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Transcript of Carroll richardson
A New Credibility: Identification, Interactivity & Transparency
Brian Carroll & Randy RichardsonBerry College
Standing on shoulders
Hovland, McCroskey Johnson & Kaye Flanagin & Metzger Meyer Burke Brock, Brommet, Crable, Cohen
Traditional dimensions of credibility
ExpertiseAccuracyFairnessAbsence of bias
New paradigm for credibility
Identification (Burke)InteractivityTransparencyRe-voicing of journalism
(The humanity of it all!)
Research Questions
RQ1: Why do readers loyally read their blogs of choice? What does this say about the values or qualities of A-list blogs and their authors that make them credible to their readers?
RQ2: Why do blog readers trust the blogs they read?
Pharyngula http://www.scienceblogs.com/pharyngula
Informed Commenthttp://www.juancole.com
Online Survey
Self-selectedAnonymousNumber of respondents:
Pharyngula: 70Informed Comment: 222
Why do you read Informed Comment?
Expertise >> 107 of 222 respondents (48%)
NOT mainstream media >> propaganda, drivel, political spin, distorted reporting
Absence of bias >> 18 mentionsAccuracy >> 15 mentionsFairness >> 11 mentions
Why do you trust Informed Comment?
Expertise >> 91 of 222 responses (41%)Credentials >> 39 mentionsFairness >> 37 mentionsAbsence of bias >> 17 mentionsAccuracy >> 18 mentions
Why do you read Pharyngula?
11 of 70 cited “expertise”Zeroes for absence of bias, accuracy,
fairness
Why do you trust Pharyngula?
26/70 citing “expertise”Zeroes for other traditional credibility
dimensionsHe cites his sources (transparency)
Emergent dimensions of credibility online
Identification: “His politics agree with mine.” “His judgment echoes my own.”27 overt mentions of ID for Q1, 18 for
Q2 (Cole)13 overt Q1, 11 Q2 (Myers)“common enemy” ID (10 cites of Bush
in Cole; “bastards, bastards”; 20 of 70 for Pharyngula -- 29%)
Emergent dimensions of credibility online -- IdentificationHumanity and Authenticity >> 12
mentions (Cole); “re-voicing”Humor >> 17/70 Pharyngula (24%) Interactivity: A conversation, not a
lecture. Emails returned. Dining out.
Emergent dimensions of credibility online -- IdentificationTransparency: “I was wrong.” “I don’t
know.” “I’ve changed my mind.” “Here are my sources.” (This all relates to accountability and objectivity.)
Humanity: “He cares about the Middle East and has real sympathy for the people living there.”
Navigability and site design
Aristotelian ethos
Back to the futureGood sense (competence, intelligence,
expertise)Good moral character (honesty,
trustworthiness, fairness)Goodwill (compassion, humanity)
Limitations and Future Research
Inter-coder reliability (& Scott’s Pi)Systematic factor analytic approach
using emergent criteria across mediaLongitudinal researchLocus of the transaction
Schemas for media-specific ethos
Legacy Media New(er) MediaTraditionalSmartImperative to informInfor. as a means to democracyMarket economyKnowledge capitalProfessional (editors)Top-down, centralizedFiltered, edited contentFact-checkedPolished, cool, conclusiveAudience as receptorsMass media messagesNon-interactiveAudience as electorateHigh barriers to entry (elitist)LinearPositivist
EmergentSimpleImperative to empowerDemocracy as a means to knowledgeGift economySocial capitalAmateur (readers are editors)Edges-in, de-centralizedUnfiltered, unedited contentTransparentIn-process, engaged, non-conclusiveAudience as participantsMicrocontentInteractive, hyperlinked, hypermediatedAudience as activistsLow barriers to entry (egalitarian)NetworkedPost-modern