Antecedent
2003-2006 LSE study = Nick Couldry, Sonia
Livingstone & Tim Markham, Media Media Media Media ConsumptionConsumptionConsumptionConsumption
and and and and PublicPublicPublicPublic EngagementEngagementEngagementEngagement, Palgrave 2007.
Aim of the project: to explore people’s
understanding of what counted as ‘public issues’
and how their media consumption relate to such
understanding.
This ‘orientation’ was called Public Connection.
Actual project
Replicated by researchers in:
Europe: UK, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Belgium,
The Netherlands, Croatia, Portugal & Spain.
Americas: Canada, Mexico & Chile
Southern Pacific: New Zeland
Methodology
We depart from criticizing the scope of exclusive
quantitative methods for understanding the way
people use, consume, share & engage with media
contents…
In all cases, we combine quantitative (surveys)and
qualitative (in-depth interviews, diaries, blogs & FG)
methods.
In the qualitative phase…
FG, in-depth interviews, or diaries were used to
discuss with participants their daily media diet,
how they consume (use, share, discuss)
contents, and what they considered to be the
coverage of “public issues”…
No academic definition provided: get their own
understanding of “public issues”.
In the quantitative phase
We resorted to specifically designed surveys in
order to test some of the previous findings…
and, whenever possible, to generlize findings…
In the case of Mexico
In Mexico, we replicated the same research with a
variance :
In the UK they recruited 32 individuals from all the
country and followed their reporting through diaries for
2 months. Subjects ranging from 22 to 55 years old.
In Mexico, we recruited 67 college educated
individuals from Mexico City Metropolitan area,
between 18-35 years old. And followed them for 10
weeks.
Username
(Code name used along the project to grant
anonymity)
Username
(Code name used along the project to grant
anonymity)
Public issuePublic issue
Topics and themesTopics and themes
Politics; Society; Human interest story; Justice; Police-Crime; Ecology; Health; Entertainment-
Sports; Economy-Finance; Culture; Technology.
Politics; Society; Human interest story; Justice; Police-Crime; Ecology; Health; Entertainment-
Sports; Economy-Finance; Culture; Technology.
Kind of SourceKind of Source
Printed press; broadcast; traditional media Web
sites; Tweeter; FB; digital messages; digital news
sites; family; friends; partner; workplace;
classroom; other.
Printed press; broadcast; traditional media Web
sites; Tweeter; FB; digital messages; digital news
sites; family; friends; partner; workplace;
classroom; other.
Name of the media (ifapplies)
Name of the media (ifapplies)
Level
(local; national; international)
Level
(local; national; international)
Perceived tone
(negative; neutral; positive)
Perceived tone
(negative; neutral; positive)
The Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry Section
Where they could freely upload their ideas and
opinions on the news items/stories.
They could come back on the same entries as
many times as they wanted (the system
registered the times they did it), so they could
follow up their own comments, and a story in
time (so we could also register their opinions
and attitudes in time regarding an issue).
The Blog SectionThe Blog SectionThe Blog SectionThe Blog Section
Information Dynamic Section: Attitudes and Actions in Time Regarding Information on Public Issues
Instruction 1:
"In order of time, tick whereappropriate: How did you
know about the publicissue?"
Instruction 1:
"In order of time, tick whereappropriate: How did you
know about the publicissue?"
BY CHANCE: I came to know; I heard; I saw; I watched; I came across a text
BY CHANCE: I came to know; I heard; I saw; I watched; I came across a text
BY MY OWN INITIATIVE: I read; I asked; I consultedBY MY OWN INITIATIVE: I read; I asked; I consulted
I REALLY GOT INTERESTED: I looked for; I researched; I wanted to learn about
I REALLY GOT INTERESTED: I looked for; I researched; I wanted to learn about
Instruction 2: “In order of time, tick
where appropriate: What have youdone with the
information aboutthe public issue?”
Instruction 2: “In order of time, tick
where appropriate: What have youdone with the
information aboutthe public issue?”
NothingNothing
DISCUSSION: I talked about the issue; I gave my opinionon the issue; I talked about the issue (FB & Social
Networks)
DISCUSSION: I talked about the issue; I gave my opinionon the issue; I talked about the issue (FB & Social
Networks)
VIRTUAL ACTION: I published something on a public blog; I uploaded a comment, critique; I posted on a public site; I
wrote to authorities, media, journalists, NGO's, otherpublic actors.
VIRTUAL ACTION: I published something on a public blog; I uploaded a comment, critique; I posted on a public site; I
wrote to authorities, media, journalists, NGO's, otherpublic actors.
ACTION: I engaged; I took part in; I collaborated; I donated; Other
ACTION: I engaged; I took part in; I collaborated; I donated; Other
The Study
We selected a sample for interviewing before and
after.
We analyzed the information: Gephi and N-Vivo.
Organizing info according to issues and their relation: which issues
were more frequently discussed and actively followed…
Main sources in general…
Findings (comparative)
On “public”
There is interest on, and knowledge about, “publicissues”, though general low levels of trust in politicians(all countries), political institutions (lower: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Mexico) and politics (lowest: Spain & Mexico).
Public interest issues = mostly politics; but alsoreferences to social, cultural & entertainment topics.
There is a “theoretical” identification of the divisionbetween public and private, but it blurrs in their daily lifepractices.
Findings (Comparative)
The ‘mediation’:
Digital media consumption does not replace traditionalmedia (many sources are the same. I.e. The web sites of traditional media to which they arrived via Twitter).
High prominence of news from social media sourcesdoes not imply high levels of online communicativeinteraction and deliberation.
There is no direct relationship between a high level of communicative deliberation and a high level of politicalengagement (except in the cases of Chile, Mexico &, Spain).
Findings (Comparative)
All cases:
People show certain interest in news & info on public issues (notonly politics!!)
Decreasing levels of trust on political actors
The distinction between what is public and private is becomingproblematic in practice.
People do participate, but not through traditionalchannels: these are no longer attractive, but new formsare not completely recognizable to most as forms of deliberation and engagement (perhaps linked with a more “traditional” understanding of participation as well). EXAMPLE…
Findings (Comparative)
Most cases:
Communicative deliberation does not necessarily lead to political engagement. Especially in north European countries liberal democratic rights are taken for granted and such a deliberative space is seen as a natural extension, whereas in southern countries there is the sense that such space “must be taken or gained”.
This is why in Mx, Spain & Chile deliberation is apparently more prone to spark engagement—especially with topics regarding indignation, corruption, abuse of power, injustice. ..
Impacts & challenges
These changes are contributing to blur among certainusers the frontiers between public/private (i.e. Publicactions may spring out from private practices)
Traditional ways of surveying are not representing and mapping these transformations
Traditional political science models are not accountingfor these transformations (the categories are still so stiffin a way). New concepts are needed in political sciencefor new forms of participation that are sometimes noteven recognized as such by the actors themselves.
Impacts & challenges
In all cases, In all cases, In all cases, In all cases, what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new
forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues
(not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very
slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability
problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with
democracy” itself). democracy” itself). democracy” itself). democracy” itself).
Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic discourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be re----legitimizedlegitimizedlegitimizedlegitimized: imagine new
forms of functionality
One cannot always be positive about the inherent democratic
nature of such participation, not only in countries with
authoritarian traditions.
Action: Legislative Accountability Project
At Uib, we are about to launch next year the LAP:
In collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, the Mexico City’s Legislative Chamber, and theElectoral Authority:
Generate a data base where, from a large list of topics, most citizensregister those in which they have an interest.
Then, every time a new Bill is discussed in the Chamber, citizens sayingthey have interest in the related issues it deals with, will receive thedate when it will be discussed, a link to the online session and a directblog to his/her Representative to exchange views on his/her opinionsand vote in real time.
We hope to foster democratic participation & accountability
http://zoomlegislativo.com/
GRACIAS!