ORCID Profile
0000-0002-7443-3787
Current Organisation
The University of Canberra
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Journalism Studies | Media Studies | Communication and Media Studies | Experimental Economics
The Media | News Collection Services | Publishing and Print Services (incl. Internet Publishing) |
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 29-09-2017
Abstract: The parliamentary media adviser is commonly portrayed as a partisan “spin-doctor,” with little distinction made between the inherent partisan nature of the role and the personal partisanship of the practitioner. Semistructured qualitative interviews with 21 journalists who became parliamentary media advisers highlight the difference between the two and offer practitioner perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of partisanship in that role. At one extreme is the “true believer” at the other is the “legal advocate,” with the “committed expert” in between. In doing so, this article challenges the simple, dominant conception of the partisan “spin-doctor.”
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-04-2021
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 02-12-2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-09-2023
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-04-2019
DOI: 10.1002/9781118841570.IEJS0084
Abstract: This entry provides an overview of conflict of interest in journalism, what it is, how it is changing, and how it can be remedied. Conflict of interest occurs when other interests, such as financial, political, or personal interests, influence a reporter's judgment and undermine his or her ability to serve the public interest through independent reportage. Traditionally, journalism scholarship has focused on issues surrounding financial conflicts of interest, such as a reporter's investments and paid less attention to nonmonetary conflicts that can arise from a journalist's personal relationships and strongly held beliefs. As journalists apply their skills in hybrid roles across once distinct fields of communication, practitioners are facing a complex range of possible conflicts as they straddle public relations, brand journalism, and traditional news reporting, while running a freelance business and crowdsourcing funding. Further research is required into the adequacy of existing journalism codes to manage conflicts of interest in this changing environment.
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-04-2020
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2018
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2019
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2019
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 16-03-2022
DOI: 10.1177/1329878X221087726
Abstract: Almost 200 journalism outlets closed, decreased their service, ended print editions, or merged with other newsrooms between January 2019 and Februrary 2021, accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis. Regional news outlets were among the hardest hit, intensifying calls for effective government policy and industry interventions to bolster the sector. Although there is a well-established tradition of local and regional journalistic role performance scholarship, few studies in an Australian context have taken a multiplatform approach, investigating the perceptions of TV, radio, online news, and print journalists. To help address this gap, this paper draws on survey data of 307 regional Australian journalists and 31 in-depth interviews. Our analysis reveals differences in the way regional reporters understand and narrate their roles, highlighting important distinctions between media platforms that need to be considered in contemporary debates about the sustainability of Australian regional journalism.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-04-2018
Abstract: Traditionally politicians have been dependent on political news media to get their message across to the public. The rise of social media means that politicians can bypass the Press Gallery and publish directly to their target audiences via Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. This article argues that Prime Minister John Howard’s (1996–2007) use of talk back radio and early forays on YouTube were pivotal in the trend towards ‘disintermediation’ in Australian politics. It draws on two studies. One involving interviews with 87 key media actors from the Howard era including journalists, broadcasters, politicians and media advisers and a second, which includes fresh interviews with contemporary press secretaries. This article examines the shift from a ‘mass media logic’ to a ‘hybrid logic’, considered from a mediatization theoretical position. We also ask important questions about the press gallery’s ongoing relevance in the digital era, when politicians preside over their own social media empires.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 08-04-2021
DOI: 10.1177/1329878X211006497
Abstract: Social isolation has become a growing issue, particularly among older citizens. The ‘digital ide’ has been identified as one of the contributing factors leaving many older citizens behind. While increasing digital literacy among seniors has been identified as one of the remedies, less attention has been paid to the role of news media on the wellbeing and connectedness of older people. Through the lens of the uses and gratifications theory, this article reports on the findings of a survey of 562 news consumers aged 50 years and above who live in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The analysis highlights the important role of news in reducing feelings of social isolation, particularly for those who spend more time alone and older people with cognitive impairment. Older participants who had difficulty concentrating and learning new tasks were also more dependent on news. We suggest this is due to the habitual, predictable and concise nature of news. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of news in the wellbeing of older people and point to the need for policymakers and those in the aged care sector to ensure access to news for older citizens to improve the quality of life.
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 23-04-2015
Publisher: University of Canberra, News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2016
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 17-05-2021
Abstract: The blurring of professional boundaries between journalism and other communications roles is a contested issue in journalism scholarship. To date, much of the work has examined this topic in relation to the impact of digitization on journalism practice, and the challenges this presents to traditional conceptions of journalistic professionalism. Less attention has been paid to audience perceptions of the shifting margins between traditional journalism and non-journalism roles. Data from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2018 found 26% of news consumers from 33 countries knew that the responsibility for writing a press release belonged to a spokesperson of an organization, rather than a lawyer (3%). However, 40% thought that it was the role of news reporters or producers and a further 34% said they did not know. Regression analyses reveal that news consumers in countries with higher online news consumption, use of news alerts, trust in news on social media and lower press freedom are less likely to answer correctly. Drawing on theory of advocacy in journalism this article argues these findings point to a possible perception on the part of the audience of journalists being both marketers and providers of news. We suggest this partly stems from journalists and news organizations increasingly assuming marketing functions to publicize themselves and their stories on social media and other digital platforms and that this promotional activity helps blur the distinction between journalism as a news provider from public relations and other marketing roles in the eyes of the audience.
Publisher: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
Date: 2018
Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
Date: 2023
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre
Date: 2020
Publisher: Microbiology Society
Date: 07-2004
Abstract: The trivial name ‘phytoplasma’ has been adopted to collectively name wall-less, non-helical prokaryotes that colonize plant phloem and insects, which were formerly known as mycoplasma-like organisms. Although phytoplasmas have not yet been cultivated in vitro , phylogenetic analyses based on various conserved genes have shown that they represent a distinct, monophyletic clade within the class Mollicutes . It is proposed here to accommodate phytoplasmas within the novel genus ‘ Candidatus ( Ca. ) Phytoplasma’. Given the ersity within ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma’, several subtaxa are needed to accommodate organisms that share ·5 % similarity among their 16S rRNA gene sequences. This report describes the properties of ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma’, a taxon that includes the species ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ (the prokaryote associated with witches'-broom disease of small-fruited acid lime), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma australiense’ (associated with Australian grapevine yellows), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma fraxini’ (associated with ash yellows), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma japonicum’ (associated with Japanese hydrangea phyllody), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma brasiliense’ (associated with hibiscus witches'-broom in Brazil), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma castaneae’ (associated with chestnut witches'-broom in Korea), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma asteris' (associated with aster yellows), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma mali’ (associated with apple proliferation), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma phoenicium’ (associated with almond lethal disease), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma trifolii’ (associated with clover proliferation), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma cynodontis' (associated with Bermuda grass white leaf), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma ziziphi’ (associated with jujube witches'-broom), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma oryzae’ (associated with rice yellow dwarf) and six species-level taxa for which the Candidatus species designation has not yet been formally proposed (for the phytoplasmas associated with X-disease of peach, grapevine flavescence dorée, Central American coconut lethal yellows, Tanzanian lethal decline of coconut, Nigerian lethal decline of coconut and loofah witches'-broom, respectively). Additional species are needed to accommodate organisms that, despite their 16S rRNA gene sequence being ·5 % similar to those of other ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma’ species, are characterized by distinctive biological, phytopathological and genetic properties. These include ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma pyri’ (associated with pear decline), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’ (associated with European stone fruit yellows), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma spartii’ (associated with spartium witches'-broom), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma rhamni’ (associated with buckthorn witches'-broom), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma allocasuarinae’ (associated with allocasuarina yellows), ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma ulmi’ (associated with elm yellows) and an additional taxon for the stolbur phytoplasma. Conversely, some organisms, despite their 16S rRNA gene sequence being ·5 % similar to that of any other ‘ Ca. Phytoplasma’ species, are not presently described as Candidatus species, due to their poor overall characterization.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-07-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 23-04-2015
Publisher: Intellect
Date: 11-2020
DOI: 10.1386/AJR_00031_7
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.25916/1XKK-JB37
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.25916/KYGY-S066
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 07-08-2015
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-04-2020
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 11-02-2021
Abstract: Local news outlets are under threat in the digital era, and many are closing or merging with other news media due to the loss in advertising and audiences. A sustainable business model to replace traditional dependence on advertising has not yet been established. This paper examines one aspect of the business – audience payment – to explore the viability of online news subscription models in the context of local news. An online survey of 2038 news consumers in regional Australia was conducted in 2019 to examine regional news audiences’ perception of the value of news as a social good and their willingness to pay for it. The results show that interest in supporting a new online local news outlet was largely determined by community-oriented values such as a sense of belonging, the ability to share the news with others, and the loss of a local news service, rather than the actual content. However, the quality of the journalism content was positively related to the audiences’ willingness to pay. Trust in local news and existing local news consumption were important factors in determining both the interest in supporting local news and their willingness to pay for it. These findings highlight the tension between the social and financial value of regional news and the obstacles facing entrepreneurs hoping to address the growing news gaps in regional communities.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 17-03-2021
Abstract: The final days of the Trump presidency and its aftermath brought into sharp focus the issue of political lying. Politicians have historically employed rhetoric and rhetorical spin to embellish the truth and hide damaging information. However, outright lying has traditionally been deemed politically too risky, resulting in resignation and the undermining of public trust. In contrast, recent electoral successes —the 2016 Brexit Referendum and the 2019 general election in the United Kingdom, and Trump's victory in 2016 and his increased electoral support in 2020—point to an apparent growing tendency for politicians caught lying not to be punished at the ballot box. Using the U.K. Brexit referendum and the 2019 general election as its case study, this conceptual paper argues that strategic political lying has been designed as a priming device to set the news agenda. As an effective c aigning tactic “strategic lying” represents a development of political spin—first evident in the mass media era—that has been intensified by the increasing professionalization of political communications and the rise of social media. In doing so, the concept of “strategic lying” theorized here contributes to deepening our understanding of the ongoing evolution of “spin” in the digital era.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2015
Publisher: Intellect
Date: 06-2023
DOI: 10.1386/AJR_00122_5
Abstract: Review of: The Journalism Manifesto , Barbie Zelizer, Pablo J. Boczkowski and Christopher W. Anderson (2022) Cambridge: Polity Press, 122 pp., ISBN 978-1-50954-263-5, h/bk, AUD 72.95 ISBN 978-1-50954-264-2, p/bk, AUD 20.95 ISBN 978-1-50954-265-9, e-book, AUD 16.99
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2016
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-04-2018
Abstract: Politicians’ use of Twitter during election periods has been extensively researched. There has been less scholarly focus on the way politicians’ use of Twitter changes depending on their political circumstances. This article reports on an analysis of Malcolm Turnbull’s Twitter account from October 2008 to July 2016 examining his ‘engagement’ in terms of ‘conversations’ with political journalists, specialist technology writers and other Twitter users. It found Turnbull ‘conversed’ with the general public more than elites and revealed heated exchanges with specialist technology writers about the National Broadband Network (NBN) and more genial ‘banter’ with political journalists. It also showed a peak in ‘conversations’ when he was Shadow Minister for Communications and a sharp decline once he became Minister for Communications and then Prime Minister. This article points to the need for further long-duration research to better understand the impact of changing political contexts on politicians’ use of social media.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 07-07-2016
Abstract: The goal of advocacy is commonly used to distinguish journalism from public relations practice. At the same time, there is a strong tradition of advocacy reporting in journalism that weakens this point of distinction. In an attempt to reconcile this apparent contradiction, this article draws on the concept of a continuum to explain extremes in journalism practice and ‘contingency theory’ in public relations, which posits a range of variables can influence the degree of advocacy adopted by public relations practitioners when dealing with an organization’s target publics. This article contends that the degree and type of advocacy present in journalism is also dependent on a range of macro, organizational, journalism production, source and personal factors. It argues that each work of journalism falls along a continuum of advocacy, ranging from subtle displays at one end to overt at the other, where some stories might be hard to distinguish from public relations.
Publisher: News and Media Research Centre
Date: 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 28-08-2018
DOI: 10.1093/ACREFORE/9780190228613.013.849
Abstract: The relationship between journalists and their sources is central to journalism practice. It is a relationship based on a power struggle over the presentation of information to the public. The nature of that relationship continues to change in response to cultural, social, political, and technological circumstances. Historically, the relationship between journalists and sources has been predominantly characterized as interdependent, oscillating between cooperation and conflict over the control of information. However, the arrival of digital publishing platforms has significantly disrupted this mutually dependent exchange. It has blurred the boundaries between the two roles and released sources from their traditional reliance on journalists to disseminate their messages to citizens. Using digital platforms, sources have the option to bypass the traditional media and communicate directly with the public if it meets their strategic communication goals. Depending on whether the source is trying to reach a specific audience via social media or a wider audience via mass media, he or she can “opt-in” or “opt-out” of a traditional journalist-source relationship. The shift in power between reporters and sources poses a challenge to the authority and control of journalists who have lost their stranglehold over the means of publication. This change points to issues of accountability and scrutiny and raises questions about the ongoing relevance of journalism’s “fourth estate” role in democracy.
Location: Australia
Start Date: 2019
End Date: 2020
Funder: Google
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2019
End Date: 2021
Funder: Social Science Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2022
End Date: 2025
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2021
End Date: 2024
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 12-2021
End Date: 11-2024
Amount: $376,841.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 11-2022
End Date: 10-2025
Amount: $423,769.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity