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In 2023, an average of 2.5 local newspapers shut down each week. This year seems to be following a similar trend. With fewer professional journalists keeping watch over politicians and the process of voting—and an information landscape that is rife with falsehoods and propaganda—democracy is under threat. An evolving digital media landscape and the loss of trust in journalism has brought the industry to a reckoning point. In addition to charitable interest in supporting local news and legislation to protect the industry, journalists and key players are experimenting with different structures and business models. However, it's unclear which, if any, of these efforts will ultimately prove successful. But for journalism to continue standing as an essential pillar of democracy, one or more of these endeavors will need to emerge as viable—or at least lay the groundwork for other models that can succeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of the internet has upended numerous industries, but none more so than news production. The connectivity fostered by digitization has been accompanied by the emergence of content aggregation, the proliferation of fake news, and the extended geographic reach of industry leaders, all of which have served to hollow out local reporting capacity. In this work, we examine the result of changes wrought by the internet on an outcome of theoretical and practical significance: corruption. Inasmuch as newspapers are viewed as an important investigative arm of local communities, it is possible that corrupt local actors will be emboldened in their absence. To test this hypothesis, we employed a difference-in-differences approach, exploiting the phased closure of major daily newspapers across the country. Our results indicate a significant and positive correlation between federal corruption charges and newspaper closures. Further, we observed no evidence that the rise in online news vendors or the democratization of the press ameliorates this effect. This suggests a key issue with the increased geographic reach of digitized firms in the form of "information blindness" to local issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research has uncovered an array of visible competitive dynamics, a strategic world of competition lies beneath the surface that should also be theorized and empirically traced. We investigate the strategic consequences of "media–rival" common ownership, in which investors own a media company and a non-media focal firm's rivals. We posit that focal firms receive worse coverage from media outlets when institutional investors hold substantial ownership in both a media company and the focal firm's rivals because the investors' common holdings provide them with incentives and power to enhance the competitiveness of their portfolio firms by tainting the focal firm's media coverage. We account for three moderators to show that this effect amplifies when investors have stronger incentives and power to influence the media and when media executives have incentives to cater to the interests of their investors. Using a novel dataset on common ownership of rival firms and media companies, we find support for our theory. Our study reveals a new invisible hand underlying competitive markets and offers a new view of the media as a strategic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models have historically represented fractured porous media with continuum descriptions that characterize the media using bulk parameters. The impact of small-scale features is not captured in these models, although they may be controlling the performance of subsurface applications. Pore-scale models can simulate processes in small-scale features by representing the pore space geometry explicitly but are computationally expensive for large domains. The alternative multiscale approach entails the combination of pore-scale and continuum-scale descriptions in a single framework. We use Chombo-Crunch, a computational capability that discretizes complex geometries with an adaptive embedded boundary method to contrast these two approaches. Chombo-Crunch takes advantage of recent computational performance and memory bandwidth improvements resulting from the emergence of exascale computing resources. These combined improvements enable the efficient simulation of reactive transport in fractured media with a high degree of fidelity and the ability to capture the control small-scale processes exert on the overall medium evolution.

Background: Dental caries is the most prevalent disease in elementary schoolchildren in Japan. Problematic Internet use (PIU) has increased among children; however, its association with caries has rarely been studied. We aimed to explore (1) sex differences in dental caries and (2) the association of dental caries with lifestyle and PIU among elementary school children in Japan. Methods: From 110 elementary schools in Toyama Prefecture, 13,413 children in the 4th-6th grades (mean age, 10.5 years) participated in the Toyama Safe Internet Use Project in 2018. We inquired about lifestyle, anthropometric data, family rules for screen time, PIU, and the number of self-reported treated caries. PIU was assessed using the Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire. We defined children having ≥ 3 caries as having multiple caries. Subsequently, a modified Poisson regression analysis was performed. Results: Overall, 12,146 children (90.7%) were analyzed. The prevalence of multiple caries was 25.7% (24.4% in boys and 27.0% in girls). In the regression analysis, the presence of multiple caries was significantly associated with being a girl(adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.13), being in higher grades (5th grade: aPR 1.13 and 6th grade: aPR 1.14), skipping breakfast (aPR 1.11), having late bedtime (10 to 11 p.m.: aPR 1.17 and ≥ 11 p.m.: aPR 1.23), tooth brushing (once a day: aPR 1.14 and not every day: aPR 1.41), having no family rules (aPR 1.20), and PIU (YDQ score 3–4: aPR 1.17). When stratified by sex, a dose-response relationship was observed between PIU and the presence of multiple caries in boys (YDQ score 3–4: aPR 1.19 and YDQ score ≥ 5: aPR 1.22). Conclusion: Being a girl, having an undesirable lifestyle, and PIU were significantly associated with multiple self-reported caries. In addition to a having a healthy lifestyle, restricting PIU is recommended to prevent caries in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black audiences’ media consumption and its relationship to individual well-being are well documented. However, empirical investigations that have examined Black audiences’ media consumption and feelings toward Black Nationalism, or loyalty toward Black community members and community well-being, are limited. Using a cross-sectional sample of US Black adults (N = 2137) from the National Study of American Life (NSAL), the current study drew on social identity and uses and gratifications theories to investigate the relationship. Results suggested a favorable relationship between Black audiences’ increased Black-oriented media consumption and attitudes toward Black Nationalism. Likewise, relevant individual differences, including adherence to racial identity, gender identity, and feelings toward White individuals, were uniquely associated with increased support for Black Nationalism. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of Black-oriented media consumption and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Australia and internationally, it is men who predominately die by suicide. Men are less likely than women to seek help for their mental health difficulties and this may contribute to their higher suicide rates. We created a 4-minute music video encouraging Australian men to seek help for mental health difficulties (Boys Do Cry). We aimed to assess in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) whether the Boys Do Cry video increased men's intentions to seek help for mental health difficulties from baseline (T1) to post-intervention (1 week = T2). Methods: We conducted an online single-blind, two-arm RCT comparing the effects of Boys Do Cry against a control video. Analyses were undertaken on an intent-to-treat basis using linear mixed effects models with variables for trial arm, occasion of measurement and their interaction. Intervention effectiveness was assessed by comparing the mean difference between arms in change of the total score on the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ) from T1 to T2. Results: 476 participants were randomised (intervention = 243; control = 233). At T1, GHSQ means were similar (intervention = 45.28; control = 45.70). After viewing the videos, GHSQ means increased in both arms (intervention = 47.33; control = 46.59), with no evidence of a difference in scores at T2 (modelled mean difference = 0.62, 95% CI -1.11 to 2.35, p = 0.485). Similar results were observed for all secondary outcomes. No adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Boys Do Cry demonstrated some evidence of a positive effect on help-seeking intentions among Australian men; however, so too did the control video, and no significant difference was observed. Trial registration: ANZCTR No. 2,621,001,008,819. Registered 30 July 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a widespread perception that China's digital censorship distances its people from the global internet, and the Chinese Communist Party, through state-controlled media, is the main gatekeeper of information about foreign affairs. Our analysis of narratives about the Russo-Ukrainian War circulating on the Chinese social media platform Weibo challenges this view. Comparing narratives on Weibo with 8.26 million unique news articles from 2,500 of some of the most trafficked websites in China, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States (totaling 10,000 sites), we find that Russian news websites published more articles matching narratives found on Weibo than news websites from China, Ukraine, or the United States. Similarly, a plurality of Weibo narratives were most associated with narratives found on Russian news websites while less than ten percent were most associated with narratives from Chinese news sites. Narratives later appearing on Weibo were more likely to first appear on Russian rather than Chinese, Ukrainian, or US news websites, and Russian websites were highly influential for narratives appearing on Weibo. Altogether, these results show that Chinese state media was not the main gatekeeper of information about Russia's invasion of Ukraine for Weibo users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

War anniversaries are important milestones that enable certain understandings of the violent past to be naturalized in the present. This article is the first qualitative analysis of British press coverage at the twentieth anniversary of the Iraq War. By examining broadsheets, tabloids, and mainstream broadcast media channels between 15 February and 1 May 2023, it identifies that much of the coverage of this anniversary within the British press clustered into five main themes: ‘Dissent’, ‘Controversy’, ‘Uncertainty/Certainty’, ‘Rehabilitation’, and ‘Victims’. Emphasis was placed on what the war now means for Britain’s place in the world, whilst also showcasing more of the Iraqi experience than in 2003. It argues that the British media engaged in an act of cathartic conscience cleansing that simultaneously ‘overs’ any criticism and recognition of injustice. The media that supported the war in 2003 were, 20 years later, able to declare it a controversial mistake without bearing any culpability for their role in backing it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evdokia Petrova is undoubtedly the most famous female spy in Australia’s Cold War history. She was thrust into the spotlight during the 1954 Petrov Affair, when she instantly captured the attention of a spellbound Australian press. This article examines the complicated portrayal of Evdokia Petrova and demonstrates that by linking Evdokia with ideas of nationhood, home and marriage, the Australian press ultimately conformed to the prevalent gender stereotypes in espionage narratives. Moreover, by portraying Evdokia in this way, the press was able to both shore up both gender and national identities while reducing the threat posed by Soviet espionage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing importance of the influence of the media on the Catholic faithful calls for an answer to the question of to what extent the church's activity in initiating messages of faith is subordinated to the logic and pragmatics of the media, which change the forms of the presence of religion in the lives of Catholics and the contexts in which it is positioned? As a result, it should force reflection: how to form and distribute religious messages using the tools of the media and, more generally, to manage the process of building relationships with the faithful. In this process, it is crucial to identify the factors influencing the faithful and especially the validity of existing values in their lives. The authors of this article focus on the concept of authority, identifying it in the research process conducted in Generation Z, aiming to form a conclusion as to whether it can constitute a value in the initiated media messages. The conducted study and its conclusions are considered from a Catholic perspective, referencing the importance of authority as one of the Church's fundamental values. This value strengthens the building of a community of believers, as religious authorities, their behaviors, and views reinforce the transmitted ideas. The authority, which serves to enhance the conveyed messages, frequently appears in media transmissions. The concept of authority is explored in the theoretical section of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: What explains the fact that the humanitarian response in some crises is well funded, while other humanitarian emergencies are largely neglected? The literature identifies three groups of factors that influence aid allocations: needs in recipient countries, donor countries' interests, and agenda setting driven by media coverage; although there is debate over how relatively important these are. Purpose: This study tests existing theory by adding three novel aspects. Approach and Methods: First, rather than just measuring the amount of money available, we consider the share of funding that is provided against the stated requirements. Second, we measure humanitarian needs in a more detailed way than has typically been the case. Third, we use datasets that have been underutilized in the academic literature. Findings: By using these three novel approaches, we confirm that all three factors—humanitarian needs, strategic interests, agenda setting—play a role. However, the most consistent factor is media coverage. We are also able to distinguish between different dimensions of need: the number of hosted refugees makes a difference, but the number of displaced people does not. We find that countries with the worst human rights situations attract lower funding levels and more democratic countries attract more funding. Policy Implications: Donors should consider how the factors identified in this study influence their funding decisions in the aggregate. They should be aware of how media coverage may influence their allocations of humanitarian funding. Journalists should be aware of potential biases in their reporting on humanitarian emergencies. Aid agencies should consider counteracting the factors that are associated with underfunded emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a new comprehensive dataset containing information on 93,722 amendments, this article explores the circumstances under which Spanish legislators propose amendments to executive bills. Our results show that legislators respond to variations in both governmental factors and bargaining dynamics. In single-party minority governments, ad hoc legislature agreements translate into more amendments. However, legislators do not introduce significantly fewer amendments under absolute majority governments, when the chances of their proposals being accepted fall. After controlling for many confounders, the results show that amending activity reacts to attention allocation dynamics – mediatised bills receive more amendments – but not to variations in contextual factors – the number of amendments does not significantly increase when the economic situation deteriorates. Finally, bills associated with a greater number of committee appearances from interest groups, experts and public officials are more often the target of amendments, signalling that an informational logic is also at play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parents submitted YouTube videos recently viewed by their children aged 0 to 8. • In-depth educational videos were rare, yet problematic depictions were common. • Parents reported that children experienced many positive responses from viewing. • Positive responses included feelings of joy and strengthened social bonds. • Some viewing patterns varied by age. Guided by uses and gratifications theory, the current project invited parents (N = 358) to submit YouTube videos (N = 973) recently viewed by their children aged 0 to 8. Parents rated each video for its perceived impact on their child, while coders evaluated each video for its content. Results indicated that in-depth educational lessons were rare in these videos, and potentially harmful depictions were common (e.g., physical aggression). Despite these issues, parents reported that these videos often evoked children's joy, fostered social bonding, and allowed children to explore niche interests. Some patterns varied by age, such that older (vs. younger) children viewed fewer educational videos, and they experienced fewer emotional gratifications from viewing. However, older children also viewed more videos with peers, and parents reported that those experiences facilitated peer bonding. Collectively, these findings replicate some concerning patterns found in previous research while also hinting at positive aspects of YouTube exposure that are neglected in discourse about children's experiences online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines mid-century mind control experiments—carried out by intelligence services like MK-Ultra and the CIA—as biopolitical strategy. This analysis has two main goals: first, to build theory at the boundaries of biopolitical research, examining the conditions under which something like a "programmable subject" can emerge; and second, to reframe a key episode in the scientific management of the US population. In service of these aims, the article builds upon theories of anatomo-politics and dividuated biopower to analyze how subjects are governed via the manipulation of their data-processing faculties. This method of governmentality targets the subject by pre-processing its data inputs and commands, thus managing its conduct at a pre-ideological, sub-representational level. To illustrate, we analyze how this subject appeared in the CIA's psychochemical experiments with LSD, hypnosis, "truth serums," and other methods of behavioral management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How have Central Asian publics reacted to Russia's war against Ukraine? This study assesses overall attitudes toward the war in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic using survey data from the early days of the war. We find that respondents in Kyrgyzstan are more likely to hold pro-Russian attitudes regarding the war than their counterparts in Kazakhstan. We then examine the relationship between political attitudes and correlates commonly linked to geopolitical preferences generally and pro-Russian attitudes specifically: ethnolinguistic identity, remittances, and media use. Results suggest that ethnic identity holds the strongest and most consistent link to wartime sentiments, with ethnic Kyrgyz and Kazakhs showing less pro-Russian attitudes compared to ethnic Russians. Further results indicate that language and media use are somewhat associated with pro-Russian wartime attitudes, though this relationship varies by context and issue area. Finally, we find limited support for the argument that receiving remittances is associated with political preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black mothers are highly capable of supporting their children by creating homeplaces, or spaces where children are shielded from the challenges of the outside world, by leveraging their strengths-based assets to support their children’s positive development. When confronted with a barrage of viral videos of police brutality and other negative news media, Black women caregivers may engage in more activities and conversations to help their children cope with the outside world. This study investigates how Black women caregivers safeguard their children from experiencing vicarious trauma as a result of viewing negative news media. Utilizing consensual qualitative analysis, interviews with 12 Black women caregivers revealed a dynamic process termed ‘homeplace fortification’. This process involved caregivers heightened emotional responses to negative news, prompting caregivers to make deliberate decisions to engage their children – either by discussing the news or limiting their exposure. Both approaches serve to protect and support Black children’s health and wellbeing. This study advances the field of family psychology by demonstrating how Black women caregivers use homeplace fortification to bolster their children’s mental health in the face of negative news media, emphasizing Black women caregiver’s strengths in being attuned and responsive to their children’s emotional needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How might we understand the forms of mediatized politics that are signified under the dreary heading of the 'culture war(s)'? This article addresses this question in the form of seven theses. Informed by a distinct theoretical reading of Laclau and Mouffe's concept of antagonism, I highlight the anti-political character of culture war discourses, particularly as amplified in a public culture dominated by the social media industry. The seven theses are prefaced by an overview of the category of 'cancel culture', in light of its recent prominence as an object of culture war discourse. I highlight the primary role of far-right actors in the normalization of culture-war conflicts that persecute different identities, but also critique the online left's entanglement in sedimented antagonisms that primarily benefit reactionary actors. The theses stress the repressive effects of culture war discourses on our collective political imagination. They redescribe some of the fault lines of a familiar terrain by thematizing the differences between a moralized and radical democratic understanding of political antagonism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Belt and Road Initiative (bri), a Chinese geopolitical initiative, has attracted global attention. The bri has a significant impact on international commerce, regional politics, and global dynamics, with India occupying a central position in the initiative's strategic objectives and economic prospects. This study examines the representation of the Belt and Road Initiative (bri) in Indian news media. This image is significant for its reflection of the public and government perception of the initiative, which in turn informs India's response and policy towards this significant international development. This research employs corpus-based critical discourse analysis (cda) to examine a diverse array of articles from prominent Indian newspapers and digital news outlets. This method is empirical in its study of media language, themes, and narratives, providing numerical results on the frequency or occurrence of specific language as well as pattern variations pertaining to discourse. Additionally, it offers qualitative insights regarding the situation and impact of the language in question. The research findings indicate that the Indian news media plays a significant role in shaping the discourse surrounding the bri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on physical, mental, and social aspects of life worldwide. This study aimed to explore and compare differences in knowledge, awareness, behavior, and the psychological impact of the pandemic among students of biomedical faculties at the University of Zagreb. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 27 November 2020 and 19 January 2021 involving 518 students from the School of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed, assessing participants' knowledge about SARS-CoV-2, information sources, attitudes, and psychological responses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and appropriate statistical tests. Results: The median knowledge score was 61.54%, with senior and female students demonstrating significantly more knowledge (p < 0.001 and p = 0.044, respectively). Students who consulted the scientific literature and official websites had higher knowledge levels (p < 0.001). Most participants used media and social networks for pandemic information, while scientific sources were underutilized. Psychological impacts were evident, with 46.3% expressing fear about the future and 25% reporting anxiety if they were to be infected. Additionally, those who engaged with the scientific literature were more likely to accept vaccination and showed lower levels of COVID-19 stigma. A majority (64.5%) believed that the media exaggerated the pandemic's risks. Conclusions: Biomedical students demonstrated moderate knowledge about COVID-19, with a clear link between scientific literacy and more informed, less stigmatizing attitudes. This study underscores the importance of reliable information sources in shaping public health awareness and highlights the need for further education on COVID-19 symptoms and preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]