Everybody’s Talkin’ at Me: Analyzing the Effect of Multi-Source Television News Content on Civic Learning

Authors

David Lassen, Brigham Young University
Dr. Christopher Karpowitz, Brigham Young University

Keywords

multi-source television, news content, civic learning, media, American public

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Political Science

Abstract

Consumers of media during the past ten years have seen a dramatic shift in the way information is presented to the American public. With technical innovations associated with the Internet and the cultural adaptations that have accompanied them, modern American media has become increasingly interactive. Responding to these changes, many television networks such as CNN and MSNBC have begun to alter the visual format of their content to more closely resemble online sources of information. It is not uncommon, for example, for a modern news broadcast to include information on multiple stories simultaneously, including some information that may even be provided by viewers. Yet, little is known about the way in which these presentation changes are affecting civic learning, recall, and subsequent application of media information in America. In my ORCA funded project I began to examine some of these questions and lay the groundwork for larger, related, more rigorous projects I hope to complete in the near future.

Recommended Citation

Lassen, David and Karpowitz, Dr. Christopher (2013) "Everybody’s Talkin’ at Me: Analyzing the Effect of Multi-Source Television News Content on Civic Learning," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 436.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/436