news

Media - Computer Science - 15.09.2020

Giving computers a voice
From Alexa and Siri to translation programs and computer-generated news, anything seems possible these days.The Media Technology Center is searching for applications that could lend a hand with day-to-day editorial work. Every time you talk to Siri on your phone and ask a question or give a command, you are communicating with artificial intelligence.

Media - 01.09.2020

Early COVID-19 news coverage amplified political divide
Newspaper coverage of COVID-19 is at least as politicized and polarized as climate change coverage, say University of Michigan researchers. Both newspaper and network news COVID-19 stories were polarized in early coverage of the pandemic, which may have shaped pandemic attitudes, according to a new U-M analysis of U.S. media coverage from March to May 2020.

Computer Science - Media - 27.08.2020

Stanford launches AI-powered TV news analyzer
The Stanford Cable TV News Analyzer is an interactive tool that uses AI to search transcripts and calculate the screen time of public figures appearing on cable TV news. Cable TV news is a primary source of information for millions of Americans each day. The people that appear on cable TV news and the topics they talk about shape public opinion and culture.

Health - Media - 11.05.2020

How should journalists cover coronavirus preprint studies?
When a story in the Los Angeles Times recently claimed that the novel coronavirus behind COVID-19 had mutated into a more contagious version, it was quickly amplified by other outlets and stoked fears that the virus was becoming more dangerous. The problem is, that wasn't necessarily true. Scientists quickly took to Twitter to point out the research paper the story was based on was a preprint - a first draft of scientific findings.

Media - Health - 30.03.2020

Four keywords to understand journalism during a pandemic
From newspapers to television, from the internet to social media, we experience an overload of information on the Covid-19 pandemic. Science journalism has become an important source to help individuals understand what is true and what is false. In this video Philip Di Salvo, a post-doc researcher at USI Institute of Media and Journalism, proposes four key words to comprehend what is happening to the media.

Media - Economics - 16.03.2020

The impact of economic news
Recent economic news has certainly been gloomy. Studies confirm that negative economic news causes us to think more negative thoughts and can lead to a loss of confidence in the political system. Surprisingly, these effects are the same regardless of our age, work and education level. The content and tone of news items and relevant economic context are key: we are most susceptible to negative news before the start of an actual crisis.

Media - Social Sciences - 25.02.2020

Analysis: How do those bereaved by suicide respond to media reports?
Guidelines on reporting suicide are aimed at preventing further suicides and minimising distress to the bereaved. Here Dr Alexandra Pitman (UCL Psychiatry) writes about her research looking at how relatives of suicide victims respond to news, and speaks to others in the field. You are a junior reporter on a busy local newspaper.

Media - 06.11.2019

Science Barometer Switzerland: Trust in Science and Research Remains High
The Swiss population's trust in science and research is high to very high. As the Science Barometer Switzerland 2019 study shows, people in Switzerland have a positive attitude towards science and are keen to receive information about research, with climate and energy considered the most important topics.

Media - 15.08.2019

#MeToo Media Coverage Sympathetic to but Not Necessarily Empowering for Women
The #MeToo movement has encouraged women to share their personal stories of sexual harassment. While the movement amplifies previously unheard voices, a Carnegie Mellon University analysis of #MeToo media coverage shows accusers are often portrayed as sympathetic, but with less power and agency than their alleged perpetrators.

Media - 23.05.2019

Information and language in news impact prejudice against minorities
Researchers at the Institute of Psychology show how news about immigrants and language describing immigrants shape prejudice against immigrants and other social minorities, as part of the project «Immigrants in the Media». For instance, nouns used for describing the ethnicity of immigrants enhance prejudice against immigrants more than adjectives.

Media - 17.05.2019

Understanding journalists and what they do
Photo credit: Lucía Vergara and Article 19-Mexico City, Mexico Photo credit: Lucía Vergara and Article 19-Mexico City, Mexico Researchers from 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries, hosted by the Institute for the Advanced Study of the Americas, will share information on the challenges journalists face and their contributions to society.

Media - 01.05.2019

Is Wikipedia stealing the news?
While the influence of Facebook and Google on the news landscape has been well examined, Wikipedia's role as a source of breaking news has not received enough attention, says a University of Sydney expert. Dr Bunty Avieson  from the University's  Department of Media and Communications  has examined Wikipedia as a breaking news source, in a new research paper published today in prestigious internet studies journal  First Monday .

Media - 05.03.2019

Sparks calls for tougher enforcement on social media companies
Research into the use of Russian-linked social media accounts following the 2017 UK terrorist attacks has led to calls for greater regulation of technology companies. In their report on Disinformation and 'fake news' , the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee described how work by the Crime and Security Research Institute was among "strong evidence" which, "detailed ways in which the Kremlin attempted to influence attitudes in UK politics".

Environment - Media - 14.02.2019

Media and industry not always interested in the same topics
Hardly a day went by in the summer of 2018 without a report on the continuing water scarcity at the time in Switzerland. Again and again, newspapers, radio and television were coming up with questions like: "How much water do nature, agriculture and people need?", "How can we find ways to save water?" and "Which regions have the least water reserves?" On the other hand, Swiss municipal governments, cantons, engineering firms, NGOs and public sector agencies appear to be less concerned with the relationship between water scarcity and water-saving measures.

Environment - Media - 14.02.2019

Media and practitioners not always interested in the same topics
Hardly a day went by in the summer of 2018 without a report on the continuing water scarcity at the time in Switzerland. Again and again, newspapers, radio and television were coming up with questions like: "How much water do nature, agriculture and people need?", "How can we find ways to save water?" and "Which regions have the least water reserves?" On the other hand, Swiss municipal governments, cantons, engineering firms, NGOs and public sector agencies appear to be less concerned with the relationship between water scarcity and water-saving measures.

Media - Innovation - 25.10.2018

A decade of data reveals that heavy multitaskers have reduced memory
People who frequently engage with multiple types of media at once performed worse on simple memory tasks, according to the last decade of research. However, it's still too soon to determine cause and effect, says psychology Professor Anthony Wagner. The smartphones that are now ubiquitous were just gaining popularity when Anthony Wagner became interested in the research of his Stanford colleague, Clifford Nass, on the effects of media multitasking and attention.

Health - Media - 15.10.2018

Dr Google is no panacea when it comes to patient empowerment
VUB thesis exposes power dynamic in doctor-patient relations The internet as a source of information about health is no panacea for creating patient empowerment. That's the conclusion reached by Edgard Eeckman in the doctoral thesis he defended at VUB's Communication Science faculty. He researched the power balance in the doctor-patient relationship and the influence of online and offline information about health, in a study that reveals the power dynamics associated with being ill.

Media - 21.08.2018

Browser plug-in for improved internet safety
Authentication on certain websites via Facebook or Google accounts can be risky, but use of a browser extension from TU Wien eliminates the problem. We all knew this familiar scenario: to be able to use specific features of a website you need to log in, but creating an individual account for every single site is tedious.

Media - 13.07.2018

Underdogs, curses and ’Neymaresque’ histrionics: Cambridge University Press reveals what’s been getting us talking this World Cup
Cambridge University Press has revealed the results of its global study into the language used around the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The huge amount of language data we've collected and analysed gives us fascinating insight into the mood surrounding the World Cup. Laura Grimes There has been no shortage of surprises during this year's competition, and this shines through in the language data.

Media - 03.07.2018

COPD patients’ quality of life improved by socialising and regular exercise
European countries do not appear to feel threatened by the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, a study of media coverage of Brexit has revealed. The study, based on coverage in 39 media outlets in France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden, found that most Brexit reporting was neutral and fact-based.