"In this paper, we identified seven most widely spread conspiracy discourses about earthquakes. These conspiracy discourses link earthquakes to military activities like secret nuclear bomb testing, God’s Providence like the punishment of humans for their sins, space activities like aliens visiting
...
our planet, the US secret weather control program HAARP, tests of the Large Hadron Collider, fracking projects, and freemasonic plots. Following the major earthquake in Indonesia at the end of November 2022, we extracted data from Twitter by keywords using the Hoaxy tool for tracking the spread of information on Twitter. Applying the Bot Sentinel tool, we also got data on the sentiment of the users. The divine and military discourses dominated the conspiracy discussion, followed by the discussions about extraction and HAARP. Though there were more human-like accounts than bot-like accounts, we found a positive correlation between the frequency of tweets on the conspiracy discourses and the bot scores of the accounts, which suggests that bot-like accounts were tweeting more than human-like accounts. It was also found that normal accounts tweeted more than toxic accounts, and there was a positive relationship between the bot score and the toxicity level of an account. It suggests that bot-like accounts were involved more in disruptive activities than human-like accounts." (Abstract)
more
"This topical volume illuminates ethical issues brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on a broad range of case studies from different regions, it provides insights into the multiple and complex ways in which the pandemic has shaped media ethics. Chapters employ a wide range of innova
...
tive theoretical and methodological approaches to dissect enduring and emerging ethical questions during the pandemic, providing lucid accounts of axiological dimensions in pandemic discourses, ethics of emotional mood, ethical challenges and dilemmas in news reporting, propaganda, misinformation, disinformation, and Othering. While the case studies in this book are unique, the authors have extrapolated common strands from their analysis of ethical issues applicable to any other country or region during the pandemic, contributing unique perspectives on how media ethics are circumscribed by global health pandemics." (Publisher description)
more
"The central question of this chapter addresses how major religious traditions have used media to contribute to socioeconomic development and improve access to the basic necessities of life. The Judeo-Christian tradition has perhaps the most explicit emphasis on socioeconomic development in its use
...
of media because of its priority of seeking the well-being of the poor and marginal people of the society and because of its traditional emphasis on media beginning with its written gospels and letters. Christian Churches, together, now have more than 500 educational radio and television stations in Latin America, Africa, and other areas such the Philippines. The fastest growing sector of Christianity, the evangelicals, in addition to their use of radio, video cassettes, and television, are expanding their use of social media, computers, and mobile phones, emphasizing small business, entrepreneurial promotion. Islam also emphasizes putting religious teaching in publications and other forms of media. With a long scientific and socioeconomic development tradition, Islam has a tradition of concern for the poor and less developed parts of its societies. The expectation that individual adherents of Islam will give away part of their economic success for the benefit of the poor and less fortunate provides added motivation. One of the most notable contributions to development from an Islamic background is the system of credit to the poor, the Grameen Bank, initiated by Mohammed Yunus in Bangladesh. Buddhism emphasizes heightened inner consciousness of well-being, reconciliation, compassion, and the overcoming of hate and selfishness. Buddhism communicates its message through the plastic arts, especially the ubiquitous images of Buddha. Where Buddhism is the dominant religious tradition (as in Thailand), the Buddhist temples and monks are centers promoting socioeconomic improvement at the local community level and national radio has programs for development purposes. Hinduism, located largely in India, is essentially a social worldview that assigns one’s socioeconomic status in life. Wealth and entrepreneurial initiative are part of the culture of the higher castes, and people of the higher castes are often leaders in development initiatives in India. Although religious communications and development involvement are still a matter of household deities, Indian holy gurus now sponsor television programs that attract an upwardly mobile technological class with tips on getting ahead in business, personal wealth, and upper class styles." (Conclusion, pages 498-499)
more
"Die visuelle Kommunikation von Entwicklungsorganisationen ist geprägt von Spendenplakaten. Anhand einer eingängigen Bildsprache wird Aufmerksamkeit generiert. Mit einer postkolonialen Perspektive zeigt die Autorin auf, wie das vermittelte Afrikabild visuellen Stereotypen folgt, die bis in die Kol
...
onialzeit zurückreichen. So werden Personen und Landschaften entsprechend tradierter Muster dargestellt und rassistisch geprägtes visuelles Wissen reproduziert. In der Analyse der Bildmaterialien wendet die Autorin die Methodologie der Diskursanalyse, und hierbei eine wissenssoziologische Perspektive an. Über das Zusammenspiel von Form und Inhalt arbeitet sie visuelle Repräsentationspraktiken und darin manifeste Wissensordnungen heraus." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
more
"We provide a scoping review of Digital Health Interventions (DHIs) that mitigate COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation seeding and spread. Materials and Methods: We applied our search protocol to PubMed, PsychINFO, and Web of Science to screen 1666 articles. The 17 articles included in this pa
...
per are experimental and interventional studies that developed and tested public consumer-facing DHIs. We examined these DHIs to understand digital features, incorporation of theory, the role of healthcare professionals, end-user experience, and implementation issues. Results: The majority of studies (n=11) used social media in DHIs, but there was a lack of platform-agnostic generalizability. Only half of the studies (n=9) specified a theory, framework, or model to guide DHIs. Nine studies involve healthcare professionals as design or implementation contributors. Only one DHI was evaluated for user perceptions and acceptance. Discussion: The translation of advances in online social computing to interventions is sparse. The limited application of behavioral theory and cognitive models of reasoning has resulted in suboptimal targeting of psychosocial variables and individual factors that may drive resistance to misinformation. This affects large-scale implementation and community outreach efforts. DHIs optimized through community-engaged participatory methods that enable understanding of unique needs of vulnerable communities are urgently needed. Conclusions: We recommend community engagement and theory-guided engineering of equitable DHIs. It is important to consider the problem of misinformation and disinformation through a multilevel lens that illuminates personal, clinical, cultural, and social pathways to mitigate the negative consequences of misinformation and disinformation on human health and wellness." (Abstract)
more
"Memorias de un vinilo explora los surcos, las materialidades, los sonidos, las huellas, las voces, las melodías, las letras que se producen en torno al componente educativo de una experiencia comunicativa, comunitaria, organizativa denominada Vokaribe en la ciudad de Barranquilla (Colombia). Aunqu
...
e se trata de una historia particular, situada, marcada por las subjetividades de sus protagonistas, esta sistematización hace parte de la historia de tantas experiencias leídas desde el campo de la comunicación educación que es un campo potente y poderoso en nuestro continente. Memorias de un vinilo permite reconocer las formas en las que las personas que deciden emprender caminos para fortalecer vínculos y construir ese “común”, tan esquivo en nuestros días, se terminan inmiscuyendo en dimensiones tan abarcativas de la vida como la educación. El proceso que aquí presentamos constituye el resultado de la sistematización de una experiencia de comunicación comunitaria que en un momento del camino detiene el tornamesa, levanta la aguja, retira el vinilo, lo vuelve a escuchar y observa la forma en que ese objeto ha dejado huella y marca ritmos cotidianos en dimensiones que trascienden sus objetivos inmediatos. Se presenta un relato sobre las formas en que Vokaribe ha producido y produce de forma permanente procesos educativos que son explicitados como un aporte definitivo en la formación de ese Caribe que reconoce como parte y todo de su construcción." (Prefacio)
more
"BBC Media Action has been using mass media to help audiences recognise risks and keep safe from explosive ordnance (EO), which is widespread across Afghanistan following years of conflict. We conducted a panel study in 10 most affected provinces to evaluate the impact of our programme. We found tha
...
t increased exposure to our content, which reached 5.4 million Afghans, was linked to increased ability to identify explosive ordnance risks; improved knowledge of what to do to keep safe; and increased discussion with others." (Introduction)
more
"Innovative mobile health (mHealth) interventions can improve maternal knowledge, thereby supporting national efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality in South Africa. Studies have documented a potential role for mobile video content to support perinatal health messaging, enhance m
...
aternal satisfaction, and overcome literacy barriers. Short, animated storytelling (SAS) is an innovative, emerging approach to mHealth messaging. Objective: We aimed to measure the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge and user satisfaction for mothers enrolled in antenatal care programs at 2 public health facilities in the Tshwane District of South Africa. Methods: We used a randomized controlled trial with a nested evaluation of user satisfaction. Participants were randomized 1:1 into Standard-of-Care (SOC) Control, and SAS Intervention groups. The intervention videos were delivered through WhatsApp, and 1 month later, participants responded to telephone surveys assessing their knowledge. The intervention group then participated in a nested evaluation of user satisfaction [...] Conclusions: While the SAS videos resulted in high user satisfaction, measured knowledge gains were small within a participant population that was already receiving perinatal health messages through antenatal clinics. The higher knowledge scores observed in older participants with higher education levels suggest that boosting maternal knowledge in younger mothers with lower education levels should continue to be a public health priority in South Africa. Given the high maternal satisfaction among the SAS video-users in this study, policy makers should consider integrating similar approaches into existing, broad-reaching perinatal health programs, such as MomConnect, to boost satisfaction and potentially enhance maternal engagement. While previous studies have shown the promise of animated video health education, most of this research has been conducted in high-income countries. More research in underresourced settings is urgently needed, especially as access to mobile technology increases in the Global South. Future studies should explore the effect of SAS videos on maternal knowledge in hard-to-reach populations with limited access to antenatal care, although real-world logistical challenges persist when implementing studies in underresourced South African populations." (Abstract)
more
"Bringing together voices and perspectives from research and practice, this volume explores the ways in which storytelling can support change toward sustainability. Unlike other anthologies, the book first provides a sound scientific basis by unfolding the storytelling approach and presenting empiri
...
cal studies on its impact on sustainability. It clarifies important terms and presents recent findings on the impact of storytelling for sustainability from an extensive three-year research project on this question. The second part shows how storytelling can be used in different fields of practice to communicate sustainability in more engaging and effective ways. Here, the main focus is on case-based accounts of positive change, but also tensions, arising from the application of storytelling for sustainability in journalism, higher education, corporate communication or science communication." (Publisher description)
more
"Environmental journalism has passed through a plethora of iterations—from a reporting that was science-oriented to a reporting for popular publications focusing on the green. This qualitative study looks at the political economy of environmental journalism in South Africa. The study seeks to unde
...
rstand the rationale of environmental journalism funded by corporate organizations in South Africa. The study solicited for opinions from journalists who have been funded by various corporate organizations to cover social responsibility environmental initiatives. The study also gestures the use of environmental journalism to positively impact attitudes, raise awareness and play the advocacy role." (Abstract)
more
"Public health advocates in the US and South Africa emphasise that many of the vaccine hesitant are not hardened conspiracy theorists, may have reasonable fears about side-effects and are potentially open to persuasion, especially if their concerns are taken seriously by interlocuters they trust. Bu
...
t the fact that trusted interlocuters are needed at all is indicative of the scale of challenge posed by conspiratorial moves against scientific medicine. In December 2022 the New York Times reported that medical professionals continued to be frustrated by the persistence of ‘outlandish’ narratives about COVID-19 vaccines (such as containing injectable microchips for surveillances purposes) that discourage vaccination. That suspicions towards, and even conspiracy theories about, vaccines have social, political, and psychological dimensions makes the task of persuasion more difficult than merely providing correct information about a vaccine or drug. The involvement of organised commercial and/or political interests in spreading misinformation – and the role of social media in amplifying it – complicates the challenge yet further. We have emphasised the persistent synergistic connections, from AIDS to COVID-19, between conspiratorial moves against medical science and the promotion of ‘alternative’ therapies. Cultropreneurs, dissident scientists and their libertarian funders often imply that the medical establishment (and even science itself) has been corrupted by political and commercial interests. The irony here is that cultropreneurs themselves have commercial interests in spreading misinformation about scientific medicine, and libertarian donors have obvious political agendas. Pointing this out is grist for the mill of pro-science activists, but they face an uphill struggle in today’s post-truth social context." (Conclusion)
more
"Despite increased academic attention’s focus on conspiracy theories on Telegram, existing research has two major limitations: (1) a lack of combined examination of the distribution and reception of conspiracy theories, and (2) insufficient understanding of the relationship between the reception o
...
f conspiracy messages and political attitudes, conspiracy beliefs, or political engagement. To address these gaps, our study adopts a two-pronged approach, linking the distribution and reception of conspiracy theories and mobilization calls on Telegram while exploring the implications for recipients’ conspiracy beliefs and protest behavior. Our research design includes a manual content analysis of 3,162 Telegram posts from German conspiracy-related channels (Study 1), and a survey of 318 Telegram users in these channels and 320 traditional media users (Study 2). Our results reveal characteristics of Telegram fringe group users that make them susceptible to conspiratorial and mobilizing content, such as anti-system attitudes and a readiness for protest behavior. These findings have broader implications for understanding the role of digital media in the spread of conspiracy theories and the mobilization of resistance during crises, as well as the importance of continued research on the relationship between digital media use, political attitudes, and engagement to mitigate the negative impacts of conspiracy theories and preserve democratic values." (Abstract)
more
"Data suggests that the majority of citizens in various countries came across ‘fake news’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. We test the relationship between perceived prevalence of misinformation and people’s worries about COVID-19. In Study 1, analyses of a survey across 17 countries indicate a p
...
ositive association: perceptions of high prevalence of misinformation are correlated with high worries about COVID-19. However, the relationship is weaker in countries with higher levels of case-fatality ratios, and independent from the actual amount of misinformation per country. Study 2 replicates the relationship using experimental data. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrates the underlying mechanism, that is, perceived prevalence of misinformation fosters the belief that COVID-19 is spiralling out of control, which in turn, increases worries. Our findings suggest that perceived prevalence of misinformation can have significant psychological effects, even though audience members reject the information as being false." (Abstract)
more
"Based on a 5-year study, involving over 150 in-depth interviews, this book examines the political, economic and social forces that sustain and influence humanitarian journalists. The authors argue that – by amplifying marginalised voices and providing critical, in-depth explanations of neglected
...
crises – these journalists show us that another kind of humanitarian journalism is possible. However, the authors also reveal the heavy price these reporters pay for deviating from conventional journalistic norms. Their peripheral position at the ‘boundary zone’ between the journalistic and humanitarian fields means that a humanitarian journalist’s job is often precarious – with direct implications for their work, especially as ‘watchdogs’ for the aid sector. As a result, they urgently need more support if they are to continue to do this work and promote more effective and accountable humanitarian action." (Publisher description)
more
"[...] in popular imagination and policy Indigenous peoples often appear to be caricatured and misrepresented, for instance through tropes of Indigenous peoples as custodians of the environment or especially vulnerable to environmental change. These framings matter because they can result in disaste
...
r management policies and practices that do not capture Indigenous peoples' complex realities. However, these framings have not been analysed in the context of disasters. In this article, we aim to better understand these framings through a critical discourse analysis of how Indigenous peoples in disasters are represented in the expert news media. We identify five discourses, including a dominant one of disasters as natural phenomena to be addressed through humanitarianism and technocratic interventions. Such discourses render Indigenous peoples helpless, depoliticize disasters and are justified by framing governments and NGOs as caring for Indigenous peoples. However, we also identify competing discourses that focus on systems of oppression and self-determination in disaster management. These discourse recognise disasters as political and include discussion of the role of colonialism in disaster creation. As care emerged as a means through which intervention was justified, we conclude by asking questions of who is cared for/about in disasters and how that care is performed". (Abstract)
more
"The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the role news organizations play in disseminating information and shaping public response to the crisis. This study adopts an ecological approach in examining Russian regional journalists’ adaptations to the pandemic. Based on in-depth interviews, the study f
...
ound that a worsened economic situation has increased dependence on state subsidies. Journalists avoided questioning authorities’ response to COVID, with some publishing government information and others focusing on practical tips for readers." (Abstract)
more
"Our 2022 report shows that all of the most under-reported crises are now in Africa. Hunger is rampant and spreading, particularly in East Africa where one of the worst droughts in living memory is causing over 21 million people to face life-threatening hunger. Water becomes scarcer every day, crops
...
are failing, livestock are dying. Women and girls are disproportionately affected, with 150 million more women than men going hungry in 2021 around the world. Yet media attention on countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Chad fall into the shadows of the news headlines. This year, there have been more than fifty times the number of media articles written about the new iPhone 14 (95,118) than the millions of people in need of life-saving humanitarian aid right now due to extreme drought in Angola (1,847) – the crisis which received the least media attention in 2022." (Introduction, page 3)
more
"This article analyses the role that Reality TV can play in the lives of young participants, when a programme is designed as a strategic intervention to achieve change. With roots in Communication for Development notions, this study brings together different theoretical fields to illustrate how medi
...
a can be created with the intent of enhancing young people’s awareness of the important role they can play in society through targeted activities that occur during media production. The experience of the young contestants from The President TV show, broadcast in the Palestinian Territories in 2013 and 2015, is examined. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with some of the finalists of the show; information gathered has been analysed in the light of a framework that brings together media participation and civic engagement. Findings show how the format and structure of the programme has enhanced participants’ understanding of the social, political and economic spheres of a conflict-affected reality, contributing to their engagement with peace-oriented civic practices long after the end of the show." (Abstract)
more
"Using a multimodal discourse analysis approach, this dynamic collection examines various discourses, modes and media in circulation during the early stages of the pandemic, and how these have impacted our daily lives in terms of the various meanings they express. Examples include how national and i
...
nternational news organisations communicate important information about the virus and the crisis, the public’s reactions to such communications, the resultant (counter- )discourses as manifested in social media posts and memes, as well as the impact social distancing policies and mobility restrictions have had on people’s communication and interaction practices. The book offers a synoptic view of how the pandemic was communicated, represented and (re- )contextualised across different spheres, and ultimately hopes to help account for the significant changes we are continuing to witness in our everyday lives as the pandemic unfolds." (Publisher description)
more