Thesis (M.A.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 23, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 30, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

本論文以政治學及心理學的理論為基礎，探討社會人士的集體行動及政治參與行為及其背後的心理因素，以及網上新聞的普及對這些行為、意向是否具催化作用。根據政治學及社會心理學文獻，團體在社會得到的社會認定「social identity」）及個人對自身的政治功效意識 （「political efficacy」）往往是影響人們集體行動及政治參與（稱「團體參與行動」「intergroup participatory actions」）程度的決定因素。不過，個人/團體對集體行動的參與意向跟媒體使用及社會人士的實際參與之間的關係在文獻中似乎從未提到。然而，這方面的研究在現今數碼時代十分重要。 / 關於網上新聞的影響，主要的文獻論述有二：工具性論述指出網上資訊澎湃、隨手可得，且成本極低，網上新聞的使用對社會人士參與政治有直接影響（本論文將驗證此觀點，是為假設一）；心理學論述指出網上新聞對人們的影響視乎個人既有的心理素質。本文主張個人參與集體行動及參與政治的意向在於人們是否能從這些行動中得到高度的「社會認定」及「政治功效意識」；而這兩方面又可隨著個人接觸的網上資訊增加而得以提昇，因為人們傾向選擇接收那些肯定他們既有看法及態度的資訊（即「選擇性暴露理論」），以及那些提昇他們對某社群歸屬感的資訊（即「使用與滿足理論」）。本文提出下列觀點，並加以驗證：網上新聞的普及提昇「個人功效意識」（假設二）、提昇「集體功效意識」（假設三）、提昇參與團體行動人士得到的「社會認定」（假設四），而個人/團體從社會認定中得到的滿足對他們實際參與團體行動有驅動作用（假設五）。 / 本文對在美國及香港具代表性的民意調查作出分析，分析結果跟上列的假設吻合。然後進行了一項實驗，其結果指出「個人功效意識」或可作為「政治功效意識」內一有效的獨立準則。本人在美國及香港進行民意調查（各地兩項；所涉及的調查相隔一年），並作迴歸分析，以驗證上述有關社會人士參與集體行動及政治意向的假設，研究重點包括人們的投票意向、示威意向、議題參與意向及公民參與意向。研究結果支持假設一（即工具性論述）及假設三（即有關「集體功效意識」的心理學論述）的有效性。假設二（有關「個人功效意識」）及假設四（有關「社會認定」）可作進一步驗證。研究中所有具統計學顯著意義的結果卻否定了假設五（有關「社會認定」對個人/團體帶來的滿足程度）的有效信度。 / 最後，研究局限、結果應用等亦會在文中細述。 / Applying an interdisciplinary and integrative theoretical perspective and framework, this thesis is concerned with the role of Internet news on collective action and political participation, and the important moderating role of certain psychological antecedents on the relationship. The literature shows that identification with a group (social identity) and the feeling that one could make a substantive difference (political efficacy) are two important predictors of such actions (termed “intergroup participatory actions in this thesis). However, the processes that link the antecedents of participatory behaviors to media use and then to actual participation have been neglected. Such an examination is important in the digital age where the Internet provides citizens a media environment where access to information about politics and social causes is easy, cheap and abundant. / Two views of the impact of Internet are prevalent in the literature. The “instrumental“ view argues that Internet use has a direct effect on political participation and typically emphasizes the reduced costs and the relative “informational richness“ associated with Internet news use (Hypothesis 1). The “psychological“ view argues that the effects of the Internet depend to an extent on individual’s preexisting psychological dispositions. It is further hypothesized that two dimensions of political efficacy are important antecedents of participatory actions: ‘individual efficacy’ and ‘collective efficacy’. / The thesis argues that individuals’ willingness to participate in a collective action and participate in politics depends on high levels of social identity and political efficacy, which can be heightened by exposure to Internet news because individuals are likely to consume media content that reinforces their existing attitudes and opinions (as put forward by Selective Exposure Theory) and reinforces their psychological need to feel like a member of a social group (as put forward by Uses and Gratifications Theory). Conceptually, this means that individual efficacy (Hypothesis 2), collective efficacy (Hypothesis 3), and social identity (Hypothesis 4) will accentuate the effects of Internet news use on intergroup participatory actions. Moreover, social identity gratifications will accentuate the effects of social identity on intergroup participatory actions (Hypothesis 5). / Secondary data analyses of national data in the United States and Hong Kong provide initial support for the hypotheses. Moreover, an embedded quasi-experiment provides support for the validity of ‘individual efficacy’ as a unique dimension of political efficacy. Subsequent exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses also showed that both individual and collective efficacy to be unique dimensions of political efficacy, along with internal and external efficacy. / Regression analyses using two Hong Kong and two American samples collected a year apart test the hypotheses for a variety of participatory behaviors, including voting intention, protest intention, issue participation and civic participation. In general, the findings were supportive of the ‘instrumental’ view of Internet effects (H1) and the ‘psychological view’ with respect to collective efficacy (H3). There was less evidence for the effects of individual efficacy (H2) and social identity (H4). All significant interactions for social identity gratifications (H5) were in the opposite direction as hypothesized. / Implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are specified. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Chan, Che Ming. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 232-247). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Contents --- p.v / List of Tables --- p.vii / List of Figures --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Overview of the Thesis Structure --- p.6 / Contributions to the Literature --- p.9 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Antecedents of Collective Action and Political Participation --- p.11 / Collective Action and Political Participation as Forms of Intergroup Participatory Actions --- p.12 / Perceived Injustice --- p.15 / Efficacy --- p.19 / Identification --- p.27 / Summary and Way Forward --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Role of the Internet in Intergroup Participatory Actions --- p.37 / The Mobilizing Potential of the Internet --- p.37 / The Role of Internet News in Political Participation --- p.39 / The Role of Internet News in Protests and Demonstrations --- p.43 / The Internet and Participatory Actions in the Hong Kong Context --- p.45 / Summary and Hypothesis --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- The Contingent Effects of Efficacy and Social Identity --- p.48 / Efficacy, Selective Exposure, and Participatory Behaviors --- p.50 / Social Identity, Selective Exposure, and Participatory Behaviors --- p.56 / Social Identity, Uses and Gratifications, and Participatory Behaviors --- p.61 / Summary of Hypotheses --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Secondary Data Analyses of National Survey Data --- p.68 / Theoretical Approach to Analyses --- p.68 / American National Election Studies Survey (2004-2008) --- p.70 / The National Annenberg Election Survey (2008) --- p.97 / The PEW 2009 Values Survey --- p.110 / Hong Kong Survey 2009 --- p.114 / Summary and Way Forward --- p.118 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Measurement and Validation of Political Efficacy Dimensions --- p.124 / Question Item Selection and Analytic Strategy --- p.125 / Sampling and Operationalization --- p.129 / Results --- p.131 / Summary and recommendations --- p.153 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Predicting Intergroup Participatory Actions Among Young Adults --- p.156 / Young Adults, the Internet, and Participation --- p.157 / Sampling --- p.166 / Operationalization --- p.166 / Results --- p.174 / Discussion --- p.187 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Discussion and Future Research --- p.200 / Interdisciplinary Perspective of Intergroup Participatory Actions --- p.201 / Complementary Explanations of Internet News Effects --- p.205 / Expansion and Validation of Political Efficacy Dimensions --- p.212 / Extension of Uses and Gratifications Theory --- p.213 / Contributions to the Hong Kong Literature --- p.214 / Appendices --- p.215 / Chapter Appendix A --- Social Identity Studies in Hong Kong --- p.216 / Chapter Appendix B --- Mass Media and Collective Action in the Hong Kong Context --- p.219 / Chapter Appendix C --- Theoretical Basis for Group-Based Perspective of Uses and Gratifications --- p.222 / Chapter Appendix D --- Questions Items in 2010 Surveys --- p.226 / Chapter Appendix E --- Questions Items in 2011 Surveys --- p.229 / References --- p.232

Online journalism has brought new features of journalism practices for local journalists and forced the expansion of their freedom. The Internet as a whole became the tool for freedom of expression for many suppressed countries, and online journalism became an alternative for press freedom in cyberspace. The diffusion of information enabled more opportunities for freedom of expression and speech prosperity, leading to a higher level of freedom in local press. This research project aims to examine the effect of online journalism on the freedom of the local press in the state of Kuwait. Since mid 1990s, when the Internet was introduced in Kuwait, a new phenomenon of press freedom started to rise. After many decades of relying heavily on local newspapers and controlled radio and TV, many Kuwaitis switched to the Internet to obtain information, news and political analysis. The political dispute of power after the death of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jabber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on 15 of January 2006, followed by the public demand to change the electoral constituencies voting system of the National Assembly, and the dissolving of the National Assembly in May 2006 forced many Kuwaitis to go online to get the latest news and analysis regarding the two issues. Kuwaiti online journalism became the source for instant updated information during the disputes. Many local writers praised their work on local press. Mohammad Abdul Qader Al-Jasim, a columnist and former editor in chief for Alwatan local newspaper, in his online Web site ‘Meezan’, provided non-censored detailed analysis of these situations without any restrictions or fear of government interference which was considered as a taboo “red line” no one was permitted to cross. The researcher used three different tools (survey, online content analysis, and interviews) to determine the effect of online journalism on journalist’s practices and the freedom of the press in Kuwait, focusing on the most popular Kuwaiti personal writers’ sites, weblogs and forums. The results show that online journalism affected journalist’s practices but did not replace the traditional practices. The Internet became a source and communication platform for many local journalists. At the same time, online journalism became one of the tools that helped increase the level of freedom in the local press. The language of online journalism took a different direction from the local press with more freedom to write, discuss, and share ideas online with less fear of government retribution. What was considered a taboo “red line” in the local press became an acceptable “green line” online. Local press officials recognized this effect on the local freedom, but disagree on the factors that really caused the freedom of the local press to increase.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-151). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss&rft%5Fval%5Ffmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss:MQ99343

Det går allt fortare. Nätjournalister befinner sig mitt i nyhetsflödet. De är bland de första individerna som får ta del av de nyheter som inkommer till en webbredaktion. Från att en nyhet inkommer till en webbredaktion till dess att den publiceras på nätet är en process som idag inte behöver ta mer än tio minuter. Under dessa tio minuter hinner en nätjournalist både att granska källan, kontakta eventuella vittnen, skriva nyheten och sedan publicera den. Det är mycket arbete som ska inrymmas på kort tid. Tidsgapet mellan när en nyhet inkommer till en redaktion och då den publiceras är därmed nästan obefintligt. Det har uppstått en ökad hastighet inom nätjournalistiken som alltmer påverkar journalisterna, deras arbetsmetoder samt det innehåll som publiceras i tidningarnas nätupplagor. Denna uppsats hade för avsikt att undersöka hastighetens inverkan på den lokala nätjournalistiken samt vilka konsekvenser denna får för lokaljournalister och de nyheter som förmedlas från en webbredaktion till allmänheten. För att uppnå detta syfte utformades två frågeställningar som avsåg att undersöka hastighetens inverkan på de journalistiska idealen samt hur detta fenomen påverkar nätjournalisters insamling,bearbetning och distribution av information. I Sverige finns det lite forskning kring hastighetens inverkan på den lokala nätjournalistiken. Mycket av den befintliga forskningen inom området nätjournalistik och hastighet fokuserar istället på stora, utländska och rikstäckande medieföretag som riktar sig till en stor målgrupp till skillnad från lokaltidningar som når en mindre grupp människor som är bosatta inom ett specifikt geografiskt område. Det förekommer därmed en outforskad lucka i den vetenskapliga forskningen. Ambitionen med denna uppsats var därmed att försöka tillföra ny information till området nätjournalistik. För att uppnå syftet baserades uppsatsen på två kvalitativa delstudier, nämligen samtalsintervjuer för att få en fördjupad insikt i de lokala nätjournalisternas uppfattningar och värderingar kring hastighet samt en deltagande observation för att se om deras ord även präglar deras handlingar. Studierna ägde rum på webbredaktionen hos NWT (Nya- Wermlandstidningen) som är den största lokaltidningen i Värmland. Resultaten från de kvalitativa delstudierna visade att hastigheten inte har en negativ inverkan på lokaljournalisternas insamling och bearbetning av information. Orsaken till detta är att de journalistiska idealen är starka hos de anställda samtidigt som de har fasta rutiner som tillåter dem att utföra ett bra arbete. Ytterligare en viktig faktor till varför hastigheten inte har samma genomslag i dessa två mediesteg kan till stor del bero på den lokala kontext som studierna har utförts i. Avsaknaden av deadlines har medfört att ingen större tidsbrist kan urskiljas inom den lokala nätjournalistiken. Detta medför att de anställda i allt större utsträckning själva kan bestämma hastigheten. Angående distribution av information så har hastigheten fått en negativnverkan inom lokaljournalistiken. Den har fått ett större genomslag i detta mediesteg till skillnadfrån de övriga två stegen insamlig och bearbetning Den främsta orsaken till varför hastighet eftersträvas av journalister i detta mediesteg är viljan att vara först med en nyhet. En viktig slutsats som erhållits angående detta mediesteg är att journalister på lokal nivå eftersträvar snabb publiceringshastighet i form av kontinuerlig uppdatering, inte nödvändigtvis för läsarnas skullutan på grund av deras vilja att slå sina rivaler. / The spread of news is accelerating. Today, the time for publishing a piece of news until it reaches the reader is minimal. The online journalists are in the middle of the news flow. They are amongst the first persons who receive the incoming news to the editorial staff. It does not take longer than 10 minutes from receiving the incoming news to the editorial staff before it has been published on the web. During these 10 minutes online journalists manage both to check the source, contact possible witnesses, write the news and finally publish it. There is a lot of work that has to be compiled in a short time. The time gap between the incoming of news to the editorial staff until it is published is almost minimal. An increased speed of the publishing of news has arisen within online journalism and this has an influence on the journalists, their working methods and the contents which is published in the web-edition of the papers. This paper had the intention to investigate what influence the speed has on the local online journalism and also what consequence this speed has on the local journalists and the news which is transmitted from the editorial staff to the readers. In order to obtain this intention two questions were formulated. The purpose with these two questions was to investigate the impact of the speed on the journalistic ideals and what influence this phenomenon has on the online journalists´ collection, processing and distribution of information. In Sweden there are few studies available regarding the influence of the speed on local online journalism. Most of the existing research within the area online journalism and speed focus instead on large, foreign and nationwide media companies. These companies concentrate on a large target group in contrast to the local newspapers which reach a smaller group of readers living in a specific geographical area. There exists therefore a small unexplored area in the scientific research. The aim with this paper was to contribute new information to the area online journalism. In order to be able to achieve this intention, the paper was based on two qualitative partial studies namely conversation interviews, in order to achieve a deeper knowledge of the local online journalists´ opinions and valuations regarding the speed and a participant observation to elucidate if they translate words into deeds. The observations took place at the editorial staff of NWT (Nya Wermlands-Tidningen), which is the largest local paper in Värmland. The results from the qualitative partial studies showed that the speed does not have a negative influence on the online journalists´ collection and processing of information. The reason for this is that the journalistic ideals are strong amongst the employees and they have also regular routines, which allow them to perform a good work. One further important factor why the speed does not have the same penetrating power in these two partial studies can to a large extent be due to the local context where the studies have been performed. The absence of deadlines has resulted in the fact that no major lack of time can be perceived in local journalism. The employees can to a great extent decide the speed. The speed has a negative impact within online journalism when it comes to distribution of information. The speed has here a larger penetrating power compared with the two other partial studies collection and processing of information. The main reason for why journalists strive after speed regarding distribution of information is the desire to be first with a piece of news. An important conclusion which was obtained in this study was that journalists on a local level strive after a quick publishing speed in form of a continuous updating, not necessarily for the reader s´ sake but because of the will to beat their competitors.

This study examines online news production through a cross-national comparative ethnography of two newsrooms: The Chicago Tribune in Chicago, Illinois and El Norte in Monterrey, Mexico. The researcher looks specifically at the extent of collaborative group work in the online newsroom. First, the researcher investigates the degree to which online newsrooms operate organizationally as collaborative groups when producing content for the website, as opposed to functioning individualistically when producing content for the website. The second facet examined is the cultural variability (Hofstede, 1980) of collaboration in the two online newsrooms, particularly whether the United States and Mexican online newsrooms support a collectivistic or individualistic and a high-context or low-context culture schema (Hofstede, 1980; Hall 1976). The last facet explored is how the collaborative behavior of the journalists in the two newsrooms supports or interferes with the practice of journalistic principles of verification and comprehensiveness and if this helps to make journalism better. This study found the El Norte newsroom has a collectivistic and high-context communication culture whereas The Chicago Tribune newsroom has an individualistic and low-context communication culture. Both newsrooms support the principles of verification and context in the news that is produced for the Website that helps to make the news accurate and comprehensive. It can be inferred, however, that the collectivistic, high-context communication culture is more supportive of a collaborative work environment that is conducive to making the journalists work together to help make the news accurate and comprehensive for the public. When the news is accurate and comprehensive, the public has better-informed citizens to make decisions in their daily lives as part of a democratic society. This study also has implications for the journalism and business industry as to the benefits of collaborative groupwork on the service or product outcome in an organization. / text

A descriptive analysis of the data from 74 editors and reporters from 62 print-affiliated newspapers sites in Latin America indicate that journalists and print-based sites follow similar broad tendencies observed in different studies inside and outside of the region. The surveyed online editors and reporters -mainly young men with university studies- have a career background in print newspapers, with salaries equals or lower than their print colleagues. They perform weekly activities more related with immediacy than multimedia, and they perceive their primary function as disseminators and interpreters of information. Working in small and integrated newsrooms, online journalists basically interact with their print partner in terms of editing content. Although, advertising is a primary source of revenue, the majority of national, regional and local print-based sites confirm that they depend on the print partner for content and financing their online operations. Furthermore, the online version of papers do not fully take advantage of the Internet technology and capabilities, particularly multimediality and interactivity, or provide too much original new media content. / text

Thesis (M.A.)--Baylor University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 92-96).

Thesis (M.A. (Journalism & Media Studies))--Rhodes University, 2004. / A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.