Serbian journalists’ perspectives on anti-press hate speech

The study “Becoming a Target: Journalists’ Perspectives on Anti-Press Discourse and Experiences with Hate Speech” by Čedomir Markov and Ana Đorđević from University of Belgrade interviewed 20 Serbian journalists on their perspectives on encountering hate speech directed at them. Hostile anti-press discourse should be differentiated from legitimate press criticism that can serve a corrective function. … Continued


Are journalists addicted to Trump?

The study “The last remaining thing we have in common: journalists publicly perform their addiction to former President Trump” by Ron Bishop from Drexel University Philadelphia was a rhetorical analysis of news stories from 2016 to 2021 where journalists deployed the addiction metaphor to describe their relationship with the former president Donald Trump. With his … Continued


The case for Critical Realism in journalism

The article “ Journalism and Democratic Backsliding: Critical Realism as a Diagnostic and Prescription for Reform” by Michael McDevitt from University of Colorado Boulder proposed Critical Realism (CR) as a framework for conceptualizing contributions of news media to backsliding.  In CR, objective reality is knowable as it is in journalism, but it also posits that … Continued


News framing of Unite the Right and Black Lives Matter protests

The study “News media framing of social protests around racial tensions during the Donald Trump presidency” by Yotam Ophir of University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Dror Walter and Virginia Massignan of Georgia State University, and Devin K Forde and Madison Neurohr of University at Buffalo, State University of New York looked at … Continued


Weaponized memes: the case of Pepe the Frog

New article “Weaponizing Memes: The Journalistic Mediation of Visual Politicization” by Chris Peters from Roskilde University and Stuart Allan from Cardiff University develops the concept of “mimetic weaponization” for journalistic theory by focusing on the example case of Pepe the Frog, a meme widely used by alt-right. The term meme originates from Richard Dawkins, who … Continued



Picture: “Truth suffers a daily death in modern day America” by Michael Carruth, license Unsplash.

US Election of 2016, whistleblowing, rumors, and ‘truth markets’

New study by Stephen E. Marmura, of St. Francis Xavier University, examines media fragmentation, political polarization and the rising mistrust toward public institutions. The 2016 Wikileaks/Russiagate scandal is a significant turning point here.  Prelude: forwarding propaganda in 2004 Mistrust toward mainstream, corporate media organizations is older than 2016. Marmura argues that 2004 and the tenuous … Continued


Picture: untitled by Hermes Rivera, license Unsplash

Fewer but gendered and more positive stories about women as heads of government

Few journalism research papers up to this day have focused on women as heads of government. The new paper by Melanee Thomas of University of Calgary, Allison Harell and Tania Gosselin of UQAM, Montreal, and Sanne A.M. Rijkhoff of  Texas A&M University Corpus Christi (authors not in original order), studied how gender roles are represented … Continued


Picture: man’s reflection on body of water, by Randy Jacob, license Unsplash

ARTICLE: Exposure to falsehoods in news and attempts to verify, from publics’ point of view

Falsehoods circulating online, such as fake news websites, rumours spread on purpose and political deceit, cause considerable concern for contemporary democracies. How do publics react to these concerns? And what do they believe about their own exposure to falsehoods in news? authors of a new research article ask. A comparative online survey related to election … Continued


Picture: untitled by Austin Neill, license Unsplash

ARTICLE: Empowering women in Niger with radio journalism

Radio can be used for reaching marginalised and isolated communities in many regions in the Global South. It is important to see whether information broadcasted is accurate, independent and aligned with listeners’ needs or wishes, Emma Heywood of the University of Sheffield, the author of a new study, writes. In Niger, gender inequality is widespread … Continued