Chae

Online Public Forums Within Private Institutions

Young-Gil ChaeRadio-TV-FilmUT at Austin

Apr. 09 2005 Online Journalism Symposium 2

Public Forum A place or space “in which persons come

together to discuss issues, form opinions or plan action”

“conversational arena” in which “[people can] talk with each other in pubic settings about public issues”

“a communication space that allows for many-to-many communication in which citizens can treat of public affairs in public”

Space/ Participant/ Issue


Online Public Forum

ONLINEFORUM

TechnologicalAspect

-Interactivity-Deliberation

Psychological Aspect

- Anonymity

Social Aspect

- Public policy- Market


Technological Aspect Interactivity

Inclusion of users Promoting reciprocity enhancing

conversation between users Deliberation

Providing opportunity to have “critical-rational reflection”


Psychological Aspect User Anonymity

Meaningless and uncertain relation? Internalize and reinforce opinions of users

Help form collective identity Reflection

Enabling user to ‘observe’ and ‘contemplate’ conversations

The power of lurkers Passive free riders? Or Active users?


Social Aspect Public Policy

Digital divide Censorship

Market values Forms and uses of technology

Other regulators Norms/ Law


Research Purpose How is a communication technology

constructed and used for public sphere in U.S? What are the characteristics of the

technological aspects of the online forums in online newspapers? Forms: Format and Usability Uses: Interactivity and Deliberation


Methodology Content analysis Sampling

Frame: Who’s who (Columbia Journalism Review)

Samples Forum: 25 local online newspapers out of 5

publications (N =12) Message: War in Iraq, Sep. 29 and Oct. 1, N =

83, The Star Ledger and Trenton Times (Advance)


Sampled newspapers Advance Publications

Allentown Times, Star-Ledger, Trenton Times, Plain Dealer, Post-Standard

Cox Enterprises, Inc.Daily Advance, Rocky Mount Telegram, Middletown Journal, Austin American-Statesman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gannett Journal and Courier, Clarion-Ledger, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Argus Leader, Sheboygan Press

Hearst CorporationBeaumont Enterprise, Houston Chronicle, Laredo Morning Times, Midland Reporter, San Antonio Express-News

Knight-RidderCharlotte Observer, News-Sentinel, El Nuevo Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Wichita Eagle


MeasurementForm

Format - Threaded, Serial, otherUsability - Location (Depth)

- Procedure (Authentication)Uses Interactivit

y- Responsiveness: The number of messages posted on the forum in response to the previous message

Deliberation

- Substantive and rational discussion: The degree of knowledge and logic of a message


Findings (Form) Adoption of online forum: 52%Advance 5/5 Allentown Times, Star-Ledger,

Trenton Times, Plain Dealer, Post-Standard

COX 3/5 Daily Advance, Rocky Mount Telegram, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Garnett 2/5 Journal and Courier, Argus Leader

Hearst 1/5 Houston Chronicle

Knight-Ridder 1/5 News-Sentinel


.

Format Threaded: 58% (Advance, COX) Serial: 42% (Garnett, Hearst, Knight-Ridder) Sharing technology

Same template: Advance (5/5), COX (2/3) Same forum: Star-Ledger, Trenton Times

(Advance)


.

Location and Procedure 100%: User authentication process (Login

in) 75%: to view a message, at least 3 links

from the main page 67%: to post message, at least 5 links from

the main page (Newspapers of Advance: 6 links)


Findings (Uses) Low use

41% has less than 5 users 33% has more than 10 users

Frequent uses by Regulars Posting ratio: Number of messages per user (M = 2), Advance (M =

2.3)


.

Interactivity: the ratio of responsiveness to both the previous user and the message Ratio: 3.5 (Lead 18 : Response 64)

Deliberation: the degree of embedded knowledge or logic in the messages Not deliberative (emotional or bashful): 27.8% Deliberative (knowledgeable or logical):

72.2%


Examples (1)D: Frst coalition in the first iraq war the French sent the second largest num

ber of military vehicules after the us flew the second largest number of flights after the us and in 2 days of combat captured 50000 iraqi prisoners , in afghanistan they are leading the 6000 man euro corps and in liberia it was french marines who went in and freed the american missionaries because we were stretched so thin France has 65000 troops in africa we do need them and I bet that if Kerry is elected you will see a considerable change in our allies attitudes it not us they dont like its bush they dont trust . In the first coalition there were 700000 troops we dont even have a third now so dont talk about a coalition its us . If you asked the dutch british danes poles italians those people want out did you see the polls in britain 80 percent want bush to lose and its worse elsewhere with bush we are stuck

E: Impressive numbers. Where do you get your stats from?D: Available from the us army geopolitical studies stats are true I did not me

ntion that the US uses the French Naval base in Djibouti as a staging are or that France has the second largest number of naval units in that area


Examples (2)A: I know not to send my children there, if your gramma

r and spelling capacity is indicative of Widener students!

B: Your kids more than likely will not go to college with a remark like that. Hintertux made no Don’t to what so ever he made a point if you don’t like it Don’t be sour but Don’t be an insulting moron, Hey hintertux your better than this person, keep up the good work in school.


Examples (3)C: I've been reading and contributing to this board for about two year

s. Not ONCE have I seen a "liberal" tell a neo-con that he should leave the country because his views were not welcome. (I HAVE seen neo-cons invited to join the conflict in Iraq, but not to just "get out!") On the other hand, it is a frequent suggestion to me and others branded as "AntiAmerican" and "Liberal". I have explained numerous times that we, too, love our country and speak out against the corruption of our American values, the rape of the economy by elected officials in cooperation with corporate raiders and the perversion of our foreign policy by lackeys of foreign governments precisely because we DO love our country. Neo-cons seem to unanimously believe that its "MY WAY or the HIGHWAY." Even though that con


Example (4)F: Historically polls have not been the deciding factor in elections, don’t get

me wrong they have an impact but they don't decide elections. Its just more meat for the Media. Bush lost the debate on the style side just as it came to no surprise that everyone knew he would. Kerry's foreigin policies really in all don’t differ much from Bush's accept for the North Korean Issue I do not agree with. We've been there for nearly 50 years its time that Japan, China, Russia and South Korea have answered to that problem

G: The irony of the debate is that it's really geared to a very small % of the population. If you have a preference in this election, you'll probably believe your candidate won the debate. I don't believe too many supporters of a candidate can be swayed to the other based on the debate.The "target" in the debate is the undecided voter. I wonder if any of the networks have access to this group as far as who they think "won".


Conclusion Technology follows the market structure

Publication company determines the Creation, Format and Usability of online forums in affiliated local newspapers

High tech for Less Low adoption rate of online public forums

Closed forum on Open network Low participation High Interactivity Deliberative discussion among regulars


Discussion Articulating methodology for online

Journalism research Need to incorporate study on psychological

and social aspect in addition to technological aspect of new communication technology

Need to articulate the process of constructing public opinion Extending the concept and roles of users International comparison about the forms and uses


Example


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Thank You

Chae

News & Politics

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