Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2016
Keywords
News, Agenda setting, Crystallization, Media effects
Abstract
Social media services like Facebook and Twitter are playing an increasingly large role as sources of news. This article investigates the ways the composition of social media networks affects people’s exposure to and attitude toward news. Focus groups (N=31) and in-depth interviews (N=15) with young adults of varying ethnicity and country of origin showed that people’s networks on social media function as micro agenda setters. The characteristics of people in one’s network can facilitate negative effects such as echo chambers and spirals of silence but can also unfold new perspectives and create awareness of topics not covered by legacy media.
Publication Title
Social Media + Society
Volume
January-March
First Page
1
Last Page
12
Required Publisher's Statement
Social Media + Society January-March 2016: 1–12 © The Author(s) 2016
DOI: 10.1177/2056305115626750
sms.sagepub.com
Recommended Citation
Wohn, Donghee Yvette and Bowe, Brian J., "Micro Agenda Setters: The Effect of Social Media on Young Adults’ Exposure to and Attitude Toward News" (2016). Journalism Faculty Publications. 15.
https://cedar.wwu.edu/journalism_facpubs/15
Subjects - Topical (LCSH)
Mass media and young adults; Young adults--Attitudes; Mass media--Social aspects; Mass media--Objectivity; Social media--Influence; Online social networks--Influence
Genre/Form
articles
Type
Text
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
