Mapping connection, disconnection and power within the social news media network: a case study of the Great Barrier Reef UNESCO 2021 'In Danger' recommendation on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook

Lubicz-Zaorski, Carly (2022) Mapping connection, disconnection and power within the social news media network: a case study of the Great Barrier Reef UNESCO 2021 'In Danger' recommendation on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Masters (Research) thesis, James Cook University.

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View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.25903/gakj-sb56
 
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Abstract

This research investigates how power is asserted and contested in the ‘social news media network’ (Bruns, 2018) in relation to environmental protection. The integrated mixed methods research design combines social network analysis, framing analysis and close reading to identify dominant actors, information flows and frames within the contemporary news-sharing spaces of Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. This includes the tactics that actors embedded in these networks use to further certain frames and information flows, or to re-frame and redirect information to suit their own goals. Applying Manuel Castells’ network theory of power (2011) and drawing upon the mediatised and politicised Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as a case study, this work addresses several gaps in understanding about how the protection of the GBR is being contested online and the power dynamics in decentralised contemporary communication spaces in relation to environmental protection.

Item ID: 75797
Item Type: Thesis (Masters (Research))
Keywords: Climate change, Cluster analysis, Content analysis, Environmental communication, Environmental journalism, Environmental policy, Environmental politics, Facebook, Framing, Great Barrier Reef, Homophily, Information flows, Media, Media politics, Media power, Mediatised environmental conflict, Network theory of power, Network society, Polarising tactics, Political communication, Problematic information, Science communication, Social media, Social news media network, Social network analysis, Social network theory, Switching point, Twitter, World Heritage, YouTube
Copyright Information: Copyright © 2022 Carly Lubicz-Zaorski.
Date Deposited: 22 Aug 2022 05:42
FoR Codes: 47 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 4701 Communication and media studies > 470103 Environmental communication @ 35%
44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4408 Political science > 440805 Environmental politics @ 35%
44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4407 Policy and administration > 440704 Environment policy @ 30%
SEO Codes: 22 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES > 2205 Media services > 220502 Internet, digital and social media @ 50%
19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1999 Other environmental policy, climate change and natural hazards > 199999 Other environmental policy, climate change and natural hazards not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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