Political information choices in a media saturated environment : credibility or convenience?

This thesis examines the ways in which citizens find out about socio-political issues. The project set out to discover how audience characteristics such as scepticism towards the media, gratifications sought, need for cognition and political interest influence information selection. While most previous information choice studies have focused on how individuals select from a narrow range of media types, this thesis considered a much wider sweep of the information landscape. This approach was taken to obtain an understanding of information choices in a more authentic context - in everyday life, people are not simply restricted to one or two news sources. Rather, they may obtain political information from a vast range of information sources, including media sources (e.g. radio, television, newspapers) and sources from beyond the media (eg. interpersonal sources, public speaking events, social networking websites). Thus, the study included both media and non-news media information sources. Data collection for the project consisted of a written, postal survey. The survey was administered to a probability sample in the greater Brisbane region, which is the third largest city in Australia. Data was collected during March and April 2008, approximately four months after the 2007 Australian Federal Election. Hence, the study was conducted in a non-election context. 585 usable surveys were obtained. In addition to measuring the attitudinal characteristics listed above, respondents were surveyed as to which information sources (eg. television shows, radio stations, websites and festivals) they usually use to find out about socio-political issues. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore patterns of influence between the audience characteristics and information consumption patterns. The results of this analysis indicated an apparent difference between the way citizens use news media sources and the way they use information sources from beyond the news media. In essence, it appears that non-news media information sources are used very deliberately to seek socio-political information, while media sources are used in a less purposeful way. If media use in a non-election context, such as that of the present study, is not primarily concerned with deliberate information seeking, media use must instead have other primary purposes, with political information acquisition as either a secondary driver, or a by-product of that primary purpose. It appears, then, that political information consumption in a media-saturated society is more about routine ‘practices’ than it is about ‘information seeking’. The suggestion that media use is no longer primarily concerned with information seeking, but rather, is simply a behaviour which occurs within the broader set of everyday practices reflects Couldry’s (2004) media as practice paradigm. These findings highlight the need for more authentic and holistic contexts for media research. It is insufficient to consider information choices in isolation, or even from a wider range of information sources, such as that incorporated in the present study. Future media research must take greater account of the broader social contexts and practices in which media-oriented behaviours occur. The findings also call into question the previously assumed centrality of trust to information selection decisions. Citizens regularly use media they do not trust to find out about politics. If people are willing to use information sources they do not trust for democratically important topics such as politics, it is important that citizens possess the media literacy skills to effectively understand and evaluate the information they are presented with. Without the application of such media literacy skills, a steady diet of ‘fast food’ media may result in uninformed or misinformed voting decisions, which have implications for the effectiveness of democratic processes. This research has emphasized the need for further holistic and authentically contextualised media use research, to better understand how citizens use information sources to find out about important topics such as politics.

The competing-complementarity engagement of news media with online social media

The rapid growth of online social media networks like Facebook and Twitter is strongly influencing news media to engage with such networks for generating newsworthy content, accessing mass audiences for news consumption and using the platforms for news distribution. While both media’s complement each other as sources of news and information, they also compete against each other as news repositories and are observed vying for the same audiences. We call this phenomenon the competing-complementarity (C-C) engagement. To investigate the C-C relationship we use Fidler’s “mediamorphosis” concept to explain the metamorphosis of news media in the online domain. We make two contributions to Fidler’s concept by offering an additional principle “mass user migration” to address the characteristics of metamorphosis and an additional driver “transcended social engagement” to show the force that propels it. Besides, we also propose four accelerators that influence metamorphosis. Theoretical analysis of news media’s metamorphosis indicates its affinity to online social media. We apply niche and gratification theories to explain complementarity, and displacement effects on media consumption habits to trace competition between both media’s.

Influence of organic matter in road deposited particulates in heavy metal accumulation and transport

The research study discussed in the paper investigated the influence of organic matter on heavy metal adsorption for different particle size ranges of build-up solids. Samples collected from road surfaces were assessed for organic matter content, mineral composition, particle size distribution and effective cation exchange capacity. It was found that the organic matter plays a key role in >75µm particles in the adsorption of Zinc, Lead, Nickel and Copper, which are generated by traffic activities. Clay forming minerals and metal oxides of Iron, Aluminium and Manganese was found to be important for heavy metal adsorption to <75µm particles. It was also found that heavy metals adsorbed to organic matter are strongly bound to particles and these metal ions will not be bio-available if the chemical quality of the media remains stable.

Influence of filtration on I/O particle concentration ratios at urban office buildings

Epidemiological research has consistently shown an association between fine and ultrafine particle concentrations, and increases in both respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. These particles, often found in vehicle emissions outside buildings, can penetrate inside via their envelopes and mechanically ventilated systems. Indoor activities such as printing, cooking and cleaning, as well as the movement of building occupants are also an additional source of these particles. In this context, the filtration systems of mechanically ventilated buildings can reduce indoor particle concentrations. Several studies have quantified the efficiency of dry-media and electrostatic filters, but they mainly focused on the particle size range > 300 nm. Some others studied ultrafine particles but their investigations were conducted in laboratories. At this point, there is still only limited information on in situ filter efficiency and an incomplete understanding of filtration influence on I/O ratios of particle concentrations. To help address these gaps in knowledge and provide new information for the selection of appropriate filter types in office building HVAC systems, we aimed to: (1) measure particle concentrations at up and down stream flows of filter devices, as well as outdoor and indoor office buildings; (2) quantify efficiency of different filter types at different buildings; and (3) assess the impact of these filters on I/O ratios at different indoor and outdoor source operation scenarios.

Characterisation of sugarcane juice particles that influence the clarification process

Problems associated with processing whole sugarcane crop can be minimised by removing impurities during the clarification stage. As a first step, it is important to understand the colloidal chemistry of juice particles on a molecular level to assist development of strategies for effective clarification performance. This paper presents the composition and surface characteristics of colloidal particles originating from various juice types by using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and zeta potential measurements. The composition and surface characteristics of colloidal juice particles are reported. The results indicate that there are three types of colloidal particles present, viz. an aluminosilicatecompound, silica and iron oxide, with the latter two being abundant. Proteins, polysaccharides and organic acids were identified on the surface of particles in juice. The overall particle charge varies from -2 mV to -6 mV. In comparison to juice expressed from burnt cane, the zeta potential values were more negative with juice particles originating from whole crop. This in part explains why these juices are difficult to clarify.

A study of Beijing‘s competitive advantage as an emergent media capital

The development of creative industries has been connected to urban development since the end of the 20th century. However, the causality of why creative industries always cluster and develop in certain cities hasn‘t been adequately demonstrated, especially as to how various resources grow, interact and nurture the creative capacity of the locality. Therefore it is vital to observe how the local institutional environment nurtures creative industries and how creative industries consequently change the environment in order to better address the connection between creative industries and localities. In Beijing, the relocation of CCTV, BTV and Phoenix to Chaoyang District raises the possibility of a new era for Chinese media, one in which the stodginess of propaganda content will give way to exciting new forms and genres. The mixing of media companies in an open commercial environment (away from the political power district of Xicheng) holds the promise of more freedom of expression and, ultimately, to a =media capital‘ (Curtin, 2003). These are the dreams of many media practitioners in Beijing. But just how realistic are their expectations? This study adopts the concept of =media capital‘ to demonstrate how participants, including state-media organisations, private media companies and international media conglomerates, are seeking out space and networks to survive in Beijing. Drawing on policy analysis, interviews and case studies, this study illustrates how different agents meet, confront and adapt in Beijing. This study identifies factors responsible for the media industries clustering in China, and argues that Beijing is very likely to be the next Chinese media capital, after enough accumulation and development, although as a lower tier version compared to other media capitals in the world. This study contributes to Curtin‘s =media capital‘ concept, develops his interpretation on the relationship of media industries and the government, and suggests that the influence over the government of media companies and professionals should be acknowledged. Therefore, empirically, this study assists media practitioners in understanding how the Chinese government perceives media industries and, consequently, how media industries are operated in China. The study also reveals that despite the government‘s aspirations, China‘s media industries are still greatly constrained by institutional obstacles. Hence Beijing really needs to speed up its pace on the path of media reform, abandon the old mindset and create more room for creativity. Policy-makers in China should keep in mind that the only choice left to them is to further the reform.

Regulating journalists? The Finkelstein Review, the Convergence Review, and News Media Regulation in Australia

This paper identifies two major forces driving change in media policy worldwide: media convergence, and renewed concerns about media ethics, with the latter seen in the U.K. Leveson Inquiry. It focuses on two major public inquiries in Australia during 2011-2012 – the Independent Media Inquiry (Finkelstein Review) and the Convergence Review – and the issues raised about future regulation of journalism and news standards. Drawing upon perspectives from media theory, it observes the strong influence of social responsibility theories of the media in the Finkelstein Review, and the adverse reaction these received from those arguing from Fourth Estate/free press perspectives, which were also consistent with the longstanding opposition of Australian newspaper proprietors to government regulation. It also discusses the approaches taken in the Convergence Review to regulating for news standards, in light of the complexities arising from media convergence. The paper concludes with consideration of the fast-changing environment in which such proposals to transform media regulation are being considered, including the crisis of news media organisation business models, as seen in Australia with major layoffs of journalists from the leading print media publications.

From consumer to community : factors of influence in the purchasing decision making process

The impacts of online collaboration and networking among consumers on social media (SM) websites which are featuring user generated content in a form of product reviews, ratings and recommendations (PRRR) as an emerging information source is the focus of this research. The proliferation of websites where consumers are able to post the PRRR and share them with other consumers has altered the marketing environment in which companies, marketers and advertisers operate. This cross-sectional study explored consumers’ attitudes and behaviour toward various information sources (IS), used in the information search phase of the purchasing decision-making process. The study was conducted among 300 international consumers. The results were showing that personal and public IS were far more reliable than commercial. The findings indicate that traditional marketing tools are no longer viable in the SM milieu.

Social media metrics : are we measuring business value?

Over the past few years many organizations that directly or indirectly interact with consumers have invested heavily into a social media presence. As a consequence some success indicators are openly available to users of many social media platforms, such as the number of fans (or followers, members, visitors and others) or the amount of content(tweets, images, shares or other content). Many organizations additionally track their social activities internally to understand audience reach, consumer influence, brand image, consumer preference or other key metrics that make sense for a business. However, most of the immediately available social media success metrics are activity-based and many organizations are struggling with establishing a direct relationship to business success. This paper systematically reviews some of the common social media metrics/ratings used by organisations, critically analyse its business value and identify gaps formulating research questions for empirical study and concluding with recommendations and suggestions for future research.

Convergent media policy : the Australian case

This chapter considers the implications of convergence for media policy from three perspectives. First, it discusses what have been the traditional concerns of media policy, and the challenges it faces, from the perspectives of public interest theories, economic capture theories, and capitalist state theories. Second, it looks at what media convergence involves, and some of the dilemmas arising from convergent media policy including: (1) determining who is a media company; (2) regulatory parity between ‘old’ and ‘new’ media; (3) treatment of similar media content across different platforms; (4) distinguishing ‘big media’ from user-created content, and: (5) maintaining a distinction between media regulation and censorship of personal communication. Finally, it discusses attempts to reform media policy in light of these changes, including Australian media policy reports from 2011-12 including the Convergence Review, the Finkelstein Review of News Media, and the Australian Law Reform Commission’s National Classification Scheme Review. It concludes by arguing that ‘public interest’ approaches to media policy continue to have validity, even as they grapple with the complex question of how to understand the concept of influence in a convergent media environment.

Earnings management and the role of the audit committee: an investigation of the influence of cross-listing and government officials on the audit committee

This paper extends research on the corporate governance practices of transitional economies by examining whether the ability of the audit committee to constrain earnings management in Chinese firms is associated with the listing environment and the presence of government officials on the audit committee. Despite considerable regulatory reforms by the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission, there remain incentives for Chinese firms to manage earnings. However, government initiatives to encourage domestic firms to cross-list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are accompanied by improved governance. We find that the expertise and independence of the audit committee for cross-listed (CL) Chinese firms are associated with lower abnormal accruals, our measure of earnings management. Both domestic only listed firms and CL Chinese firms appoint government officials as independent members on the audit committee. However, due to the political connection between government officials and the controlling shareholder (the State), these appointments can severely mitigate audit committee independence. Subsequently, we find a significant and positive association between audit committee independence and experience and earnings management when there are government officials on the audit committee.

The art of co-creative media : an Australian survey

This article describes how - in the processes of responding to participatory storytelling practices - community, public service, and to a lesser extent, commercial media institutions are themselves negotiated and changed. Although there are significant variations in the conditions, durability, extent, motivations and quality of these developments and their impacts, they nonetheless increase the possibilities and pathways of participatory media culture. This description first frames digital storytelling as a ‘co-creative’ media practice. It then discusses the role of community arts and cultural development (CACD) practitioners and networks as co-creative media intermediaries, and then considers their influence in Australian broadcast and Internet media. It looks at how participatory storytelling methods are evolving in the Australian context and explores some of the implications for cultural inclusion arising from a shared interest in ‘co-creative’ media methods and approaches.

The impact of personal identity and intimacy on the use of social media

Personal identity and intimacy levels change over time and this can influence the way consumers buy and use goods and services. This thesis examined how levels of personal identity and intimacy influence the use of social media by consumers of different ages. A survey of 208 users of facebook demonstrated that consumers with weak levels of personal identity use social media to increase their identity and popularity, while consumers with strong levels of personal identity use social media for self-expression. Consumers with high intimacy levels use social media for socian connection and social investigation.

The influence of teachers’ expectations

As teachers and educators understand, just because you want a student to learn something or perform well doesn’t mean that they always will! Often we focus on what the student is doing or not doing correctly – “Why can’t they just…?”. However, if we only focus on reasons that are external to us, we may miss important opportunities to reflect on how our own behaviour might influence our students’ performance.