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The increasing use of social media has led to the growing reliance of social media as a news source. The viral nature of social platforms inevitably elevates the viral impact of fake news. As both academia and practitioners touted media literacy as a means of combating fake news or misinformation, little is known about the nature of relevant efficacies. Existent literature points to the plausible contribution of media consumption, self-efficacy of fake news and perceived impact of fake news in this process. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between consumers’ news consumption, such as fake news experiences/perceptions, news sources and news consumption motives; and fake news perceptions like self-efficacy and impacts. This study conducted an online survey to examine the proposed hypotheses and research questions. The findings suggest that consumers’ previous experiences and consumption motives are connected with their perceived effects and efficacy of fake news. In addition, different news sources (i.e. mainstream media and social media) exert diverse effects on fake news self-efficacy.

This study examines the development of video streaming industry in Egypt, a country characterised by a large segment of young consumers and active online media users in the Arab region. Interesting...

Through a large-scale national survey, this study provided the first comprehensive examination of podcast users in the United States from the perspectives of motivation and usage. It deepened our understanding of this new on-demand audio platform in the context of consumption drivers, behaviors, and competing media options. The results showed that entertainment, information, and audio platform superiority were the most important motivators for podcast consumption. In addition, motives were found to affect listening behaviors, including listening settings, width, depth, and routine of listening, and usage of competing audio media, such as regular radio, online radio, and streaming music. The findings revealed that podcasting is a distinct medium with unique characteristics rather than a mobile, on-demand extension of existing audio platforms like radio. Podcast consumption, especially on today’s complex media platforms, is multidimensional and should be measured from multiple aspects and examined in various settings.

To adapt to Millennials’ mobile-centric lifestyle, the U.S. radio broadcasters are integrating mobile apps into their services. Through a national survey, this study explores Millennial radio users’ functionality preferences regarding station-specific apps from radio stations, and factors affecting their adoption intentions and actual adoption behaviors of such apps. The potential contribution of these apps to brand loyalty is also examined. Three types of factors are investigated: technology, brand, and media factors. The results suggest that all of them affect adoption and loyalty building. As such, this study contributes to the literature of technology acceptance, mobile marketing, and media management.

This study investigates the factors affecting the cord-cutting behavior of media consumers. Adopting the frameworks of diffusion of innovations, uses and gratifications theory (U&G), channel repertoire, and media usage/segmentation, we conducted an online survey of 860 respondents in the United States to examine the use, perception, and motivation of cord-cutting behavior among three different consumer segments: cord-cutters, cord-loyalists, and cord-couplers. The results show that cord-cutting is predicted by eudaimonic and exploration motivators, perceived compatibility and complementarity, and age.

As content marketing becomes a viable approach to build brands and connect with consumers, this study assessed top brands’ content marketing strategy on branded YouTube channels via content analysi...

Artificial intelligence is a transformational technology of the digital age and an increasingly critical business mindset for companies, especially for those in the media sector with a growing arra...

Digital technologies have redefined how people use audio media, especially for the millennial audience segment. Faced with the challenge from streaming music, many broadcast radio stations have launched their own mobile apps to compete with the new audio services such as Spotify. Guided by the uses and gratifications conceptual framework, this study employed a national survey to investigate millennials’ perceptions of the substitutability and complementarity of broadcast radio, its apps, and music streaming services. The results showed that while radio listeners perceived broadcast radio and its apps as similar products, they regarded music streaming services as distinct from the two. In addition, this study examined motivators behind the diverse perceptions and identified information, escapism, entertainment, and socialization as important. The results suggest that radio stations should take advantage of the mobile technology and offer unique values through their apps, rather than duplicate the offline consumption experience.

The rise of influencer marketing makes YouTube an ideal media platform to implement such marketing strategies. Many scholars consider the success of YouTube influencer marketing as a result of high...

Endorsement marketing has been widely used to generate consumer attention, interest, and purchase behaviors among targeted consumers. However, relatively little systematic research has been...

This study investigates the concept and practice of engagement via media platforms from the perspectives of brands, audience, and media. Under the premise that engagement is a multi-dimensional construct that presents a more complex, qualitative nature different from the traditional, exposure-based quantitative metrics frequently adopted for linear media, this study explores how diverse market sectors and key constituents perceive and apply engagement. In-depth interviews were conducted with 74 subjects from various sectors across 8 countries and textually analyzed using a qualitative data analysis software. Utilizing thematic analysis, the qualitative research addressed the definition, relevancy, and application of audience engagement via media platforms, especially for video content. It was found that promoting engagement is a critical strategy to combat the increasing demand for audience attention. It encompasses all three cognitive–affective–behavioral aspects, but is valued and practiced on a...

This study examines the factors that affect a country’s level of software piracy. In addition, we conducted a panel regression to assess the roles of 13 variables on software piracy rates in 77 countries. Since political and regulatory means typically play a direct role in controlling piracy, this study reviews the endogeneity of intellectual property protection to assess its mediatory role. It was found that economic development, trade, individualism, education, country freedom, regulatory protection, and computer penetration all significantly affected the level of software piracy within each country. Economic freedom, power distance, and high-tech export/import only influenced software piracy when mediated by regulatory protection. This paper has implications for the integration of macro and micro factors related to software piracy.

The article investigates the dynamic interaction between national advertising spending and consumption in China from 1979 to 2014, including the media production in this process. The results show t...

Employing the Gompertz model, this study examines diverse macro-level adoption factors influencing tablet PC diffusion in 43 countries. The results suggest that tablet PC is a complement to smartphone in early diffusion of smart device; lower tablet PC price contributes to tablet PC diffusion; and high levels of social network penetration and income are drivers of initial tablet PC diffusion. The country-level study also demonstrates the substitution nature of PC-tablet and PC-smartphone in the initial diffusion period of tablet PC.

This study explored the factors affecting repeat theatrical viewing of movies. Integrating content, social influence, and access/competition variables, the analysis reveals that the drivers of theatrical repeat viewing are different from those for box office performance. For example, the effects of genre, transmedia content, and audience review were significant only for the latter and factors such as movie length, critics’ review, and level of news coverage actually played a negative role in the repeat consumption.

This exploratory study surveyed 379 undergraduate students at a southeastern university to investigate the factors that contribute to the consumer ownership of tablets, iPads, and dual adoption of both a tablet and smartphone. It also examines the factors that may predict a consumer’s likelihood to own a tablet in the future, given their current status as a non-owner. The findings consistently demonstrate the importance of perceived tablet usefulness, microblogging social media usage, and computer commerce in affecting tablet, iPad, and dual mobile device ownership.

As the mobile is recognised as a significant distribution platform for theatrical films, differences between mobile and theatrical platforms are of great interest to researchers and practitioners. ...

No psychometrically sound measurement scale exists to effectively measure sports team reputation. The current study proposed and developed the Spectator-based Sports Team Reputation (SSTR) by considering the most important stakeholder groups - spectators. The results indicated that SSTR had a positive and direct impact on team identification and trust towards a team. The most significant theoretical contribution of this study is the conceptualisation and development of the SSTR scale, with a multi-dimensional approach from the spectator perspective.

The arrival of the attention economy and audience-centric media market has intensified the need for better consumer insights. At the same time, the conventional, linear approach of understanding th...

Using the tracking data of 1,645 smartphone users from Nielsen KoreanClick’s panel, this study examines the degree of concentration in smartphone application use in South Korea. The findings from this study are consistent with what we have learned from previous research of usage concentration and selective repertoire in a multichannel and multimedia environment. Overall, the levels of concentration in app usage are high, particularly in the communication and social media categories. Empirical evidence also suggests the existence of network externality in mobile app communication.

For global media companies, understanding users’ engagement and local user needs is crucial in order to expand and develop their media products. The authors examine the current status and development of mobile and social media usage patterns across the globe and suggest solutions for globally positioned social network brands such as Twitter with a focus on German media consumer habits. The authors identify areas in the field of mobile video usage in social networks where media managers should actively focus on. Furthermore, they propose a framework which can be used as a further research agenda and a guideline to explain users’ behavior in this field.

Using the frameworks of innovation diffusion and technology acceptance model, this study examines the predictors of mobile news consumption among young adults. The results show that the perceived relative advantage (especially content), utility, and ease of use of mobile news are positively related to its adoption. The young adults’ news consumption patterns and preferences, as well as media usage, all play a role in the adoption of mobile news. This study also validates the importance of examining the adoption outcome from multiple perspectives.

Given the rising popularity of online video platforms in recent years, this study addresses the plausible cannibalization effect of online video platforms on television. It does so by examining the perceived substitutability between online video platforms and television. A national survey revealed differences between online video platforms and television in terms of consumer motivations for video content consumption. Non-users of online video platforms are also more likely than users of online video platforms to perceive online video platforms as a substitute for television.

Drawing upon the cost–benefit framework and trust mechanism as a risk reducer, this study examines the influence of brand factors and source credibility on branded product information Web searches. The online survey was conducted within the pre-purchase context of digital camera brands. The results revealed that brand factors did not influence overall branded information search efforts. However, brand trust and source credibility appeared to influence the different types of online information sources sought.

This study attempts to identify the predictors of e-book reader diffusion with regard to consumer awareness, interest, and intention to use. Specifically, it assesses the relative influence of demographics, media usage/ownership, and personal traits/perception variables in the technology-adoption process. A national consumer survey conducted in South Korea, a leading country in the proliferation of e-book use, found that e-book reader awareness, interest, and adoption intention correlated positively with age, education, income, perceived need for print media, digital media ownership, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers. Regarding the relative effects of variable blocks, the most influential factors in predicting e-book reader awareness, e-book reader interest, and intention to use were demographics, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers, respectively.

This study surveys the practice of triple-play strategy and examines the roles of industry environment and firm resources in influencing the adoption of bundling strategies. It was found that both cable multiple system operators (MSOs) and telcos engage in “mixed product bundling.” The nature of the core product seems to impact how the firms market their bundled products. There appears to be a relationship between a more “focused” portfolio and success in venturing outside of the core product area.

To examine the phenomenon of smartphone dependency in the context of media consumption, this study explores the roles of dependency on and usage of other media platforms, multiplatform media use, mobile ownership and perceptions, smartphone functions, and various consumer characteristics. The regression result suggests that dependency on computer and television, perceived smartphone fluidity, the smartphone as a primary platform during multiplatform media use, and smartphone's social and mobile-specific functions all play a significant role in the smartphone dependency of young adult media consumers.

This study suggested a total of 7 hypotheses regarding variables affecting viewers' attitudes toward cable network brand extension. The regression analysis showed that 5 of the 7 hypotheses were accepted. Specifically, parent brand attitude, brand portfolio quality variance, the number perception of sub-brands, perceived fit, and innovativeness were found to significantly affect brand extension attitudes while parent brand familiarity and channel repertoire were shown not to be significant. Also, gender and income were found to affect brand extension attitude.

Mobile advertising has become a new form of marketingcommunications in recent years as mobile phones became ubiquitous in many countries. While the consumer aspect of mobile advertising has attracted much attention, few studies have touched on the business aspect of this new advertising medium. The present paper explores the status and trends of mobile advertising through in-depth personalinterviews with the advertising practitioners in one of the leading mobileeconomies in the world, South Korea. Specifically, it addresses the current practices of mobile advertising, the business structure of mobile advertising market, and how mobile advertising is evaluated by practitioners.

The United States is by far the leading exporter of video media goods in the world. It is also the biggest investor in theatrical films, spending over $63 million per theatrical production and leading the world in box-office receipts. This article investigates the host country factors that have influenced the export of U.S.-based video media products, including film and television programs. It was found that economic environment, geographical proximity, technological infrastructure, and market size influenced the purchase of motion pictures and video programming from the United States. In addition, countries with better economic environments, implementation of intellectual property rights, political rights, larger market size and cultural differences, and language similarity seemed to import more heavily broadcasting content products from the United States.

To assess the strategy adopted by the mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and the factors that affect the development of this mobile market, this study analyzes the MNVO sector from 2 perspectives: the exogenous factors including the consumer, industry, regulation, and technology characteristics; and the generic strategies that have been adopted by successful MVNOs in various Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development markets. Although cost leadership was found to be most prevalent initially, as the mobile market begins to be infused by high-capacity networks and value-added services, MVNOs are more inclined to apply multiple generic strategies and non-price competition. The strategies of differentiation and focus are practiced in addition to, not in place of, the cost leadership strategy. This study also found that countries with higher third-generation (3G) license fees tend to have higher levels of MVNO development, suggesting that the economic pressure created by the high 3G license fee might contribute to the deployment of MVNOs in a country. ACCESS TO FULL TEXT

Adopting the construct of “brand personality,” this article examines the news brands of Cable News Network, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CBS news, NBC news, and ABC news; investigates the factors influencing their brand images; and assesses the consequences of these brand perceptions. Using the news brand personality dimensions of competence, timeliness, and dynamism, it was found that antecedents such as an audience's attitude toward an affiliated television network, perceived importance of anchors, and use of television as a news source help shape the brand personality of a network news product. The perceived brand personality of a news outlet, especially along the dimension of competence, also contributes to an audience's attitude, usage, and loyalty of the news brand. ACCESS TO FULL TEXT

Adopting the construct of “brand personality,” this article examines the perceived differences among various television news brands, investigates the distinction between cable and broadcast news brands, and explores the applicability of brand personality in this market. CNN was found to possess the most distinct, positive personality, whereas CBS news had the least differentiated brand personality. Fox News was seen as the most dynamic and conservative. Overall, broadcast network news was perceived to be more traditional and liberal than cable network news. Three modified dimensions—competence, timeliness, and dynamism—were found to represent the personality facets of the television news product. ACCESS TO FULL TEXT

Subscribing to the resource-based view (RBV) framework of analyzing strategy and employing a case study approach, this study investigates the most critical sectors for the U.S.-based TNMCS in a global media marketplace and discusses how their resources were aligned with their local counterparts’ resources in the marketing of video-related products. The alliances involving Time Warner, News Corporation, Disney, Viacom, and NBC Universal were examined. Cross-case analysis identified six alliance patterns, including the importance of content-distribution resource alignment, the acquisition of local knowledge resources, the strategic alliances between TNMCs, the decrease of equity-based alliances, the growing interest in emerging markets and the complementary role of property and knowledge resources in entering such markets, and the necessity of uniting resources that enable the “glocalization” of video-related products.

This article investigates the levels of consumer awareness and knowledge of digital television (DTV) in the USA. It also explores the consumer perceptions of DTV characteristics, benefits and importance. Various consumer characteristics and DTV perceptions were examined to assess their influence in the adoption of DTV. It was found that the consumers had many misconceptions of DTV and their DTV knowledge level was most related to personality traits and internet usage or tenure. While the desire for bigger screen size, digital video recorder ownership, income and broadband access were the best predictors of intention to adopt DTV sets, desire for better video quality and knowledge of DTV environment were the best predictors of intention to adopt DTV converters.

Next to television sets and computer monitors, today's mobile telephones offer a “third screen ”that delivers information, entertainment, communication, and even transactional services to a growingly mobile society. In this study, the author examined the state of the mobile phone industry and assessed the strategies that established media firms have adopted in exploring this emerging platform. It was found that media conglomerates with strong brands have an advantage in this emerging content market. ACCESS TO FULL TEXT

This study explores the programming relationship between vertically integrated station groups and their affiliated syndicators in the context of two frameworks associated with the advantages of vertical integration: the transaction cost and vertical foreclosure theories. The programming sources for various stations that are vertically integrated with syndicators were assessed. The results indicated that leading television station groups had purchased relatively more products from their vertically integrated syndicators. The pattern of internal transfer through vertical integration was especially apparent in the acquisition of newer first-run products that are associated with uncertain quality and less audience information. The findings generally support the transaction cost theoretical perspective. However, the data did not paint a picture of market foreclosure in this industry.

This study empirically investigates how the dimensions of organization–public relationships, i.e. trust, control mutuality, commitment, and satisfaction, are related to brand attitude formation. In order to establish a benchmark for analysis, it also compares the effects of organization–public relationships on brand attitude to those of product‐related attribute beliefs. The results of a survey conducted using a branded laptop computer product showed that, while both organization–public relationships and product‐related attributes were significantly related to attitude towards the brand, among the dimensions of organization–public relationships only ‘satisfaction’ was a significant predictor of brand attitude. In addition, the explanatory power of organization–public relationships was found to be weaker than that of product‐related attribute beliefs in predicting brand attitudes.

This study empirically examines the principle of relative constancy (PRC) across more than 70 nations over time (1991-2001). Focusing on the relationship between advertising spending and national economy as reflected by GDP, the authors found that while GDP is the most obvious explanatory variable for advertising spending, the relationship is not proportionate and there is the potential that other variables also affect a country’s advertising expenditures. The degree of applicability of the PRC might be different depending on the types of media and the characteristics of the nations as the notion of the PRC seems to be more apparent in developed nations.

This study examines the impact of media firms' diversification on their financial performance based on the product and geographical diversification activities and performance of the top 26 media firms from 1991 to 2002. The empirical results generally indicate that related product and international diversification contributes to better financial performance. However, excessive diversification, which leads to a high degree of unrelated diversification, might decrease performance. There also appears to be a hurdle level for diversification, prior to which expanding businesses in product and international markets may need considerable investment and produce negative cash flow. Beyond that threshold, dual diversification significantly contributes to increases in cash flow.

This study investigates the nature of cable modem consumers by profiling the characteristics, perceptions and satisfaction of the early cable modem adopters. The findings generally support the literature of innovations adoption in regard to the socioeconomic, media use and media ownership characteristics of early adopters. The results also reinforce the personality traits of innovativeness and information seeking for early technology users. There also seems to be some carryover effect from cable television to cable modem satisfaction.

This study assesses the country-specific factors that might influence the development of cable television in 10 East Asian countries. Specifically, the authors reviewed the cable markets and their economic, regulatory, technological, consumer, supporting and substitution environments for the countries of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. It was found that the penetration of cable television and the corresponding market structure, conduct and performance in these countries vary tremendously. While Taiwan has the most developed cable industry with a concentrated market, an active cable advertising sector, low subscription rates and programming packages of most channels, Indonesia has the lowest penetrated cable market, a concentrated industry, an almost non-existent advertising sector and average subscription rates and channel choices. In addition, the regulation/policy, technology, consumer, supporting and substitution factors seem to play an important role in the development of cable television in these countries.

This article reports a national study of Internet users' usage of cable television Web site features to illustrate the dynamics of cross-media use in electronic media and explore the role of cable television network Web sites in network branding and viewership. Our findings indicate that younger Internet users are much more likely to use television Web sites than older Internet users. Despite the low use of the enhanced features of television Web sites, the increase in the number of Web site feature usage positively predicts viewer loyalty, subscriber loyalty, and to a lesser extent, new subscriber attraction for cable networks.