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The Citizen as Issue Specialists in a Changing Media Environment

Author

Listed:
  • S. Mo Jang

    (Department of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, 105 S. State St. RM 5348, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Yong Jin Park

    (Department of Strategic, Legal, Management Communications, School of Communications, Howard University, 13306 Burkitts Road, Fairfax, VA 22033, USA)

Abstract

Although recent research suggests that the selective nature of new media helps foster issue specialists, little empirical evidence has been documented, mostly due to theoretical and methodological limitations. Extending the concept of issue publics, the present study proposes a method to estimate the degree to which an individual is a specialist- or a generalist-type citizen. Applying the method to the 2008 American National Election Studies data, the study reveals various characteristics of specialists and generalists. The results indicate that specialist-type citizens are positively associated with online news use, but negatively associated with conventional news media, such as television, newspaper, and radio. The implications of the growth of specialists as well as the validity of the proposed method are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Mo Jang & Yong Jin Park, 2013. "The Citizen as Issue Specialists in a Changing Media Environment," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jftint:v:5:y:2013:i:4:p:568-579:d:30420
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ruut Veenhoven, 2005. "Inequality Of Happiness in Nations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 6(4), pages 351-355, December.
    2. Ruut Veenhoven, 2005. "Return of Inequality in Modern Society? Test by Dispersion of Life-Satisfaction Across Time and Nations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 6(4), pages 457-487, December.
    3. Robinson, Michael J., 1976. "Public Affairs Television and the Growth of Political Malaise: The Case of “The Selling of the Pentagon”," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 70(2), pages 409-432, June.
    4. Anthony Downs, 1957. "An Economic Theory of Political Action in a Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65(2), pages 135-135.
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