Ivan B. Dylko

Filtering 2008 US presidential election news on YouTube by elites and nonelites: An examination of the democratizing potential of the internet

The goals of this study are to explore several claims about the democratizing potential of the internet and to extend gatekeeping theory into user-generated content (UGC) domain. A quantitative content analysis of the most popular YouTube political news videos during the 2008 US presidential election was conducted to investigate the degree to which nonelites were able to partake in mainstream public discourse. We found that elites dominated first and second filters (news sourcing and news production) in the flow of online news, while nonelites dominated the third filter (news distribution). These results suggest that an update to the traditional gatekeeping model is needed to reflect the realities of today’s user-driven communication environment.

The Impact of News Use and News Content Characteristics on Political Knowledge and Participation

Research has examined the relationship between traditional news media use and normatively important political outcomes such as knowledge and participation. However, most research fails to account for variations in the nature of news over time and across communities that could alter the fundamental relationship between exposure and these outcomes. Here two studies are presented—one with variation in news characteristics over time based on the American National Election Studies time series data and another with variation across local communities and newspapers within a single state during a single election year—to assess the hypothesis that the relationship between news use and political outcomes are moderated by natural variations in the nature of the news content and news outlets.

The dark side of technology

We investigated whether there is a causal relationship between the presence of customizability technology (i.e., technology that allows individuals/websites to tailor the information environment according to users preferences) and political selective exposure. We found that various forms of customizability technology (especially, system-driven customizability) increase selective exposure in the context of online political news consumption. Moreover, customizability technology has a stronger effect on minimizing exposure to counter-attitudinal information than it has on increasing exposure to pro-attitudinal information. The effect of customizability on selective exposure was particularly strong for ideologically moderate individuals. This study extends the understanding of the selective exposure process in todays communication environment and clarifies the implications of the Internet for deliberative democracy theory. Various forms of customizability increase political news selective exposure.System-driven customizability produced the strongest effect.The effect was particularly strong for reducing exposure to counter-attitudinal information.The effect was particularly strong for ideologically moderate individuals.

Using Technological Attributes to Study Online Media: The Case of User-Generated Content

This study offers empirical evidence of Mix-of-Attributes (MOA) approachs analytical benefits, and illustrates how the MOA approach can be utilized. The study begins by content analyzing the most popular Web sites containing political user-generated content (UGC) and documenting presence of search efficiency, customizability, manipulability, participation cost reduction, and community orientation technological attributes. A cluster analysis is then used to develop classification of political UGC Web sites based on their attribute scores. The conventional and the attribute-based classifications of UGC are shown to be different, providing evidence of the MOA approachs usefulness. Theory-building implications of the attributes, the attribute-based classification, and the MOA approach are discussed.

Impact of Customizability Technology on Political Polarization

ABSTRACT We examined effects of customizability technology (also known as tailoring or personalization) on political selective exposure and political attitude polarization. Our experiment showed that selective exposure mediated the relationship between customizability technology presence and political attitude polarization. We also found that user-driven customizability (technology that enables users to modify their information environment) weakened the relationship between system-driven customizability (technology that modifies users’ information environment unobtrusively, without active involvement of the users) and political selective exposure. This research contributes to a better understanding of how important characteristics of today’s communication environment influence political selective exposure and political attitude polarization.

On the Role of Technology in Political Communication Research

Abstract This article reviews multi-disciplinary body of research to develop a model of how technology impacts communication processes at various stages. The model, which includes psychological and technological factors, is argued to represent a more useful framework for political communication-effects theory building than frameworks offered by either social constructivist or technological determinism perspectives. The article also argues for a greater inclusion of technology into existing political communication t heorising. Several future research directions further developing this argument are described.