Developing Possibilities
A New Business Model? : Grassroots News Outlets Emerge in the Wake of Media Conglomerates Cutting Local Coverage
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Naomi Kooker
Local news is the lifeblood of communities, informing people what’s going on in their towns and cities. But as media conglomerates consistently gut local journalism jobs and newsrooms across the United States, more of these communities are left without local news coverage to inform their citizens. The dearth of local news coverage is a concern since it is foundational to maintaining democracy and holding civic leaders and politicians accountable. The objective of this study is to fill research gaps in the rapidly changing landscape of local news outlets as it pertains to finding and building sustainable business models for local news. Qualitative and quantitative research looks at a surge of grassroots online news outlets funded in myriad ways—by individuals, businesses, sponsors, and foundations. These outlets are often jump-started by citizens and veteran journalists concerned for the welfare of their communities and what is at stake when local journalism goes away. In particular, this paper looks at the National Trust for Local News, an emerging business model predicated on community buy-in much like a land trust. The implications of this research are twofold: to highlight the importance of local news to build an informed citizenry that is the very fabric of our democracy, and the need for community buy-in when it comes to reshaping the business of local journalism.
Extensions and Apparatuses: Perception, Constraint, and Embodiment in Mobile Phone Photography
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Qi Wang
Mobile phone photography, as a product of technological advancement, has significantly transformed how individuals engage with and perceive photography. Over the past two decades, the accessibility and affordability of mobile phones have established them as the primary medium for photography, enabling people from diverse backgrounds to engage in photography anytime and anywhere. This study brings forward the hypothesis that mobile phone photography simultaneously extends and restricts practitioners’ sensory experiences and creativity, shaping how individuals perceive and capture moments of beauty in everyday life. This study mainly draws on the seminal media theories of Marshall McLuhan (1964) and Vilém Flusser (1983) to examine a wide range of implications of mobile phone photography. McLuhan argued that any medium is an extension of ourselves: in this context, mobile phone photography is explored as a technological extension of human perception, expression, and ideas. In contrast, Flusser critiques the “programmed nature” of photographic technologies: through his conceptualisation of the notions of “apparatus” and “technical images”, he states that photography apparatuses are structures that guide but also limit human creativity. The study outlines how these theoretical frameworks inform my research design and offers preliminary findings based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with participants from China’s diverse cultural and educational backgrounds.
Can AI Create Warm and Inviting Websites?: How AI Generated Websites Compare to Human Designed Websites for Service Nonprofit Organizations
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Leslie Howerton, Mylynn Felt
Many organizations use AI tools for quick and inexpensive website design. However, this trend brings up questions about how users perceive similarities and differences between AI and human designed websites. Ruel (2023) found that users rated human designed websites higher in content quality, navigation, consistency, and credibility than AI generated sites. Kwak et al. (2023) examined nonprofit websites specifically using visual rhetorical theory to test perceived interface design consistency and found correlations between high appeal quality and perceived warmth and consistency. Both studies concluded that perceived consistency and credibility led to higher rates of business and charitable donations. This research builds on the literature in visual perception and visual rhetoric by studying nonprofit service websites and asking the following research questions: 1) How do AI generated websites compare to human designed websites in perceived warmth? 2) How do AI generated websites compare to human designed websites in perceived credibility? 3) How do AI generated images of people compare to traditional photographs on websites in perceived warmth and credibility? 4) How do AI generated websites compare to human designed websites in perceived persuasion? This study is currently being conducted by having one group of users interact with an AI website for The Children's Justice Center and another use a human designed website. Both groups complete a follow-up survey and an exit interview with the researchers. The research uses a mixed methods approach.