When the Gated Misbehave
- 18 August 2017
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Journalism Practice
- Vol. 12 (9), 1148-1164
- https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2017.1359653
Abstract
This study analyzes online reader comments on top US newspapers’ stories related to former congressman, Anthony Weiner’s, August 2016 sexting scandal. Audience gatekeeping was seen through such discussion themes as gender bias and sexism, political scandals, and sex addiction. The analysis revealed that the majority of reader comments significantly diverged from the news topic, and many comments about US politicians were uncivil. Furthermore, online discussions “drowned out” newspapers’ intended message about Weiner’s inclusion of his toddler son into a sexually explicit selfie. This study argues that online commentary should not be perceived as a dichotomy—a negative or positive development, a contributor or preventer of public discourse—but rather as a continuum of citizen engagement.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Exploring Crisis Management via Twitter in the Age of Political TransparencyPublished by Taylor & Francis Ltd ,2017
- Reader comments as press criticism: Implications for the journalistic fieldJournalism, 2015
- Online and Uncivil? Patterns and Determinants of Incivility in Newspaper Website CommentsJournal of Communication, 2014
- THE MISCONCEPTION OF ONLINE COMMENT THREADSJournalism Practice, 2013
- How Users Take Advantage of Different Forms of Interactivity on Online News Sites: Clicking, E-Mailing, and CommentingHuman Communication Research, 2011
- HOSTING THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE, HOSTING THE PUBLICJournalism Practice, 2011
- New Media, Old News: Journalism & Democracy in the Digital AgePublished by SAGE Publications ,2010
- Gatekeeping: A critical reviewAnnual Review of Information Science and Technology, 2009
- PARTICIPATORY JOURNALISM PRACTICES IN THE MEDIA AND BEYONDJournalism Practice, 2008
- The Leadership Styles of Women and MenJournal of Social Issues, 2001