Journalism and Media

The integration of gamification in online journalism and communication is an emerging trend aimed at enhancing user engagement and interactivity. As a digital marketing strategy, gamification involves incorporating game-like elements into non-game contexts, such as news websites, to motivate user participation and increase retention. This study explores the topic of gamification within the context of online journalism, advances in digital journalism, and the impact of technology in media and journalism, focusing on the perspectives of media owners through in-depth interviews. By exploring how media owners perceive and implement gamification elements in online journalism, this research aims to uncover valuable insights into the integration of game mechanics to enhance user engagement and content delivery. The methodology involved conducting interviews and analyzing the data qualitatively to identify key themes and patterns, shedding light on the challenges, opportunities, and best practices associated with gamification in the digital news landscape. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of gamification in shaping the future of online journalism and offers practical recommendations for media organizations looking to leverage gamified strategies for audience interaction and retention. Full article

This systematic review analyzes the representation of older adults in the media to determine whether news coverage contributes to reinforcing or combating ageism. For societies undergoing population ageing, it is essential to understand the image of old age conveyed by the media, as they play a significant role in shaping public perception. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines were followed. In total, 21 articles addressing the media representation of old age were selected from 1435 search results across three databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. The results show that the media do not sufficiently make older adults visible, often present negative narratives about old age, and use stigmatizing terms to refer to this group. Most of the research comes from the field of sociology, mainly employs discourse analysis, and does not examine journalistic aspects such as genres, information sources, or the images accompanying news stories. In conclusion, the reviewed literature provides a valuable diagnosis of media ageism but highlights the need to broaden the disciplinary perspective and incorporate analyses and proposals aimed at transforming journalistic routines, in order to move toward a more plural, realistic, and stigma-free representation of older adults in the media. Full article

This study investigates how algorithm-driven content curation impacts mediated discourse, amplifies ideological echo chambers and alters linguistic structures in online communication. While these platforms promise connectivity, their engagement-driven mechanisms reinforce biases and fragment discourse spaces, leading to Synthetic Social Alienation (SSA). By combining discourse analysis with in-depth interviews, this study examines the algorithmic mediation of language and meaning in digital spaces, revealing how algorithms commodify attention and shape conversational patterns. In this study, four SSA patterns were identified: Algorithmic Manipulation, Digital Alienation, Platform Dependency, and Echo Chamber Effects. A hybrid dataset (180 training, 30 test samples) was used to train classification models. Among four algorithms, Support Vector Machine (SVM) achieved the highest performance (90.0% accuracy, 90.4% F1-score). Sentiment analysis revealed distinct language structures for positive (AUC = 0.994), neutral (AUC = 0.933), and negative (AUC = 0.919) expressions. SHAP and LIME analyses highlighted key features driving model decisions. The findings expose how digital platforms commodify attention and shape user discourse, underscoring the need for ethical algorithm design and regulatory oversight. Full article

Bangladesh witnessed its biggest nationwide mass uprising since gaining independence in 1971, which led to the overthrow of an authoritarian government that had existed for a decade. This study employed the protest paradigm to analyze how the protests were framed by mainstream print media and how media ownership influenced their coverage. Drawing on a quantitative content analysis of five major newspapers from different ownerships, the study explores dominant media frames, tone, and legitimacy of protest coverage. The findings indicate that media ownership significantly affects the credibility and tone of the protest coverage. The protest paradigm was applied more strictly by pro-government media outlets. Independent and anti-government outlets, on the other hand, took a more impartial stance. The study reveals how media ownership shaped the framing of dissent, reinforcing the protest paradigm in ways that aligned with the ruling party’s interests. This study adds to the body of knowledge on South Asian media bias and authoritarian information control. Full article

Journalists have a long-standing presence in strategic communication, seen as a “transitory” mediating stakeholder that can influence other key audiences within organizations. However, their role is increasingly being challenged by the rise in alternative information disseminators—mainly digital influencers (DIs) who possess considerable persuasive power and command extensive reach across diverse audiences. Using a qualitative methodology, this study aims to analyze the perceptions of brand and strategic communication professionals regarding the role of journalists in the context of the emergence of influencer marketing within the field of strategic communication. To this end, the views of 24 communication professionals were gathered, including individuals from communication agencies and communication departments in both public and private sector organizations. The findings were discussed in light of the conceptual framework of media relations and digital influence. Results indicate that, although DIs are now well-established within the field of strategic communication, their rise has not diminished the importance of journalists in communication strategies. Full article

Online aggression and abusive language on social media pose a growing threat to democratic discourse, as they contribute to polarization, delegitimization of political actors, and the erosion of civil debate. While much of the current research relies on computational methods to detect hate speech, fewer studies investigate how online aggression functions discursively in specific socio-political contexts. This study addresses this gap by analyzing patterns of verbal aggression on Facebook and Twitter during two key events in Poland in 2020: the presidential election and the Women’s Strike. Adopting a mixed-method approach (combining sentiment analysis, content analysis, and discourse analysis) and comparing two socio-political events that generated extensive online debate, this study investigates the patterns and communicative functions of hostile and aggressive language on Facebook and Twitter. The study reveals that neutral posts dominated both datasets, but negative and aggressive posts were significantly more frequent during the Women’s Strike, where verbal aggression was used not only to reinforce group identity but also to express moral outrage, trauma, and demands for change. In contrast, aggression during the election campaign was less frequent but more calculated. It functioned as a strategic tool to delegitimize political opponents and reinforce partisan divides. Users employed vitriolic language and profanity as rhetorical tools to undermine authority, reinforce group identity, and mobilize supporters. The study also reveals asymmetric patterns of aggression, with public figures and institutions, particularly the ruling party, Church, and police, being primary targets. The findings have significant implications for understanding the dynamics of online debates and aggression patterns in social media. Full article

The Olympic Games play a crucial role in shaping and promoting the host country’s national image and global perceptions. Nevertheless, limited scholarly attention has been devoted to examining how international media coverage of such events influences the perception of the host country abroad, particularly regarding major sporting events held in China. This study seeks to fill this gap by analyzing 50 China-related pieces of news from leading international publications covering the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Drawing from these selected news articles based on circulation metrics, this study employs a dual-level analytical framework from the perspectives of macro and micro discourses. The research integrates a corpus-assisted methodology with critical discourse analysis to systematically explore features of media headlines. We incorporate both keyword analysis and keyword-in-context approaches (KWIC) to reveal underlying patterns and meanings. Analysis of international media coverage during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics revealed distinct narrative patterns concerning Chinese diplomatic relations and leadership. The findings indicate that foreign media outlets devoted limited attention to the Olympic events themselves. Instead, they emphasized broader sociopolitical issues, particularly in portraying China as a country that overworks regional ethnic minorities and has human rights problems. In addition, General Secretary Xi’s presidential image emerged as intrinsically linked to China’s national image in international discourse. These insights offer valuable perspectives on China’s diplomatic positioning and suggest implications for future approaches to national image construction through major sporting events. Full article

The rapid rise of social media has accelerated the evolution of public opinion, leading to frequent group polarization. Meanwhile, advancements in information science have enabled large-scale experiments, positioning dynamics as a crucial perspective for studying group polarization. This paper systematically reviews group polarization from a dynamics perspective. First, we outline its definitions and its explanatory theories. Then, we examine the role of dynamics in polarization research, summarize the current measurement methods of group polarization, and analyze intervention strategies based on elements of dynamics. Finally, we propose a logical framework for dynamics-based interventions. Our findings indicate that while research on group polarization from a dynamics perspective is relatively comprehensive, most intervention studies remain at the simulation level, requiring further validation for real-world applicability. This review provides a systematic overview of group polarization through a dynamics lens, offering insights for addressing challenges in network governance within the social media era. Full article

This study examines the transformative impact of cyberpolitics on political systems in six Latin American countries—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru—between 2000 and 2024. Over this period, 34 elections and the emergence of 103 new political parties revealed a dynamic interplay between technological innovation and political fragmentation. Digital platforms have revolutionized political communication, enabling hyper-segmentation and direct voter engagement while contributing to the disintegration of traditional party structures. The rise of digital-native parties and outsider leaders highlights the shift toward personalized, campaign-driven politics. The research identifies a strong correlation between electoral cycles and the founding of new parties, with three times as many emerging in election years. While cyberpolitics has democratized participation, it has also intensified volatility, fostering a fragile political landscape. This study underscores the dual-edged role of digital technologies in reshaping democracy, emphasizing the need for further exploration of their long-term implications. Full article

In contemporary democracies, social media platforms are widely used for political campaigning, with political figures seeking to connect with diverse segments of the public. This study aims to illuminate the implementation of online political campaigning in Greece by analysing the content shared on four social media platforms (Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok) by the leaders of the three principal political parties during the 2023 pre-election phase. We employ content analysis to evaluate primarily the textual and secondarily the visual elements of the posts (N = 1.222) found on the relevant accounts, using a coding framework that comprises 32 variables. The research draws on concepts pertinent to the platformised era, such as “virality,” “personalisation,” and “network media logic,” to highlight how contemporary politicians favour direct and easily comprehensible communication patterns with citizens. The results suggest that political leaders in Greece utilise social media as a means of emotionally mobilising voters. X and Facebook emerged as the primary platforms for distributing political messages, while Instagram and TikTok focused more on personalised and non-political content. The elements of personalisation were particularly prominent in the posts made by the leader of the Conservative Party (New Democracy), who demonstrated greater proficiency in utilising TikTok’s features. Full article

This paper argues that Black women are represented in online political advertisements during South African election campaigns. Through the qualitative online research approach, this paper deploys a purposive sample of 30 online political advertisements of the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from the national, provincial, and local government 2009 and 2024 elections cycles. This paper deploys an Africana Womanist Approach as both a theoretical and analytical framework to interrogate underlying visual rhetoric concerning how Black women are depicted in the sampled online political advertisements, particularly in the framework of post-apartheid South Africa. Findings revealed that Black women are consistently portrayed in the ANC, DA, and EFF advertisements as maternal figures, labourers, marginalised individuals, and iconic of anti-apartheid activists’ inequality since the 1994 transition. Nevertheless, it was also found that Black women continue to be seen as emblems of poverty and underdevelopment, despite the political promises of change. This paper advances understanding as to how perspectives on Africana women shape the visual framing of political messages in the South Africa online campaign environment, demonstrating how these representations can be aligned to produce cultural and political communication strategies. Full article

Journalists are on the front lines in managing the most difficult experiences of this world: loss and loneliness, sorrow and sadness. As a part of their professional practice in the field, journalists often end up taking on their share of that pain. How do they manage this pain? As a conceptual article, this manuscript draws from theoretical frameworks and synthesizes scholarship to explore how altruism helps journalists manage pain in their profession. We argue that suffering is an essential part of the human experience and journalists—by virtue of their profession—perhaps experience more of it than many professions. That said, journalism works at its best when journalists manifest altruism out of that suffering, offering a cluster of joyful expressions from this pain. When journalists do, this altruism works in a two-fold manner: it eases the suffering of others and helps journalists manage their own. Full article

In the digital age, the fear of missing out (FOMO) phenomenon is heightened by the frequent use of online stores and a constant stream of offers and digital interactions. This study explores how FOMO, amplified by digital commerce environments, influences shopping motivation and compulsive buying in young adults. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, the FOMO scale, and cognitive–behavioral models, the study examines how FOMO interacts with push notifications, time-limited offers, and reward-based digital cues—which are associated with emotional urgency and may interfere with reflective decision-making. The research was conducted through a semi-structured questionnaire, combining Likert-scale measures with open-ended responses, employed on a sample of Romanian students (n = 258) of West University of Timisoara. A convergent mixed-methods design was applied, including Pearson correlation and qualitative thematic coding of open-ended responses. This study reveals the interaction between internal cognitive distortions and external marketing stimuli, contributes to a more nuanced understanding of online shopping behavior, and outlines key implications for the development of ethical communication practices in digital marketplaces. Full article

This research explores the resilience of highly educated individuals in Greece to mis- and disinformation, focusing on their news engagement and information verification practices. Despite high levels of awareness and concern about disinformation, the study found that participants exhibited varying levels of news consumption, with only about 57% visiting news websites daily, and a significant portion relying on social media for exposure to false information. The research highlights the gap between participants’ interest in news and their actual engagement with reliable news sources. The results suggest that individuals with higher education may not be immune to disinformation, often underestimating their vulnerability. Notably, the frequency of news consumption was negatively correlated with the use of rigorous fact-checking methods. Moreover, psychological and social factors, such as the desire for social validation and the importance of content, strongly influenced sharing behavior. The study recommends that media literacy campaigns (MLCs) and overall media literacy education (MLE) for this group should address these cognitive biases and social dynamics, emphasizing critical thinking, the use of multiple sources, and the importance of external fact-checking tools. Full article

The aim of this paper is to clarify the difference between soft and hard news and to explore consumer preferences so that newspapers can adapt their artificial intelligence (AI) tools accordingly. The work focuses on the analysis of the results from a focus group discussion held on 26 March 2024, on the reading habits among readers of the news website Večernji.hr. The analysis shows that readers are not fully aware of their reading habits, often overestimating their interest in hard news while underestimating their interest in miscellaneous entertaining content in the media commonly referred to as soft news. In order to verify their statements, a content analysis of the 50 most-read articles on that news website from 25 to 29 March 2024 was conducted, also from the perspective of hard and soft news, so that this data can be compared with the results of the focus group discussion. The analysis of article readership confirmed and further emphasized the readers’ interest in the miscellanea. These findings have been contextualized within previous experiences of using artificial intelligence in the media, which show that AI tools are highly suitable for informative genres based on service data—typically classified as hard news, and are also compatible with some types of soft news. The great interest of readers in soft news suggests that significant effort should be put in its production and that it should not be considered an unimportant supplement to hard news. Artificial intelligence tools are less suitable for creating miscellanea, but they can be helpful in analyzing trends and detecting events. In these areas collaboration between humans and machines is essential, as only a journalist can accurately understand the human dimension and social context, which is the necessary framework for producing soft news. Full article

The growing challenge of disinformation in the digital age poses significant hurdles for NGO communication practitioners, particularly in engaging Generation Z. Low digital literacy among young individuals also offers an explanation for lower levels of civic engagement. This study explores young people’s perceptions of civic engagement and the effects of disinformation through qualitative focus group discussions. Eight focus groups comprising young adults were conducted to gather insights into their motivations, experiences, and perspectives regarding social and political issues as well as fake news combating strategies. Findings from this research will contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between youth, fake news, and civic engagement. The results indicate that youth primarily rely on social media for information, with Instagram emerging as a key platform for real-time updates. While participants recognise the importance of credible sources, many demonstrated superficial strategies for assessing reliability, such as evaluating the number of followers or brand reputation, which may leave them vulnerable to fake news. This tendency highlights a gap between formal digital literacy education and actual media consumption practices. Ultimately, the findings underscore the critical need for education and awareness to equip young individuals with the tools necessary to discern credible information and engage meaningfully in civic discourse, offering valuable insights for civic NGO communication strategies. Full article

Despite the predominance of traditional radio in Colombia, particularly in terms of its role as a medium, podcasting is gaining significance due to its flexibility, personalisation, and use of shorter formats. The research presented here seeks to delineate the sound ecosystem present in Colombia in order to recognise and evaluate its status and transcendence in the digital sonosphere. The study corpus comprised 160 podcasts, encompassing sound material from production companies, radio stations, other media outlets, and independent podcasters. This paper proposes an innovative content analysis of a corpus, with a methodology combining three categories of analysis. The production logics of podcasting bear a strong resemblance to those of radio broadcasting, largely due to the significant presence of operators within this industry who have established themselves as production companies or independent podcasters. The growth of the industry from 2020 to 2024 positions Colombia as a regional benchmark in digital audio consumption and production. Full article

This article examines the rhetorical affordances of political claims to victimhood by US president Donald Trump during his first and second terms in office. By applying Critical Discourse Analysis to victimhood claims tactically deployed in the discursive performances of the US president, this analysis demonstrates the versatility and multi-functionality of victimhood claims as a political communication strategy in different contexts, which may account for, at least partly, the appeal of far-right populist leaders to national electorates. The analysis calls attention to a novel argumentative pattern, attested in Trump’s empowered victimhood rhetoric upon his inauguration as second-term president of the USA. This pattern consists of constructing prolonged economic injury inflicted on the nation and announcing retribution against the constructed victimizer(s). This emancipated performative style of claiming victimized nationhood is used to justify and forewarn the implementation of illiberal and coercive politics, in this case, the waging of a global trade war by the US president. Focusing on Trump as an original case study of the construction of ‘economic victimhood’ to justify aggressive economic policy, this paper aims to advance our understanding of the rhetorically complex and continuously evolving victimhood rhetoric of authoritarian populists, as well as the leverages accrued thereof, and adds to a growing body of the literature on the discursive–ideological shifts triggered by authoritarian populism. Full article

This study examines journalists’ perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on disinformation, a growing concern in journalism due to the rapid expansion of generative AI and its influence on news production and media organizations. Using a quantitative approach, a structured survey was administered to 504 journalists in the Basque Country, identified through official media directories and with the support of the Basque Association of Journalists. This survey, conducted online and via telephone between May and June 2024, included questions on sociodemographic and professional variables, as well as attitudes toward AI’s impact on journalism. The results indicate that a large majority of journalists (89.88%) believe AI will considerably or significantly increase the risks of disinformation, and this perception is consistent across genders and media types, but more pronounced among those with greater professional experience. Statistical analyses reveal a significant association between years of experience and perceived risk, and between AI use and risk perception. The main risks identified are the difficulty in detecting false content and deepfakes, and the risk of obtaining inaccurate or erroneous data. Co-occurrence analysis shows that these risks are often perceived as interconnected. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted concerns of journalists regarding AI’s role in the information ecosystem. Full article