Antecedent

2003-2006 LSE study = Nick Couldry, Sonia

Livingstone & Tim Markham, Media Media Media Media ConsumptionConsumptionConsumptionConsumption

and and and and PublicPublicPublicPublic EngagementEngagementEngagementEngagement, Palgrave 2007.

Aim of the project: to explore people’s

understanding of what counted as ‘public issues’

and how their media consumption relate to such

understanding.

This ‘orientation’ was called Public Connection.

Actual project

Replicated by researchers in:

Europe: UK, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Belgium,

The Netherlands, Croatia, Portugal & Spain.

Americas: Canada, Mexico & Chile

Southern Pacific: New Zeland

Methodology

We depart from criticizing the scope of exclusive

quantitative methods for understanding the way

people use, consume, share & engage with media

contents…

In all cases, we combine quantitative (surveys)and

qualitative (in-depth interviews, diaries, blogs & FG)

methods.

In the qualitative phase…

FG, in-depth interviews, or diaries were used to

discuss with participants their daily media diet,

how they consume (use, share, discuss)

contents, and what they considered to be the

coverage of “public issues”…

No academic definition provided: get their own

understanding of “public issues”.

In the quantitative phase

We resorted to specifically designed surveys in

order to test some of the previous findings…

and, whenever possible, to generlize findings…

In the case of Mexico

In Mexico, we replicated the same research with a

variance :

In the UK they recruited 32 individuals from all the

country and followed their reporting through diaries for

2 months. Subjects ranging from 22 to 55 years old.

In Mexico, we recruited 67 college educated

individuals from Mexico City Metropolitan area,

between 18-35 years old. And followed them for 10

weeks.

Username

(Code name used along the project to grant

anonymity)

Username

(Code name used along the project to grant

anonymity)

Public issuePublic issue

Topics and themesTopics and themes

Politics; Society; Human interest story; Justice; Police-Crime; Ecology; Health; Entertainment-

Sports; Economy-Finance; Culture; Technology.

Politics; Society; Human interest story; Justice; Police-Crime; Ecology; Health; Entertainment-

Sports; Economy-Finance; Culture; Technology.

Kind of SourceKind of Source

Printed press; broadcast; traditional media Web

sites; Tweeter; FB; digital messages; digital news

sites; family; friends; partner; workplace;

classroom; other.

Printed press; broadcast; traditional media Web

sites; Tweeter; FB; digital messages; digital news

sites; family; friends; partner; workplace;

classroom; other.

Name of the media (ifapplies)

Name of the media (ifapplies)

Level

(local; national; international)

Level

(local; national; international)

Perceived tone

(negative; neutral; positive)

Perceived tone

(negative; neutral; positive)

The Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry SectionThe Information Registry Section

Where they could freely upload their ideas and

opinions on the news items/stories.

They could come back on the same entries as

many times as they wanted (the system

registered the times they did it), so they could

follow up their own comments, and a story in

time (so we could also register their opinions

and attitudes in time regarding an issue).

The Blog SectionThe Blog SectionThe Blog SectionThe Blog Section

Information Dynamic Section: Attitudes and Actions in Time Regarding Information on Public Issues

Instruction 1:

"In order of time, tick whereappropriate: How did you

know about the publicissue?"

Instruction 1:

"In order of time, tick whereappropriate: How did you

know about the publicissue?"

BY CHANCE: I came to know; I heard; I saw; I watched; I came across a text

BY CHANCE: I came to know; I heard; I saw; I watched; I came across a text

BY MY OWN INITIATIVE: I read; I asked; I consultedBY MY OWN INITIATIVE: I read; I asked; I consulted

I REALLY GOT INTERESTED: I looked for; I researched; I wanted to learn about

I REALLY GOT INTERESTED: I looked for; I researched; I wanted to learn about

Instruction 2: “In order of time, tick

where appropriate: What have youdone with the

information aboutthe public issue?”

Instruction 2: “In order of time, tick

where appropriate: What have youdone with the

information aboutthe public issue?”

NothingNothing

DISCUSSION: I talked about the issue; I gave my opinionon the issue; I talked about the issue (FB & Social

Networks)

DISCUSSION: I talked about the issue; I gave my opinionon the issue; I talked about the issue (FB & Social

Networks)

VIRTUAL ACTION: I published something on a public blog; I uploaded a comment, critique; I posted on a public site; I

wrote to authorities, media, journalists, NGO's, otherpublic actors.

VIRTUAL ACTION: I published something on a public blog; I uploaded a comment, critique; I posted on a public site; I

wrote to authorities, media, journalists, NGO's, otherpublic actors.

ACTION: I engaged; I took part in; I collaborated; I donated; Other

ACTION: I engaged; I took part in; I collaborated; I donated; Other

The Study

We selected a sample for interviewing before and

after.

We analyzed the information: Gephi and N-Vivo.

Organizing info according to issues and their relation: which issues

were more frequently discussed and actively followed…

Main sources in general…

Findings (comparative)

On “public”

There is interest on, and knowledge about, “publicissues”, though general low levels of trust in politicians(all countries), political institutions (lower: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Mexico) and politics (lowest: Spain & Mexico).

Public interest issues = mostly politics; but alsoreferences to social, cultural & entertainment topics.

There is a “theoretical” identification of the divisionbetween public and private, but it blurrs in their daily lifepractices.

Findings (Comparative)

The ‘mediation’:

Digital media consumption does not replace traditionalmedia (many sources are the same. I.e. The web sites of traditional media to which they arrived via Twitter).

High prominence of news from social media sourcesdoes not imply high levels of online communicativeinteraction and deliberation.

There is no direct relationship between a high level of communicative deliberation and a high level of politicalengagement (except in the cases of Chile, Mexico &, Spain).

Findings (Comparative)

All cases:

People show certain interest in news & info on public issues (notonly politics!!)

Decreasing levels of trust on political actors

The distinction between what is public and private is becomingproblematic in practice.

People do participate, but not through traditionalchannels: these are no longer attractive, but new formsare not completely recognizable to most as forms of deliberation and engagement (perhaps linked with a more “traditional” understanding of participation as well). EXAMPLE…

Findings (Comparative)

Most cases:

Communicative deliberation does not necessarily lead to political engagement. Especially in north European countries liberal democratic rights are taken for granted and such a deliberative space is seen as a natural extension, whereas in southern countries there is the sense that such space “must be taken or gained”.

This is why in Mx, Spain & Chile deliberation is apparently more prone to spark engagement—especially with topics regarding indignation, corruption, abuse of power, injustice. ..

Impacts & challenges

These changes are contributing to blur among certainusers the frontiers between public/private (i.e. Publicactions may spring out from private practices)

Traditional ways of surveying are not representing and mapping these transformations

Traditional political science models are not accountingfor these transformations (the categories are still so stiffin a way). New concepts are needed in political sciencefor new forms of participation that are sometimes noteven recognized as such by the actors themselves.

Impacts & challenges

In all cases, In all cases, In all cases, In all cases, what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new what seems clear: individuals have acquired new

forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues forms of interaction and participation skills in public issues

(not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very (not only politics!) and politicians (politics) show not only very

slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability slow reactions, but also transparency and accountability

problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with problems (problems that contribute to a “disenchantment with

democracy” itself). democracy” itself). democracy” itself). democracy” itself).

Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic discourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be rediscourse needs to be re----legitimizedlegitimizedlegitimizedlegitimized: imagine new

forms of functionality

One cannot always be positive about the inherent democratic

nature of such participation, not only in countries with

authoritarian traditions.

Action: Legislative Accountability Project

At Uib, we are about to launch next year the LAP:

In collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, the Mexico City’s Legislative Chamber, and theElectoral Authority:

Generate a data base where, from a large list of topics, most citizensregister those in which they have an interest.

Then, every time a new Bill is discussed in the Chamber, citizens sayingthey have interest in the related issues it deals with, will receive thedate when it will be discussed, a link to the online session and a directblog to his/her Representative to exchange views on his/her opinionsand vote in real time.

We hope to foster democratic participation & accountability

http://zoomlegislativo.com/

GRACIAS!