Five major disruptions that have transformed news effects research

Question 1

Five major disruptions

Answer 1

1. multiplication of channels and partisan media
2. polarization of the political environment
3. the spread of social media
4. the spread of misinformation
5. the rise of political entertainment

Question 2

Multiplication of channels and partisan media

Answer 2

-shift from centrist and calm reporting to partisan and sensationalist
-rise of cable tv, internet, and talk radio has led to fragmentation
-greater array of news soruces along the political spectrum

Question 3

Polarization of the political environment

Answer 3

-with increased choise, audiences now selectively expose themselves to ideologically congruent content
-reinforces preexisting attitudes and fosters polarization
-we create cariactures of the other side
-Motivated processing theories (the tendency for the brain to come up with a plausible explanation for a view) help explain why individuals discount opposing views

Question 4

The spread of social media

Answer 4

-social media has DECENTRALIZED news production and consumption
-news now circulates through a networked environment where agenda setting, the spiral of silence, and interpersonal influence occur in dynamic and decentralized ways
-Opinion leaders on these platforms can amplify or mitigate media effects (Another way of talking about the two-step flow model)
-e.g. issue fo Gaza and Palestine may not have been talked about in mainstream media in the past but with TikTok and IG, the relevance of this issue has spread

Question 5

The spread of misinformation

Answer 5

-digital era has given rise to fake news and misinformation
-backfire effect can occur when correcting misinformation

Question 6

The rise of political entertainment

Answer 6

-political satire and comedy programs now serve as significant sources of political information, especially among younger viewers
-primarily for entertainment but can also shape knowledge and attitudes