Social media in times of crisis: learning from recent natural disasters to improve future strategies. This project will analyse and evaluate how social media was used by emergency authorities, media organisations and citizens during recent natural disasters, including the January 2011 Queensland floods and Tropical Cyclone Yasi. The project will develop a framework for longer-term strategies for public communication during emergencies.
Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framewor ....Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framework to identify and define areas of news need, an assessment of existing interventions and road-tested approaches to improve information quality. The project should provide benefits by supporting forms of local journalism that ultimately enhances the demographic health and social fabric of small towns and cities.
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Heartbeat of Australia: Tracking, Understanding and Engaging News Audiences. This project aims to address the existential crisis of local news by developing a barometer of the health of local news ecosystems informed by longitudinal audience surveys, stakeholder in-depth interviews and case studies of marginalised audiences. Expected outcomes include a robust evidence base to assess the value of local news to audiences and wider society, and innovative new strategies to better address the challe ....Heartbeat of Australia: Tracking, Understanding and Engaging News Audiences. This project aims to address the existential crisis of local news by developing a barometer of the health of local news ecosystems informed by longitudinal audience surveys, stakeholder in-depth interviews and case studies of marginalised audiences. Expected outcomes include a robust evidence base to assess the value of local news to audiences and wider society, and innovative new strategies to better address the challenges the news industry faces in adapting to the digital environment. By devising strategies to produce and deliver quality local news that is financially sustainable, the project aims to deliver significant benefits to the news industry and the wellbeing of individuals and communities across Australia. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100458
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,716.00
Summary
Understanding algorithmic distribution in the Australian media industry. This project examines how the use of algorithms to distribute content on social media platforms is affecting the Australian media sector. It will investigate how media professionals work with algorithms, what sort of media content is prioritised on these platforms and whether these algorithms affect content diversity and competition. This project will significantly advance our understanding of how social media platforms fun ....Understanding algorithmic distribution in the Australian media industry. This project examines how the use of algorithms to distribute content on social media platforms is affecting the Australian media sector. It will investigate how media professionals work with algorithms, what sort of media content is prioritised on these platforms and whether these algorithms affect content diversity and competition. This project will significantly advance our understanding of how social media platforms function as media distributors and the role of algorithmic systems within the workplace. Findings will inform current policy debates around the role of major social media platforms in a transforming media sector.Read moreRead less
Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Aus ....Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Australia, and consolidate their roles as leading outlets for Indigenous content and coverage. These outcomes are also expected to improve public understanding of issues affecting Indigenous Australians and contribute to more informed and inclusive policy discussions.Read moreRead less
Investigating Innovative Applications of Digital Media for Participatory Journalism and Citizen Engagement in Australian Public Communication. This project benefits the Australian community by undertaking the first comprehensive audit of collaborative online news production, and linking this to prototypes developed with leading industry partners such as SBS and Cisco Systems, to promote greater citizen participation in news production and public communication. It marks the first sustained applic ....Investigating Innovative Applications of Digital Media for Participatory Journalism and Citizen Engagement in Australian Public Communication. This project benefits the Australian community by undertaking the first comprehensive audit of collaborative online news production, and linking this to prototypes developed with leading industry partners such as SBS and Cisco Systems, to promote greater citizen participation in news production and public communication. It marks the first sustained application of an open source framework to understanding the future of journalism and news media, and public communication in a democratic society, through the development of user-generated content derived from online user communities and peer-to-peer interaction. It promotes smart innovation use through collaboration and user-led innovation in digitally networked online environments. Read moreRead less
The Place of Communication and Consumption: A Case Study of Australian Regional and Rural Cinema Exhibition. The project provides important, up-to-date analysis of a vital sector of Australia's growing service and knowledge economy. It will help government, film industry, arts and business organisations in the formulation of better policies and programs to assist in improving the quality of life for Australians living in regional and rural areas. It enhances research and training environments fo ....The Place of Communication and Consumption: A Case Study of Australian Regional and Rural Cinema Exhibition. The project provides important, up-to-date analysis of a vital sector of Australia's growing service and knowledge economy. It will help government, film industry, arts and business organisations in the formulation of better policies and programs to assist in improving the quality of life for Australians living in regional and rural areas. It enhances research and training environments for junior researchers and postgraduate students, adding value to investigations already in progress. The research also extends consultative and collaborative capacities in cultural experience enhancement and access, community media development and cultural tourism.Read moreRead less
The shift from cultural institution to creative enterprise. The benefits of this project will be renewal of contemporary research agendas in Chinese studies. Professor Zhang Xiaoming is ideally positioned as head of a large national research centre to update Australian researchers on China's post-WTO developments in the cultural sector and beyond into business enterprise ethics. The benefits of the visit will flow to media and communication studies, policy studies, cultural geography, and Chines ....The shift from cultural institution to creative enterprise. The benefits of this project will be renewal of contemporary research agendas in Chinese studies. Professor Zhang Xiaoming is ideally positioned as head of a large national research centre to update Australian researchers on China's post-WTO developments in the cultural sector and beyond into business enterprise ethics. The benefits of the visit will flow to media and communication studies, policy studies, cultural geography, and Chinese studies.Read moreRead less
Addressing Online Hostility in Australian Digital Cultures. This project aims to provide a comprehensive account of Australians’ experiences of online hostility, abuse, trolling and extremist hate speech, which have increased over the past decade. The research expects to analyse the experiences of diverse Australian online users, moderators and stakeholders, to determine their practices, attitudes, and innovations, and their perceptions on how to address this social problem. Expected outcomes of ....Addressing Online Hostility in Australian Digital Cultures. This project aims to provide a comprehensive account of Australians’ experiences of online hostility, abuse, trolling and extremist hate speech, which have increased over the past decade. The research expects to analyse the experiences of diverse Australian online users, moderators and stakeholders, to determine their practices, attitudes, and innovations, and their perceptions on how to address this social problem. Expected outcomes of this project include enhanced understanding of the support needs and remedies to online hostility among a diverse cross-section of Australians. This will provide significant benefits by providing roadmaps for improved intervention, support, regulation and education on digital communication in Australia.Read moreRead less