Elite Hold? Traditional Media to Social Media Agenda Setting Influence in Blog Networks
01 Apr 2009-Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (Blackwell Publishing Ltd)-Vol. 14, Iss: 3, pp 682-707
TL;DR: The blog form has matured to resemble traditional journalism in form and practice and top independent political bloggers have played an influential role in holding public officials accountable from Trent Lott to Dan Rather.
Abstract: According to several 2008 reports, blogging continues to attract writers and readers (Comscore Media Matrix, 2008; eMarketer, 2008; Sifry, 2008; Universal McCann, 2008). This form of Web content creation has matured beyond public personal journaling to support citizen journalism or journalism produced by independent bloggers unaffiliated with professional newsrooms (Lenhart & Fox, 2006). The popularity of blogs is in part fueled by its interactive format: The blog tool is popularly believed to be a vehicle of democracy because it fosters decentralized citizen control as opposed to hierarchical, elite control (Crumlish, 2004; Levine, Locke, Searls, & Weinberger, 2001; Rosen, 2006; Scoble & Israel, 2006; Suroweicki, 2005; Weinberger, 2003, 2008). This inversion of elite control is the social outcome of a more interactive format. Blogs are popularly viewed as a form of social media, or media that is architected by design to readily support participation, peer-to-peer conversation, collaboration, and community (O’Reilly, 2004). Social media tools such as blogs enable Web content creators to circumvent the high transaction costs that once characterized usage of earlier media technologies (Gillmor, 2004; Benkler, 2006; Bowman & Willis, 2003; Shirky, 2008). Independent political bloggers that comment on day-to-day news command a readership rivaling that of traditional media entities (Armstrong & Moulitsas Zuniga, 2006). The initial public derision heaped by traditional media entities on these independent bloggers unaffiliated with traditional, professional newsrooms (Rosen, 2005) continues to wane as these bloggers gain respect among Web readers (Johnson & Kaye, 2004). Top independent political bloggers have played an influential role in holding public officials accountable from Trent Lott to Dan Rather (Meraz, 2008). The blog form has matured to resemble traditional journalism in form and practice: Top, independent bloggers now hire editors, blog full-time, and engage in investigative journalism acts (Stoller, 2007; Strupp, 2008). The growth in the independent political blogger’s credibility has taken place against the backdrop of traditional media’s loss
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TL;DR: The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect as mentioned in this paper is a survey of editors, journalists, and members of the public on the role of conscience in newsrooms.
Abstract: The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. New York: Crown Publishers, 2001. 205 pp. $20 hbk. Inherent in the behavior and process we call "journalism" is controversy. Journalism's inexact, less-than-scientific character almost assures it will occasionally enter a crisis, becoming awash in change, its self-identity threatened or its credibility challenged. Just as naturally, we can depend on someone to attempt to right the ship, calm the waters, and smooth the sails. Enter The Elements of Journalism, which simply lists and details what the authors consider journalism's ten guiding principles and purpose for the enlightenment of journalists and the general public. For the former, the book serves as a Journalism 101 moral refresher: Journalism's purpose is truth, produced by those loyal to that purpose and to the citizens (not to profits). Committee of Concerned journalists Chairman Bill Kovach and Project for Excellence in journalism Director Tom Rosenstiel assert, however, that truth is not enough: There is also verification, to which they devote a chapter that's as good a reporting primer as any textbook. The authors explain "the intellectual principles of a science of reporting" gleaned from numerous discussions with and surveys of editors, journalists, and members of the public. As a CCJ member, I applaud the effort: Journalists need to be reminded of their profession's high ethical objective. Any craft-journalism included-requires a howto inventory. For the public, the book provides a glimpse into why serious journalists behave as they do; journalism has a purpose over and above selling newspapers and airtime. The lay reader discovers there is a rationale for what journalists cover and that not only is journalism a map with which to navigate society, but that good journalism strives to be accurate and comprehensive. But it is not enough to index-as the text does-all the proper characteristics. To be sure, the authors credibly explain each item. For example, they say journalists have an obligation to monitor the powerful because-as investigative reporting gets trivialized (thanks to consumer-oriented topics such as the honesty of auto brake mechanics) and challenged-journalism's function as a public forum becomes weakened, giving way to "a new wave of journalism as assertion." But as if it were Moses coming down from the Big Newsroom In The Sky, the book comes off as so many pronouncements. This is no text for a skeptic; while each element gets its due in terms of description and analysis, there is no Burning Bush-no original explanation exists for the list as a whole. By its structure, the text expects the reader to accept the idea that journalism is a recipe. The book makes a weak attempt at synthesis in the last chapter, in which the authors claim that journalists' responsibility to conscience ties all the other elements together. On its face, this makes sense: For example, what journalist would not say his or her conscience is the reason for his or her search (via journalism) for truth? But the final chapter does not engage in such analytical application of the elements, choosing instead to elaborate on the role of conscience in newsrooms and the threat certain newsroom cultures pose against individual conscience. …
578 citations
TL;DR: This article examined college students' use of online media for political purposes in the 2008 election and found significant positive relationships between attention to traditional Internet sources and political self-efficacy and situational political involvement.
Abstract: This study examined college students' use of online media for political purposes in the 2008 election. Social media attention, online expression, and traditional Internet attention were assessed in relation to political self-efficacy and situational political involvement. Data from a Web survey of college students showed significant positive relationships between attention to traditional Internet sources and political self-efficacy and situational political involvement. Attention to social media was not significantly related to political self-efficacy or involvement. Online expression was significantly related to situational political involvement but not political self-efficacy. Implications are discussed for political use of online media for young adults.
420 citations
Cites background from "Is There an Elite Hold? Traditional..."
...Scholars have also folded blogs into the social media umbrella given their function as ‘‘personal publication tools’’ (Gil de Zúñiga et al., 2009, p. 566) and their ability to foster interaction (Meraz, 2009)....
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...566) and their ability to foster interaction (Meraz, 2009)....
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TL;DR: This work argues that from the perspective of an individual's personal communication network, comparable processes of “curation” are undertaken by a variety of actors—not only conventional newsmakers but also individual media users, social contacts, advertisers, and computer algorithms.
Abstract: Advancing theory in media exposure and effects requires contending with an increasing level of complexity and contingency. Building on established theoretical concerns and the research possibilities enabled by large social datasets, we propose a framework for mapping information exposure of digitally situated individuals. We argue that from the perspective of an individual's personal communication network, comparable processes of “curation” are undertaken by a variety of actors—not only conventional newsmakers but also individual media users, social contacts, advertisers, and computer algorithms. Detecting the competition, intersection, and overlap of these flows is crucial to understanding media exposure and effects today. Our approach reframes research questions in debates such as polarization, selective and incidental exposure, participation, and conceptual orientations for computational approaches.
339 citations
Cites background from "Is There an Elite Hold? Traditional..."
...The relative influence of journalistic flows in this environment becomes an empirical question to be explored (Mitchelstein & Boczkowski, 2010; see also Meraz, 2009)....
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References
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TL;DR: The homophily principle as mentioned in this paper states that similarity breeds connection, and that people's personal networks are homogeneous with regard to many sociodemographic, behavioral, and intrapersonal characteristics.
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TL;DR: This work characterizes networked structures in terms of nodes (individual actors, people, or things within the network) and the ties, edges, or links that connect them.
Abstract: Social Network Analysis Methods And Social network analysis (SNA) is the process of investigating social structures through the use of networks and graph theory. It characterizes networked structures in terms of nodes (individual actors, people, or things within the network) and the ties, edges, or links (relationships or interactions) that connect them. Examples of social structures commonly visualized through social network ...
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"Is There an Elite Hold? Traditional..." refers background in this paper
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Book•
30 Dec 1991TL;DR: Networks and Relations The Development of Social Network Analysis Handling Relational Data Lines, Direction and Density Centrality and Centralization Components, Cores, and Cliques Positions, Roles and Clusters Dimensions and Displays Appendix Social Network Packages
Abstract: Networks and Relations The Development of Social Network Analysis Handling Relational Data Lines, Direction and Density Centrality and Centralization Components, Cores, and Cliques Positions, Roles, and Clusters Dimensions and Displays Appendix Social Network Packages
5,638 citations