"Media use and talking with others have been found to have positive effects on citizens' civic participation according to Wyatt, Katz, and Kim (2000). Recent research links informational uses of the mobile phone to increased involvement in civic and political life. Building on this line of research,
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this study explores the effect of smartphone use on civil discourse engagement in China, with its nearly 900 million mobile phone user. Results reveal the smartphone's role as an outlet of public information, which fosters political talk with others, but also suggest use of government-controlled traditional media stifles open civic discourse. Hierarchical regression analyses show that talking politics in private, extensive use of the smartphone, and mobile tweeting were positive predictors of engagement in online civic discourse." (Abstract)
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"In this article it is argued that members of audience from different parts of Tanzania use mobile phones to participate in dialogue taking place on national radio (TBC-TAIFA) and/or national television (TBC1), and share their knowledge and lived experiences with the national audience as if they liv
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ed next door to each other. Further, the findings of this study show that TBC journalists use mobile phones to interact and involve the audiences in the processes of producing programmes. Consequently, TBC communication has become less hierarchical, more two-way, horizontal, and interactive. Moreover, the study reveals that the audiences use phone-in programmes on TBC as a platform to air the voices and concerns of the grass-roots population. Thus, the use of mobile phones as tools for participatory communication via TBC sets an agenda, which helps to bring about some social changes and transformation." (Abstract)
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"In the early 1990s, Ethiopia’s ruling party, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), drafted one of Africa’s most ambitious constitutions, allowing for ethnic federalism, decentralization and democratic reforms. The constitution has been highly controversial and many of
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its aspirations remain unrealized. This article explores how the EPRDF sought to use the media to explain and encourage acceptance of the constitution. It offers a framework for analysis that is relevant for countries beyond Ethiopia by examining: the role of media policies in providing domestic and international legitimacy for constitutions; the ways in which media can provide a space for non-violent political conflict or negotiation, where elites can navigate political struggles and debate ideology; and the use of media to implement the constitution’s most ambitious goals." (Abstract)
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"The purpose of this research is to empirically examine Indonesian media content, their workings and the factors influencing their work [...] There is no open diversity in content. Content analysis of television shows that the coverage of majority and minority groups is unequal. We find that content
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is heavily Jakarta-centric in terms of geographical context, Islam-centric in terms of religious orientations and Java-centric in terms of ethnic identities. Content with geographical identities is ruled 34.1% by Jakarta (69.6% by Java), content with religious qualities is dominated 96.7% by Islamic identities and content with any ethnic reference is led by Javanese identities by 42.8%. This does not only imply that there is a lack of open diversity, but more dangerously that there may be evidence of hyper-impositions of content favouring the majority over the minority. Our research concludes that the profit-led media industry has left citizens on the edge of the media sector. Homogenous content is a simple proof that the media regard citizens merely as consumers rather than a group of people with rights." (Executive summary, page 5)
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"The main objective of this book was to explore contemporary expressions of civic culture in Estonia by looking at civic experiences: how do young people in Estonia experience their relationship with the political, politics and fellow citizens, and how do their civic experiences intersect with media
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experiences? The participants expressed civic experiences in diverse ways. One of these forms was media criticism, which is a critical reflection on media as institutions and content, or as Carpentier (2011) puts it, “discourse machineries”. Hence, I distinguished between practices that arise out of media criticism as expressed in the material, namely the practices of critical media connectors and critical media disconnectors. Both of these groups shared critical standpoints about the media failing in their role as watchdogs and information providers." (Conclusions, page 112)
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"In this paper I investigate how community radio is conceptualized within and outside of the development frame, as a solution to development problems, as part of development projects communication strategy, and as a tool for increasing democratic political participation in development projects. I wa
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nt to show that community radio is an essential tool of democratization and democracy outside of the development frame. To do so, I will bring out the conceptual and structural dimensions of community radio through examples of existing community radios, both those which are independently created and those which have been created as development projects. These structural and conceptual elements provide community radio the potential to realize the goals of development practice while avoiding characteristic pitfalls. These ‘pitfalls’ of development are also pitfalls of democratization and democracy in existing democratic states, and include: depoliticization, limited participation, particularly of marginalized groups." (Abstract)
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"The purpose of this report is to share the key findings of the VVD radio project in Southern Madagascar after six months of broadcasts in 2012, in particular to document the design and evolution of the pilot project; feedback the outcomes to participating stakeholders; inform the donor community ab
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out the impacts of the VVD project; and provide lessons and perspectives to assist a proposed scaling up process. The document focuses on the findings of a two month evaluation process which was also informed by regular monitoring and feedback in the field during the course of the project activities." (Executive summary)
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"El kit se conforma de varios recursos para facilitar la tarea de los y las radialistas, tanto para la producción periodística previa a cada programa, como para el desarrollo del programa en sí. Se contempla como un eje de fundamental importancia la participación de la audiencia, y en ese sentid
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o, se incorpora varias sugerencias para lograr dicho objetivo. Los temas desarrollados en este kit, son de gran relevancia para la discusión con la ciudadanía en el marco del proceso electoral, tales como: proceso electoral abril 2013; democracia; política y participación política; participación política de las mujeres en Paraguay; políticas públicas; derechos humanos: los derechos económicos, sociales, culturales y ambientales (DESC); el derecho a la comunicación; la tierra en Paraguay. La estructura de cada tema se compone básicamente de un breve desarrollo teórico, una guía para el uso antes y durante los programas radiales, los microprogramas sobre cada tema, y un apartado en donde se explica en qué consiste cada una de las técnicas y formatos sugeridos para promover la participación de la audiencia, invitados e invitadas al programa. La información utilizada en el breve desarrollo teórico de los temas es una recopilación y posterior selección de publicaciones de diferentes organizaciones y autores, principalmente de la organización Decidamos, Campaña por la Expresión Ciudadana. En el apartado de fuentes y bibliografía de este kit se menciona detalladamente. Es importante mencionar que este Kit conto con el valioso aporte de validación en una jornada taller con las y los representantes de las 16 radios comunitarias involucradas, generando sugerencias, nuevos aportes y recomendaciones que garantizan una mayor adecuación del material, al uso de las y los radialistas desde su realidad comunitaria y práctica radiofónica." (Presentación del material, página 9)
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"The review found that there is evidence that exposure to dialogic formats can have an impact on political participation. It is clear, however, that the relationship between exposure to programming and manifest forms of participation cannot be studied in isolation to other important outcomes such as
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knowledge, efficacy and most especially interpersonal discussion. Studies show that exposure to dialogic formats can increase both the effectiveness and intensity of interpersonal discussion, which in turn is found to be associated with more goal-oriented forms of participation such as intention to vote and participation in public forums. Likewise, knowledge is strongly associated with both manifest and political forms of participation, and so has the potential to play a mediating role in the relationship between exposure and increased participation." (Executive summary)
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"Highlights the findings of the LSE students’ work undertaken between October 2012 and March 2013: a literature review and analysis of BBC Media Action data from Palestinian Territories and Bangladesh on use of social media and civic participation. Findings include: Use of social media is positive
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ly associated with political efficacy and offline participation in the BBC Media Action data. These findings imply that BBC Media Action should engage purposefully with social media as a catalysing complement to traditional TV and radio programming." (BBC Media Action website)
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"The application of international humanitarian law (IHL) to conflicts in Africa has been the subject of some scholarly and much journalistic discourse about the ending of ‘impunity’ and an extension of the normative principles of transitional justice. The trials conducted by the Special Court fo
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r Sierra Leone (SCSL) were brought to audiences in both countries by a media that has had scant experience in grappling with such weighty jurisprudential concepts. A research project is examining attitudes towards the reporting of two of those trials. This article discusses preliminary findings from the research and argues that the media is performing a wider role in legitimizing post-Conflict governance by providing a platform for civil society organizations." (Abstract)
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"This article explores how Facebook is used by South African youth, with particular reference to their political participation and involvement. Research has shown the declining involvement of young people in political processes, particularly since democratic elections in 1994. This is an internation
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al trend, with a general global rise of political apathy and decreased news consumption among youth. However, Facebook and other new media applications widely used by young people have been seen as a potential vehicle to re-engage youth in political debate. The potential usefulness of such applications for creating networked publics and mobilizing political action was highlighted recently during the Arab Spring; and conversely, Facebook and Twitter have been used (e.g. in the United States) to target potential youth voters. The notion of e-democracy has raised the potential of the Internet to enhance political action and activism. The article draws on a national quantitative survey and Cape Town-based focus groups with South African youth in order to explore the links between Facebook use and political participation. The article argues that youth are engaging with alternative forms of political subactivism that work at the margins of the dominant public sphere." (Abstract)
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"De forma resumida se puede expresar que la razón de ser del Observatorio de Medios de la UCA es la de una instancia que investiga y opina sobre el comportamiento de los medios en el país bajo la premisa que estos deben contribuir al desarrollo humano y sostenible de este país centroamericano. Pa
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ra la Universidad Centroamericana la libertad de expresión y el derecho a la información son claves para que Nicaragua pueda construir un modelo de nación que le permita desarrollare. La presente publicación recopila parte de las investigaciones que el Observatorio de Medios de esta Universidad Jesuita ha desarrollado en el año 2010 y 2011. La información que se presenta diagnostíca y caracteriza la labor de los medios de comunicación más tradicionales por fiscalizar y comunicar a la sociedad en aquellos temas cruciales de gobernabilidad, corrupción y transparencia. Desde que se creó el observatorio, la intención más importante de investigación ha girado alrededor de estos tres temas que consideramos necesarios para la Gobernanza del país y la construcción de ciudadanía.
El segundo capítulo recoge sendas investigaciones que nos aproximan a las realidades mediáticas vividas en la Costa Caribe del país. Con estos trabajos el Observatorio quiere acercarse a conocer esa parte de los medios del país cuyas prioridades se focalizan dentro de un contexto intercultural muy propio de esa región nicaragüense. El trabajo relacionado a la sociedad civil y los medios nos muestra las expectativas de las organizaciones de la sociedad nicaragüense frente a los medios de comunicación. La investigación da pistas de cómo se podrían facilitar procesos en los cuales los actores de sociedad civil sean constructores de agenda informativa y se apueste por hacer periodismo cívico. El último capítulo brinda una lectura de la labor de los medios de comunicación en contexto electoral. Se aborda la agenda informativa durante las elecciones del año 2011 que resultaron ser muy criticadas por diferentes actores nacionales e internacionales. Este capítulo quiere insistir en la necesidad del debate mediático durante períodos electorales como espacio de diálogo entre los políticos en contienda y la ciudadanía." (Introducción)
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"The Profile of Media Industry in Indonesia aims to profile the Indonesian media industry through publicly available information and data (including news in the media, statistical analysis of the figure collected through the survey by the National Survey Agency (SUSENAS), and grey literatures alike.
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The profile will provide a big picture of the media industry and business landscape in Indonesia, with clear hints to the access to media which is available to public." (CIPG website)
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