4. New paradigm for credibility
Identification (Burke)
Interactivity
Transparency
Re-voicing of journalism
(The humanity of it all!)
5. Research Questions
RQ1: Why do readers loyally read their blogs
of choice? What does this say about the
values or qualities of A-list blogs and their
authors that make them credible to their
readers?
RQ2: Why do blog readers trust the blogs they
read?
9. Why do you read Informed Comment?
Expertise >> 107 of 222 respondents
(48%)
NOT mainstream media >> propaganda,
drivel, political spin, distorted reporting
Absence of bias >> 18 mentions
Accuracy >> 15 mentions
Fairness >> 11 mentions
10. Why do you trust Informed Comment?
Expertise >> 91 of 222 responses (41%)
Credentials >> 39 mentions
Fairness >> 37 mentions
Absence of bias >> 17 mentions
Accuracy >> 18 mentions
11. Why do you read Pharyngula?
11 of 70 cited “expertise”
Zeroes for absence of bias, accuracy,
fairness
12. Why do you trust Pharyngula?
26/70 citing “expertise”
Zeroes for other traditional credibility
dimensions
He cites his sources (transparency)
13. Emergent dimensions
of credibility online
Identification: “His politics agree with
mine.” “His judgment echoes my own.”
27 overt mentions of ID for Q1, 18 for
Q2 (Cole)
13 overt Q1, 11 Q2 (Myers)
“common enemy” ID (10 cites of Bush
in Cole; “bastards, bastards”; 20 of 70
for Pharyngula -- 29%)
14. Emergent dimensions
of credibility online -- Identification
Humanity and Authenticity >> 12
mentions (Cole); “re-voicing”
Humor >> 17/70 Pharyngula (24%)
Interactivity: A conversation, not a
lecture. Emails returned. Dining out.
15. Emergent dimensions
of credibility online -- Identification
Transparency: “I was wrong.” “I don’t
know.” “I’ve changed my mind.” “Here
are my sources.” (This all relates to
accountability and objectivity.)
Humanity: “He cares about the Middle
East and has real sympathy for the
people living there.”
Navigability and site design
16. Aristotelian ethos
Back to the future
Good sense (competence, intelligence,
expertise)
Good moral character (honesty,
trustworthiness, fairness)
Goodwill (compassion, humanity)
17. Limitations and Future Research
Inter-coder reliability (& Scott’s Pi)
Systematic factor analytic approach
using emergent criteria across media
Longitudinal research
Locus of the transaction
18. Schemas for media-specific ethos
Legacy Media New(er) Media
Traditional
Smart
Imperative to inform
Infor. as a means to democracy
Market economy
Knowledge capital
Professional (editors)
Top-down, centralized
Filtered, edited content
Fact-checked
Polished, cool, conclusive
Audience as receptors
Mass media messages
Non-interactive
Audience as electorate
High barriers to entry (elitist)
Linear
Positivist
Emergent
Simple
Imperative to empower
Democracy as a means to knowledge
Gift economy
Social capital
Amateur (readers are editors)
Edges-in, de-centralized
Unfiltered, unedited content
Transparent
In-process, engaged, non-conclusive
Audience as participants
Microcontent
Interactive, hyperlinked, hypermediated
Audience as activists
Low barriers to entry (egalitarian)
Networked
Post-modern