Media readers’ comments: an international comparative study

The first session of 2018 of the Permanent Seminar of Media Education will be held on March 20 at 2:30 pm in the ICS-University of Minho Meeting Room (Sala de Reuniões). The meeting will be promoted will be promoted by João Gonçalves, PhD in Communication Studies, who will present the work “Media readers’ comments: an international comparative study”.

Abstract: The role of the media in periods of electoral campaign is a subject that raises an intense academic and social debate. The interaction between politicians and journalists defines the contours of the campaign and can condition the election results. However, few studies have focused on how audiences talk to and about the media at these critical moments for democracy. Looking at readers’ comments in the online newspapers, it is intended to explore how media are approached by users/citizens. This study, developed in partnership with the Center for Media Engagement of the University of Texas at Austin (USA), focuses on cases in Portugal, United Kingdom, Spain and the in United States. This seminar intends to explore the conclusions of this study and its implications in the framework of Media Education, journalism and democracy.