scholarly journals The Cynical Public: Claims about Science in the Discourse on Hydrofracking

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-47
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Seale ◽  
Gregory Fulkerson

This content analysis of newspaper articles and online social media from English-speaking sources on the topic of ‘fracking’ interrogates the use of scientific legitimacy in claims-makings and how public understandings of science develop through these media. In both forms of media, science is invoked in one sense as rational and objective to either neutralize or support emotionally-charged accounts and fears of hydraulic fracturing dangers. In another sense, however, science is viewed as a bureaucratic tool used at the will of government and business interests and easily corrupted to support ideological or interest-based positions. Claims regarding science typically follow ideological positions rather than the reverse - the ‘science’ that supports fracking as safe is called into question by those skeptical of fracking, while the anti-fracking position is designated as ‘anti-science’ by those who favor fracking. These strategies as they play out in the media serve to spread uncertainty, heighten cynicism, and undermine public confidence in science. An understanding of science as incomplete and cumulative, however, lends itself to the precautionary principle.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirmin Bintay Kader ◽  
Md. Marufur Rahman ◽  
Md. Khaledul Hasan ◽  
Md. Mohibur Hossain ◽  
Jobaida Saba ◽  
...  

Workplace violence in healthcare settings is a common global problem, including in Bangladesh. Despite the known presence of workplace violence in healthcare environments of developing countries, there is limited understanding of factors that lead to hospital violence in Bangladesh. This study aims to explore factors that influence incidents of violence against healthcare professionals in Bangladesh, as reported by doctors via social media forum. Content analysis was conducted on 157 reported incidents documented on “Platform,” the online social media most used by medical students and doctors in Bangladesh. Posts by doctors detailing experiences of physical or verbal violence at their workplace between July 2012 and December 2017 were included in this study. The majority of reported incidents were reported by male doctors (86%) and from government hospitals (63.7%). Findings showed that primary healthcare centers experienced more violence than secondary and tertiary facilities. This may largely be due to insufficient human and other resources in primary care settings to meet patient demand and expectations. Most of the events happened at night (61%), and as a result, entry-level doctors such as emergency duty doctors and intern doctors were commonly affected. Six themes were identified as vital factors in workplace violence against doctors: patients’ perspectives, delayed treatment, power practice, death declarations, extreme violence, and care-seeking behaviors. Most incidents fell under the categories of delayed treatment and power practice at 26.8 and 26.1%, respectively. This study identified possible factors for reported violence in hospital settings. To address and reduce these incidents, hospital administrators should be aware of risk factors for violent behavior and design appropriate measures to prevent workplace violence. Further qualitative and quantitative research is needed to appropriately address the consequences of violence on healthcare workers and implement measures to mitigate these events.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benny Nuriely ◽  
Moti Gigi ◽  
Yuval Gozansky

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the ways socio-economic issues are represented in mainstream news media and how it is consumed, understood and interpreted by Israeli young adults (YAs). It examines how mainstream media uses neo-liberal discourse, and the ways YAs internalize this ethic, while simultaneously finding ways to overcome its limitations. Design/methodology/approach This was a mixed methods study. First, it undertook content analysis of the most popular Israeli mainstream news media among YAs: the online news site Ynet and the TV Channel 2 news. Second, the authors undertook semi-structured in-depth interviews with 29 Israeli YAs. The analysis is based on an online survey of 600 young Israelis, aged 18–35 years. Findings Most YAs did not perceive mainstream media as enabling a reliable understanding of the issues important to them. The content analysis revealed that self-representation of YAs is rare, and that their issues were explained, and even resolved, by older adults. Furthermore, most of YAs' problems in mainstream news media were presented using a neo-liberal perspective. Finally, from the interviews, the authors learned that YAs did not find information that could help them deal with their most pressing economic and social issue, in the content offered by mainstream media. For most of them, social media overcomes these shortcomings. Originality/value Contrary to research that has explored YAs’ consumerism of new media outlets, this article explores how YAs in Israel are constructed in the media, as well as the way in which YAs understand mainstream and new social media coverage of the issues most important to them. Using media content analysis and interviews, the authors found that Young Adults tend to be ambivalent toward media coverage. They understand the lack of media information: most of them know that they do not learn enough from the media. This acknowledgment accompanies their tendency to internalize the neo-liberal logic and conservative Israeli national culture, in which class and economic redistribution are largely overlooked. Mainstream news media uses neo-liberal discourse, and young adults internalize this logic, while simultaneously finding ways to overcome the limitations this discourse offers. They do so by turning to social media, mainly Facebook. Consequently, their behavior maintains the logic of the market, while also developing new social relations, enabled by social media.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Lopes de Oliveira ◽  
Erick Moreno ◽  
Bruce V. Lewenstein

Our case study situates science communication within the interaction of the COVID-19 disease, scientific research about the disease, public statements by relevant officials, media messages, political actions, and public opinion. By studying these interactions in the Brazilian context, we add to the understanding of science communication complexity by studying a context less easily available to the English-speaking research community. Methodologically, we identified key moments in Brazil during the pandemic using tools such as Google Trends, and content analysis of influencers' Twitter and Instagram accounts and digital newspapers. These episodes are then explored as case studies, using both quantitative and qualitative content analysis of messages to identify message emphasis frames and political agendas. The results introduce issues rarely explored in previous science communication research, especially ones associated with nationalism and political populism and national inequalities of privilege, income, and trust.


Kavkaz-forum ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
М.Р. ГАБАРАЕВА

Средства массовой информации с развитием интернета из традиционных трансформировались в интернет-СМИ, в которые входят и новостные страницы в социальных сетях «Вконтакте», «Инстаграм», «Телеграм». Чтение новостей является одной из основных целей использования интернета и социальных сетей, что приводит к популярности агрегаторов новостных сообщений. Социальные сети отличаются от традиционных СМИ своей интерактивностью и большей зависимостью от читателей, поскольку успешность страницы зависит от вовлеченности аудитории, особенно от количества комментариев. Администраторы страниц заинтересованы в публикации новостей, вызывающих реакцию и споры. События, освещаемые на новостных страницах, затем переходят в другие сообщества, где продолжается их обсуждение. По отклику пользователей интернета на различные темы можно определять общее настроение общества. В дагестанских социальных сетях вопрос семейно-брачных отношений поднимается часто, к тому же эта тема стимулируется публикацией новостных сообщений о соотношении браков и разводов в республике. Так как большей частью активных пользователей социальных сетей является молодежь, анализ их мнений по вопросу семейных отношений может помочь в понимании будущего семьи в регионе. По результатам контент-анализа комментариев под постами о браках и разводах можно говорить о том, что, помимо личных, основными причинами как разводов, так и снижения количества заключаемых браков являются финансовая нестабильность, а также изменение общества и нахождение его на стыке архаизации и модернизации. Количество заключаемых браков в Дагестане снижается, тогда как количество разводов остается приблизительно на одном уровне, хотя СМИ сосредотачивают внимание в своих публикациях на разводах, формируя определенную картину мира у читателей. With the development of the Internet, the media has transformed from its traditional forms of newspapers and television into online-media, which also includes news profiles on the social networks such as Vkontakte, Instagram, and Telegram. Reading news is one of the main purposes of using the internet and social media, which leads to the popularity of news aggregators. Social networks differ from traditional media in their interactivity and greater dependence on readers, since the success of a profile is based on the engagement of the audience namely, of chief relevance is the number of comments. Administrators of social media profiles would more likely publish news that generates reactions and controversy. Events covered on the news profiles are then transferred to other social media pages, where they continue to be discussed. The general mood of the society can be determined by the response of Internet users to various topics. The issue of family and marriage relations is often raised in Dagestan based social media profiles and pages. This topic is stimulated by the publication of news reports on the ratio of marriages and divorces in the republic. Since the majority of active users of social networks are young people, analyzing their views on the issue of marital relations can help to understand the future of the family in the region. Based on the results of the content analysis of the comments under the posts about marriages and divorces, we can say that, in addition to personal factors, the main reasons for high number of divorces and a decrease in the number of marriages are financial instability, as well as a change in society and its transition to modernization. The number of marriages in Dagestan is declining, while the number of divorces remains approximately at the same level, although the media focuses its attention on divorces, forming a certain picture of the world among readers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 205630511988865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Vázquez-Herrero ◽  
Sabela Direito-Rebollal ◽  
Xosé López-García

Social media are increasingly integrated into media routines as channels to gain access, verify and spread information. Likewise, as mobile news consumption is standardized, the media experiment with native formats for these platforms. This study analyzes how the media use Instagram Stories, to identify the strategies that they apply, as well as the adaptation and innovation features on this platform. A content analysis was conducted from a sample of 17 online media that use Instagram Stories, both legacy and digital native. The results show an upward potential in ephemeral news production, one that is increasingly developed and unique.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasaai Masngut ◽  
Emma Mohamad

BACKGROUND Good leadership image in times of health emergency is paramount to ensure public’s confidence towards government’s ability to manage a crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge for governments worldwide to manage and communicate about the pandemic effectively, while maintaining public trust. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to identify types of image repair strategies utilized by the Malaysian government in their communication about COVID-19. The study then analyzes public opinion towards these communication on social media. METHODS Content analysis was employed to analyze 120 media statements and 382 comments retrieved from Facebook page of two mainstream newspapers, Berita Harian and The Star. These samples were collected within a span of 6 weeks prior and during the implementation of Movement Control Order by the Malaysian Government. The media statements were analyzed according to Benoit’s Image Repair Theory to categorize strategies employed in government communication. Public opinion responses were measured using modified lexicon-based VADER sentiment analysis to categorize positive, negative and neutral statements. RESULTS The Malaysian government employed all 5 strategies of the Image Repair Theory in their communication in both newspapers. The strategy most utilized was the reduce offensiveness strategy (62.5%). This is followed by corrective action strategy (25.0%), evading responsibilities (8.3%), denial (3.3%) and mortification (0.8%). This study also found multiple sub-strategies in government media statements including denial, shifting blame, provocation, defeasibility, accident, good intention, bolstering, minimization, differentiation, transcendence, attacking accuser, resolve problem, prevent recurrence, admit wrongdoing and apologize. This study also found that 64.7% of public opinion were positive towards media statements made by the Malaysian government. This study also revealed a significant positive association between Image Repair Strategies utilized by the Malaysian government and public opinion. CONCLUSIONS Communication in the media may assist the government to foster positive support from the public. Suitable image repair strategies could garner positive public responses and help build trust in times of crisis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-71
Author(s):  
Lidwina Mutia Sadasri

Information dissemination in the media, specifically social media, is one of the critical channels of information related to the COVID-19 outbreak sought by the public. The information presented has been related to accurate and reliable situation reports and false information in various forms, not only text-based but also audio and visual. The chaos of data, coupled with a central response that seemed unprepared, shaped the Indonesian community’s perceptions of the COVID-19 outbreak. This fact related to the massive number of internet users in Indonesia is one aspect of the government’s decision, in this case BNPB (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana; officially National Disaster Management Authority), to engage strong social media influencers. The government collaborated with some influencers to enable public engagement through online social media platforms in the context of COVID-19—two of them being @dr.tirta and @rachelvennya. The platforms also gained more visibility after being appointed COVID-19 influencers. They updated information about COVID-19 on their social media accounts with picture posts and Instagram stories, either individually or in collaboration with others. This study aims to analyse the practice of the Indonesian government’s agency using micro-celebrity to deploy a risk communication frame and the delivery of the message by a celebrated person.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. X. Lilik Dwi Mardjianto

Abstract: New media in a form of social media has grown rapidly nowadays. The growth of social media is supported by technological advances connected people around the world. They are connected to each other and easily exchange messages. The transformation has finally weakened the media itself. This is a concept paper combining two methodoloies, namely literature review and content analysis of Presiden Yudhoyono’s Facebook account. This paper reveals that public connectedness within digital era has brought back the media to its original function; media that has only message distribution function, without having message construction function. Abstrak: Media baru dalam bentuk media sosial berkembang begitu pesat. Perkembangan yang didukung dengan kemajuan teknologi tersebut telah menciptakan keterhubungan antar orang. Publik terhubung satu dengan yang lain dan saling bertukar pesan. Transformasi peran dan fungsi audiens akibat kemunculan media sosial itu berpotensi mendegradasi fungsi media. Makalah ini adalah makalah konseptual yang menggabungkan dua metodologi, yaitu studi pustaka dan analisis isi sederhana terhadap akun Facebook Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Makalah ini mengungkap bahwa keterhubungan publik di era digital adalah masa ketika media kembali kepada fungsi awalnya, hanya sebagai perantara distribusi pesan, tanpa lagi dilengkapi kemampuan untuk mengemas atau mengonstruksi makna.


Author(s):  
Alla El-Awaisi ◽  
Veronica O'Carroll ◽  
Somaya Koraysh ◽  
Sarra Koummich ◽  
Marion Huber

Social media posts can be used to explore public perceptions of interprofessional teams and healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to use social listening technique to explore unfiltered public perceptions of the professionals involved in healthcare teams during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a naturalistic online setting, and to elaborate on the emotional reactions in response to an online social media post. A cross-sectional retrospective review of comments on a specific social media post was conducted between 15 March and 28 April 2020 using summative content analysis. One image that was widely circulated on social media platforms with two questions: ‘Who society thinks works at hospital? versus who really works at hospitals?’ was selected. Three platforms were searched, Facebook®, Twitter®, and LinkedIn®. Only publicly available posts were included. Out of the initial 40 posts identified, 21 posts, which had 1759 comments, were analysed and 1576 were included for coding. Of the emerging nine themes, perceptions of who is in the team was the largest (40.5%, n = 639), followed by agreement (23.1%, n = 364) and feeling excluded (16.2%, n = 255). Of emotional expressions, 42.1% were positive and 57.9% negative. The most frequent emotions were frustration (54.4%, n = 857) followed by gratitude (16.3%, n = 257) and relief (15.9%, n = 250). The post brought considerable attention to the role of the interprofessional team and generated many feelings of frustration and exclusion. For this reason, the response to this social media post is very important and not to be overlooked. Healthcare professionals need to work together to strengthen their presence as an interprofessional team, united to deliver safe effective quality care for patients. The current COVID-19 pandemic and the media attention should be taken as an opportunity by the interprofessional community to work together to combat negative media stereotypes. Further research is warranted on public perceptions of the healthcare team.


2021 ◽  
pp. 127-141
Author(s):  
АNA JEVTOVIĆ

In a contemporary and digital society we have been witnessing frequent changes and everything has become a commodity, even a piece of information. Whether it is news in the media or an opinion written on social media, information is transformed into a product that has its own price, consumers and market. Since the occurrence of the mass media, numerous communication theories have been emerging which try to interpret how content affects the construction of behavior, what type of message produces certain effects and what are the long-term consequences for the society? Applying the quantitative and qualitative content analysis of the front pages of the six daily newspapers in Serbia (Informer, Večernje novosti, Blic, Kurir, Danas and Alo) between January 17 and February 1, 2021 we investigated the characteristics of the models and narratives used in presenting the case of the well-known Serbian director and acting teacher, Miroslav Mika Aleksić, who has been accused of sexually abusing female students. Using the theory of the agenda, the framework theory, as well as the hypodermic needle model, we will try to provide an answer to the question – whether and to what extent we can “defend” ourselves from media opinions which keep “bombing” us every day and can the media “reach a verdict” before legal institutions.


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