Tom Ksiazek

Ksiazek, Thomas B., Malthouse, Edward C., & Webster, James G. (In Press). News-seekers and avoiders: Exploring patterns of Total News Consumption across media and the relationship to civic participation. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. Expected publication: December, 2010.

Abstract:

This study examines patterns of news consumption across multiple media platforms and relates them to civic participation. Analyzing a national sample of close to 25,000 respondents, nearly half the adult population in America is classified as news “Avoiders,” and the other half as “News-seekers.” Testing the relationship between civic participation and news consumption for each of six media platforms individually, and to an overall index combining those sources into one measure, the results show a positive relationship with civic participation, but the influence of Total News Consumption on civic participation is greater for Avoiders than for Newshounds.

Ksiazek, Thomas B. & Webster, James G. (2008). Cultural proximity and audience behavior: The role of language in patterns of polarization and multicultural fluency. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 58(3), 485.

Abstract:

Cultural proximity is a multidimensional concept, most often used to explain media preferences across national boundaries. The present study extends the construct, revealing its power to explain audience formation within a multicultural society. Portable People Meter data from Arbitron, Inc., was used to compare patterns of television and radio use across Spanish-speaking Hispanics, English-speaking Hispanics, and non-Hispanics in Houston, Texas. The results indicate that language preferences play a powerful role in determining audience behavior. Furthermore, while English-speaking Hispanics exhibit multicultural fluency, the other two populations show evidence of cultural polarization.

Peer, Limor & Ksiazek, Thomas B. (In Press). YouTube and the challenge to journalism: New standards for news videos online. Journalism Studies. Expected publication: February 2011.

Abstract:

News media are an institution where ritualized journalistic practices govern the production of news content. This study analyzes those practices in a new realm, online video, to assess whether this form of video journalism deviates from traditional standards. A content analysis of 882 videos on YouTube reveals that most news videos adhere to traditional production practices (e.g., editing techniques, audio quality), but break from common content standards (e.g., use of sources, fairness). We find that these more relaxed content practices are rewarded with a higher number of views, while adherence to traditional production practices does not predict popularity. Interestingly, online videos that are repurposed from broadcast platforms experience the greatest spike in viewership when breaking from those standards, suggesting that such deviations in traditional television news are especially valued by audiences. We discuss these results in the context of the possibility of a new set of institutionalized practices and address implications for the current and future state of journalism.

Walejko, Gina K. & Ksiazek, Thomas B. (In Press). Blogging from the niches: The sourcing practices of science bloggers. Journalism Studies. Expected publication: June 2010.

Abstract:

Digital media lowers barriers to entry and offers a “long tail” of specialized subject matter, providing scientist bloggers the ability to challenge traditional science news norms, thereby overcoming challenges associated with sourcing practices in science journalism. This study analyzes the sources of 41 science bloggers that discussed two different topics, global warming and intelligent design, between 2004 and 2007. The 3576 sources in these 300 posts are hand-coded by type of web site. Results indicate that science bloggers often link to blogs and the online articles of traditional news media, similar to political bloggers writing about the same topics. Science bloggers also link heavily to academic and non-profit sources, differing from political bloggers in this study as well as previous research. In conclusion science bloggers writing about science topics rely on conventional blog linking practices while expanding whose voices get heard online, adding complexity to online science news.

Walejko, Gina K. & Ksiazek, Thomas B. (2008). The politics of sourcing: A study of journalistic practices in the blogosphere. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Weblogs and Social Media. Menlo Park, CA: AAAI Press.

Abstract:

Digital media lowers barriers to entry and has the ability to renegotiate traditional news-making power structures. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the people that use tools like blogs actually challenge those frameworks. Offline reporters predominantly use government officials as sources while online journalists and newspaper institutions typically cite their own pages and posts. In order to understand whether or not journalistic norms are challenged in the blogosphere, we look at the sourcing practices of a diverse group of 40 bloggers. Specifically, we sample 400 blogposts that discussed global warming between 2004 and May of 2007. Operationalizing hyperlinks as sources, we then code the 3264 hyperlinks in these posts. Results indicate that government sources are linked to the least. Instead, bloggers tend to link to the online versions of traditional news media as well as to other blogs. However, we find that bloggers also link to miscellaneous and civic sources such as academics and non-profit organizations about one-quarter of the time, somewhat challenging the dominance of government and traditional media. We conclude that blogging on non-traditional topics may subvert who gets heard in an online world, but further research is needed on this topic.