Theorizing socio-mediated scandals: comparing scandal discourse in traditional and digital media environments

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Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Humanities
Department Communication
Author Zulli, Diana G.
Title Theorizing socio-mediated scandals: comparing scandal discourse in traditional and digital media environments
Date 2018
Description Political scandals are a conspicuous characteristic of American democracy but have received little theorization that might nuance our understanding of their form and meaning. Drawing insights from previous literature on digital technology, participatory journalism, and the incorporation of social media into American political life, this dissertation theorizes a shift from traditional mediated political scandals to socio-mediated scandals. Characteristic of the modern media environment, socio-mediated scandals 1) reflect a more collaborative process, 2) are increasingly personalized events, and 3) are characterized by liveness, wherein scandals are quick, explosive, and then dissipate. To test this proposed theoretical framework, this study centers around two broad questions: How do political scandals in a traditional media environment and a digital media environment differ? Do the characteristics of collaboration, personalization, and liveness help distinguish mediated scandals from socio-mediated scandals and, if so, how? To address these questions, this study analyzes two Hillary Clinton scandals that occurred in very different media environment: Whitewater (which unfolded prior to the full integration of the internet into American public life) and Clinton's use of a private email server while Secretary of State (which unfolded after the internet in general, and social media in particular, had become crucial parts of the media landscape). Results from both quantitative content analysis and qualitative textual analysis support the theoretical framework of socio-mediated scandals. In particular, mainstream news media (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NYT, WSJ) and social media discourse (Twitter) during the digital media era show increased collaboration through discursive and technological references to past news articles, questions, and calls to action. Socio-mediated scandals also demonstrate enhanced personalization through more "I" language and personalized interpretations of the email use scandal. The liveness component of socio-mediated scandals is also evident through more scandal deflection in the current media era, less contextualization, "rolling" news reports, and the competition of political scandals, which contributes to scandal fatigue and limits the ability for any one transgression to take hold as a political scandal. The results of this dissertation thus provide needed insight into the changing nature of political scandals in the digital media environment.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Communication; Political science
Dissertation Name Doctor of Philosophy
Language eng
Rights Management (c) Diana G. Zulli
Format Medium application/pdf
ARK ark:/87278/s6x68zrf
Setname ir_etd
ID 1547117
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6x68zrf
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