ABSTRACT Title of Document: WHAT’S IN A “LIKE”? INFLUENCE OF NEWS AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT ON THE DELIBERATION OF PUBLIC OPINION IN THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SPHERE. Soo-Kwang Oh Doctor of Philosophy, 2014 Directed By: Linda Steiner, Ph.D. Professor Philip Merrill College of Journalism This dissertation is a mixed methods study of the influence of the “like” feature on how people discuss and understand online news. Habermas’s notion of the public sphere was that an inclusive, all-accessible and non-discriminating forum enables participants to deliberate on topics of concern. With increased interactivity and connectivity introduced by new media, commenting features have been heralded as a means to expand and accommodate discussions from audiences. In particular, by allowing people to provide feedback to each other’s ideas via “up-voting” and indicating popular “top” comments, the “like” button shows promise to be a quick and convenient way to increase participation and represent public opinion. This dissertation, however, questions whether this is true. It raises concerns about the new media landscape, asking whether the resulting digital culture helps in the proper functioning of the public sphere. To address these questions, this dissertation adopts a mixed methods approach consisting of the following: 1) Framing analysis of “top” comments and sub-comments that were posted in response to articles about recent presidential elections, examining how audiences’ framing of issues influences discussions and what strategies were used to increase “likable” traits; 2) ranking analysis of chronological order, testing whether chronological order of comments is a significant factor for number of “likes,” regardless of content; 3) controlled experiment, testing assumptions about cognitive and behavioral responses from individuals regarding the “like” feature and how they perceive public opinion; and 4) focus group sessions with college student news audiences and interviews with media professionals, making in-depth inquiry about people’s attitudes and perceptions of “likes.” Furthermore, this dissertation paid attention to cultural differences, and compared the U.S. to Korea, with its advanced information technologies and highly utilized online commenting forums. Findings from each of the four methods as well as triangulation of the results showed that “likes” and “top” comments influence people’s perceptions of public opinion. The problem was that these “top” comments were “liked” due to certain “likability” factors that had nothing to do with substantive issues and contributed little to the discussion. Also, avid commenters and “likers” tended to hold more extreme viewpoints, therefore promoting skewed perspectives. Moreover, the “top” comments may suggest priority of the ideas promoted in those top comments over others, thus hindering a full deliberation on topics in the public sphere. Across the findings, intercultural differences in both perspectives and behaviors were observed between U.S. and Korean data. Specifically, Korean participants showed higher susceptibility to “likes” and various characteristics regarding “likable” factors as well as “top” comments. The ideals of the public sphere can and will be important for how public opinion can be garnered in the digital setting. Nonetheless, this dissertation posits that the public sphere functions differently in the digital environment and thus its parameters and concepts need to be rethought. Because the public sphere is an abstract ideal, it lacks practicality and adaptability; it requires additional theorization based on cultural differences, various contexts under which audiences’ new engagement take place, and rapidly changing technologies and modes of usage within digital culture. WHAT’S IN A “LIKE”? INFLUENCE OF NEWS AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT ON THE DELIBERATION OF PUBLIC OPINION IN THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SPHERE. by Soo‐Kwang Oh Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2014 Advisory Committee: Professor Linda Steiner, Chair Professor Kalyani Chadha Professor Ron Yaros Professor Xiaoli Nan Professor Sahar Khamis © Copyright by Soo‐Kwang Oh 2014 Acknowledgements A scholar’s life is mostly ridden in lone, long pondering of things—an endless intellectual journey that often leaves one helpless and without direction. To me, a doctor of philosophy signifies that there was something that the individual was able to contribute to the knowledge of mankind. And throughout my doctorate studies, in those lonely and long nights, I have doubted myself numerous times for what I am capable of contributing to the world. If it weren’t for the devoted individuals around me who guided me in right directions and motivated me to continue, I would not have been able to complete this specific journey. At times they showed me the goal and pushed me there, but most of the time they held my hands and walked with me. First of all, I would like to express gratitude to the committee members. Dr. Steiner was the reason I chose to attend the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, and she is the reason I was able to graduate from the college with a Ph.D. She was there from the very beginning, and right there to the very end. I cannot thank her enough for what she’s done for me, and I will always remember her advice, both academic and about life in general, wherever I go. I jokingly call Dr. Chadha the older sister of all Ph.D. students at Merrill. She understands so well what we need in different stages of graduate student life. She is always there for support and she never declines to help you, no matter what you need help in. Every time I met with her, I came back with new ideas and perspectives. Dr. Yaros was perhaps the biggest supporter of my ambitious dissertation. As a mixed methods scholar himself, he understood what I was going through and always gave me timely advice on how to sufficiently move on to the next stages. Dr. Xiaoli Nan and Dr. Sahar Khamis from the Department of Communication were two outside members that provided me with knowledge at the highest level from two different academic traditions. The combination of the two professors and their rigorous training allowed me to take steps further and constantly polish my work. Although not in my committee, Dr. Beasley, Dr. Oates and Dr. Chinoy always left their doors open for me. In every aspect of Ph.D. life and beyond, I received guidance and support from these mentors. Second, I would like to thank my family and friends. My wife, Hyun-ju Choi, has come all the way here to the U.S. just for me—she has become my family, my best friend, and the biggest supporter of my work. The way she was able to give up everything she had only to start a family with me is amazing, and I thank her every morning and every night for that. In addition, she is now the mother of our son Hayden, who we love more than anything. Hayden was born in my first year here, and so has been almost like a representation of my doctoral studies. As he grows, I grew. When he turned three, I was a third-year. I secretly compared my development to his, and he was the biggest motivation anyone could get. I just hope that I was a good father to him during this process. I also would like to thank my family in Korea. My father, who is a scholar himself, and my mother, who taught at university and later supported my father throughout his doctorate, know exactly what we are going through. No matter what they stood there like a rock for me, and remembering that always gave me inner peace. Hyun-ju’s family in ii Busan was also extremely supportive, and again I cannot sufficiently express my appreciation for how much faith they had in me all throughout this process. My friends—there are so many that I cannot write everyone’s name down—were also a part of my journey. I would especially like to thank my fellow cohort members for some wonderful memories and the academic excellence we were able to produce in synergy. There were many that I strived to follow, some others that provided support wherever they were, and those who always cheered me up. But the important thing is that I was always a lucky man to have them by my side. Thank you all. And finally, I would like to thank God for the strength and wisdom that was given to me in completing this dissertation. iii Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................... 1 1.1. Public sphere .................................................................................................................7 1.2. News engagement .......................................................................................................13 1.3. New modes of engagement .........................................................................................17 1.4. Overview of the dissertation .......................................................................................22 CHAPTER 2. AUDIENCES ................................................................ 26 2.1. Evolving audiences: From the ”affected” to the “active” ...........................................26 2.2. A new breed of audiences: “Converged” audiences and digital culture .....................38 2.3. New audiences, new digital public sphere ..................................................................46 CHAPTER 3. USER COMMENTS AND “LIKES” ................................ 55 3.1. Deliberation in the digital