Avery Holton | University of Utah (original) (raw)

Research Papers and Book Chapters by Avery Holton

PEC Innovation, 2023

This study offers an innovative lens through which scholars and healthcare providers may examine ... more This study offers an innovative lens through which scholars and healthcare providers may examine the experiences of BRCA previvors as they seek adequate care. Asking previvors to explain their perceptions of conversations with genetic counselors and healthcare providers offers insight into the communicative process of seeking care rather than the health outcomes of the care itself. Our findings suggest biases among providers related to gender, age, and sexual orientation are concerning elements of family planning communication that potentially interrupt previvors' abilities to express their care needs in a safe environment. We argue for an increased awareness of, and advocacy for, more inclusive conversations regarding treatment and family planning decisions.

Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2024

Genetic testing has become a common way of identifying a woman’s risk of developing hereditary br... more Genetic testing has become a common way of identifying a woman’s risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, however, not all medical providers have the necessary information to support patients interested in genetic testing, nor do they always have the proper information for patients once they have been diagnosed. Therefore, many previvors, the name of those who have tested positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, have taken to social media to inform others about the importance of genetic testing and explain to them how to understand their test results. Historically, those desiring to speak about their medical issues online have sought out structured support groups or chat rooms, however, many previvors today are instead posting on their own personal social media accounts and creating more niche communities. This study aimed to examine why BRCA previvors are sharing content on their personal social media accounts and how posting online in this way serves a purpose for their larger community.

Media and Communication, 2024

Journalists are increasingly experiencing the negative consequences of online news transformation... more Journalists are increasingly experiencing the negative consequences of online news transformations, such as trolling and harassment, as well as audience distrust. Despite acute need, intra-organisational efforts to support journalists’ online wellbeing have so far been limited. More recently, research has explored how journalists have turned to individual practices of disconnection, such as blocking, muting, or small breaks from online media to mediate the impacts of their everyday online labour (Bossio et al., 2024). Building on this research, this study explores how these individual practices are moving toward collective practices of disconnection. Using interviews with 21 journalists, this study traces how emergent collective practices might contribute to systemic change in journalism. We argue that in lieu of intra-organizational support, journalists seek to disconnect through informal sharing of experiences and support as well as collective efforts toward inter-organisational training and intra-organisational formalization mentoring programs.

Online Information Review, 2024

In the past few years, research focusing on misinformation, referred to broadly as fake news, has... more In the past few years, research focusing on misinformation, referred to broadly as fake news, has experienced revived attention. Past studies have focused on explaining the ways in which people correct it online and on social media. However, fewer studies have dealt with the ways in which people are able to identify fake news (i.e. fake news literacy). This study contributes to the latter by theoretically connect people’s general social media use, political knowledge and political epistemic efficacy with individuals’ fake news literacy levels. A diverse and representative two-wave panel survey in the United States was conducted (June 2019 for Wave 1, October 2019 for Wave 2). We performed cross-sectional, lagged and autoregressive regression analyses to examined how social media us, people’s political knowledge and political epistemic efficacy are related to their fake news literacy. Results suggest that the more people used social media, were politically knowledgeable and considered they were able to find the truth in politics (i.e. epistemic political efficacy), the more likely they were to discern whether the news is fake. Implications of helping media outlets and policy makers be better positioned to provide the public with corrective action mechanisms in the struggle against fake news are discussed.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2023

Genetic testing (GT) has become ubiquitous in the United States, either in clinical or direct-to-... more Genetic testing (GT) has become ubiquitous in the United States, either in clinical or direct-to-consumer markets. White and English-speaking populations have primarily benefited from this new technology, leaving other groups, like Hispanic populations, behind. Explanations for this disparity has cited a lack of awareness and knowledge of genetic testing purposes. Science communication from English-language media play an important role in setting initial attitudes and influencing decision-making for audiences. However, Spanish-language media have virtually no research published on documented potential effects for GT utilization despite the continued growth of Hispanic Spanish-speaking groups in the United States. Thus, this study characterized coverage of GT from two of the most prominent US Spanish-language media outlets, Telemundo and Univision. Over a 12-year time period, we identified 235 written ar- ticles of GT, mainly focusing on forensics applications, followed by gossip and health. There were 292 sources referenced across all 235 articles drawing from governmental agencies or officials, other news agencies, and medical institutions or officials. The findings suggest that coverage of GT among Spanish-language news outlets is lim- ited. When Spanish-language news outlets do cover GT, they focus on aspects of intrigue or entertainment more than demystifying and explaining GT. Stories tend to cite other published articles, with author attribution often missing, leading to ques- tions of comfort of Spanish-media to cover these topics. Further, the publishing pro- cess may lead to confusion of the purpose of genetic testing for health purposes and may bias Spanish-speaking groups towards genetic testing for health purposes. Thus, reconciliation and education initiatives around genetic testing purposes are needed for Spanish-speaking communities from not only media, but also genetics providers and institutions.

Howard Journal of Communications, 2023

Genetic testing (GT) for health purposes has grown exponentially in the past decade, with the abi... more Genetic testing (GT) for health purposes has grown exponentially in the past decade, with the ability to prescribe precision medicine regiments as well as preventative and preparatory actions. White and English-speaking populations have largely benefited from GT, leaving other groups, like Latinx populations, behind. Explanations for this disparity have cited a lack of awareness and knowledge of GT for health purposes but have generally only been studied in clinical settings. Mass and news media have virtually ignored this disparity. English-language news coverage of GT for health purposes has linked coverage to views of genetic determinism. Spanish-language news coverage of GT for health purposes has cited no published data, thus the current study is the first to characterize health-focused articles on GT from two U.S. Spanish-language news outlets, Telemundo and Univision. From March 2008 to August 2020, we identified only 49 published stories on health-focused stories on GT. Stories focused mostly on cancer and fertility types of GT and often did not attribute an author to the story. Spanish-language coverage is limited and may be contributing to the lack of knowledge of GT for health purposes. We offer potential future research opportunities in genomics from a mass media perspective.

Journalism Studies, 2023

Since the Columbine school shootings more than two decades ago, advocates have called for mass sh... more Since the Columbine school shootings more than two decades ago, advocates have called for mass shooting coverage at local and national levels to reduce focus on perpetrators and instead increase focus on victims. Given these recommendations, the present study explored the degree to which recent local and national news coverage of the Parkland school shooting is consistent with suggested best practice compared to the precedent-setting Columbine coverage. Newspaper coverage following both shootings was examined, resulting in an analysis of 641 national and local print news articles. Results indicate local Parkland coverage exhibited a greater percentage of articles that referenced the perpetrator by name compared to local Columbine coverage, and references were in more prominent locations, such as the article title and lead paragraph. No other statistical differences were found in perpetrator and victim references between Columbine and Parkland coverage. Findings suggest that despite continued calls to give less focus to perpetrators of mass shootings in local and national news, perpetrators still perpetuate in coverage. Results highlight the need to identify barriers to implementing recommendations for responsible reporting of mass shooting events.

SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism, 2022

Instagram now ranks as one of the most popular and widely used social network sites in the world ... more Instagram now ranks as one of the most popular and widely used social network sites in the world and has an especially American user-base given its beginnings in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center, one in seven adults get their news from Instagram as of 2020 with a higher frequency among women and users under the age of 50. This falls in line with Instagram’s younger demographic, which is part of a user-base that is expected to generate close to US$20 billion in ad revenue for the social network site in 2021 and continues to reshape how journalism is created for and shared across Instagram. This entry examines Instagram’s history and evolution, summarizes critiques of the platform, and explores its impact on news production and circulation.

American Journal of Public Health, 2020

This study quantifies and describes the incidence of misinformation about breast cancer on the so... more This study quantifies and describes the incidence of misinformation about breast cancer on the social media platform Pinterest, a leading source of women's health (e.g., breast cancer) information. A content analysis of 797 Pinterest posts ("pins") mentioning the terms "breast cancer" or "breast" and "cancer" was collected and analyzed in November 2018. From the original sample of 797, 178 (22.3%) made a factual claim about what social media users could do to prevent or treat breast cancer. Of these, more than half-91 (51.1%)-contained misinformation. Therefore, 11.4% of the sample overall contained misinformation related to breast cancer prevention or treatment. These and other findings indicate Pinterest is a significant vector of misinformation about breast cancer, especially given the platform's overwhelmingly female composition and its visual means of conveying information. Health practitioners should be aware of the myths circulating about breast cancer prevention and treatment and be prepared both to dismantle misinformation and to stress reliable health guidance. Meanwhile, Pinterest may wish to widen the criteria it uses for identifying health misinformation on its platform.

Health Communication, 2022

Research on previvors, individuals with a genetic predisposition to develop hereditary breast and... more Research on previvors, individuals with a genetic predisposition to develop hereditary breast and ovarian cancer but who have not yet been diagnosed with breast or other cancers, examines online information gathering and community support to alleviate uncertainty. However, research exploring online content published by previvors themselves is limited. We examined content published to Instagram and TikTok to explore how breast cancer previvors discussed their lived experience which included, but was not limited to, genetic testing, diagnosis with a BRCA1/2 pathogenic (i.e. risk-increasing) variant, the decision to undergo preventative measures like surgery and/or reconstruction, and how they cope after diagnosis and surgical procedures. In the findings, we explicate how many previvors feel a responsibility to share their authentic experience on social media in order to help others and mitigate their own feelings of uncertainty. This study offers a snapshot of how women are sharing breast cancer previvorship and building social connections with each other online.

Social Media + Society, 2022

This commentary considers the concept of "disconnection" as a way to understand practices of cont... more This commentary considers the concept of "disconnection" as a way to understand practices of contemporary digital journalism while advocating for consideration of disconnection as a necessary component of sustainable journalism.

Digital Journalism, 2021

As news organizations continue to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by engagemen... more As news organizations continue to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by engagement with audiences across digital and social media platforms in the creation and sharing of news and in the development of news-oriented products, they also offer up uniquely personal investment pathways and emotional ties for their audiences. This commentary considers conceptualizations of emotion and individual agency in engagement with journalists, news organizations, and the process of newsmaking. We suggest that exploring more forms of engagement and accepting them as part of the news process can encourage the sharing of emotion and the development of positive emotional connections to journalists and news content and products. This is important to consider as audiences move from influencing the profession of journalism to becoming one of its indispensable creators.

Journalism Practice, 2021

Journalists are increasingly reporting that online harassment has become a common feature of thei... more Journalists are increasingly reporting that online harassment has become a common feature of their working lives, contributing to experiences of fatigue, anxiety and disconnection from social media as well as their profession. Drawing on interviews with American newsworkers, this study finds at least three distinct forms of harassment: acute harassment such as generalized verbal abuse, chronic harassment occurring over time and often from the same social media users and escalatory harassment that is more personalized and directly threatening. Women journalists said they especially are experiencing chronic and escalatory forms of harassment. Journalists also discussed a perceived lack of systemic efforts on the part of news organizations to address such harassment, leaving journalists to search for preventative and palliative coping mechanisms on their own. Such labor may be driving journalists’ disconnection from social media as well as the profession of journalism and highlights a growing need for news organizations to address harassment as a systemic, rather than individual, issue. The mental health and well-being of journalists may depend on such action, especially at a time when more journalists are reporting fatigue, burnout, and a desire to exit the profession.

Popular Communication, 2018

An increasing body of media research suggests journalists are struggling to balance their persona... more An increasing body of media research suggests journalists are struggling to balance their personal and professional identities. This is particularly evident in social media spaces, where regulations from news organizations remain murky and audience expectations for engagement continue to grow. These studies, which relied heavily on content analyses and large-scale surveys, have demonstrated fundamental shifts in the norms journalists use to guide their practice, while also suggesting that journalists may be searching for ways to periodically disengage from social media. Drawing on interviews with 39 American and Australian journalists, this study explores drivers of what we consider to be a rising identity dilemma among journalists and why social media disengagement is considered a possible solution. The findings suggest journalists are grappling with issues of personal and professional identity construction across social media platforms with organizational pressures to present a more professional appearance without room for periodic disengagement from social media.

Journalism, 2019

This study explores forms of social media fatigue described by professional journalists, includin... more This study explores forms of social media fatigue described by professional journalists, including frustration with the perception of their increased affective labor, dissatisfaction with communication environments on particular social media platforms, and increased anxiety about the possible impact of social media use on both their professional reputations and personal well-being. We argue that these forms of social media fatigue have influenced new professional practices on social media practice that include strategies of disconnecting from, but not necessarily terminating, social media use. Using a comparative analysis of semistructured interviews with Australian and American professional journalists, this study illustrates that experiences of social media fatigue over time have resulted in a careful renegotiation of professional and personal boundaries around journalists’ social media use, influenced by the technological, social, and cultural affordances of specific media platforms, organizational and institutional constraints, as well as the online literacies and behaviors of journalists themselves.

Journalism Practice, 2016

Building on research proposing reciprocal journalism as a concept underlying participatory practi... more Building on research proposing reciprocal journalism as a concept underlying participatory practices and norms in journalism, this study examines how reciprocity might meaningfully be measured in a journalistic context. Using a survey of US journalists, this study adapts measures of reciprocal attitudes and behaviors to journalistic practices. It also develops measures of direct, indirect, and sustained reciprocity as applied to journalism, and explores the relationship between each of these reciprocal forms and one type of participatory behavior: interacting with audiences online. The results indicate that some measurements of positive reciprocity can be meaningfully translated to a journalistic environment and may help to predict forms of audience interaction. For future research, the findings point to the potential for forms of reciprocity to be explored as antecedents for other journalistic norms and practices.

Qualitative Health Research, 2020

The script of parenting shifts when parents learn of their child’s Down syndrome diagnosis. To bu... more The script of parenting shifts when parents learn of their child’s Down syndrome diagnosis. To build a theory of the diagnostic experience and early family sense-making process, we interviewed 33 parents and nine grandparents living in the United States who learned prenatally or neonatally of their child’s diagnosis. The core category of rescuing hope for the future encompassed the social process of sense-making over time as parents managed their sorrow, shock, and grief and amassed meaningful messages that anchored them as they looked toward the future. Application of the theory to practice underscores the import of early professional support offered to parents at key points in the sense-making process: Early as they disclose the news of the diagnosis to family and friends, and later close friends and kin assimilate meaningful messages about what the diagnosis means as they recalibrate expectations for a hopeful future.

mHealth, 2020

Women in India continue to have high rates of anemia, especially in critical periods of adolescen... more Women in India continue to have high rates of anemia, especially in critical periods of adolescence and pregnancy. Anemia persists despite decades of government programs aimed at combatting anemia, including through the provision of iron folic acid tablets (IFA). With growing access to mobile phones and social media, even among women, mobile interventions hold potential for influencing knowledge and behaviors. Social media consumption, including on Facebook, is high in India. However, little research has explored if women can be reached with health messages using social media, if data can be collected through this mechanism, and if interventions using social media impact knowledge and behaviors surrounding important health issues such as anemia. The aims of this study were to test an advertising campaign on Facebook about anemia and IFA to women, collect data through social media, and measure its impact.

Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 2020

In this special forum led by Cindy Royal, we begin by noting that digital product managers have ... more In this special forum led by Cindy Royal, we begin by noting that digital product managers have become some of the most popular positions offered in news organizations, along with new roles “that support the development of media products incorporating audience engagement, interactivity, multimedia and data presentation” as Royal states. As Bright and Pellizzaro indicate, though some product managers’ work remains nebulously defined within newsrooms under a range of titles that are tasked with constantly innovating while maintaining a user- or design centric ideology. This may be occurring at the peril of rejecting or reconsidering some journalistic norms and ethics or, alternatively, relying on editorial judgment that can take a back seat to product functions (Royal, 2017). Such work ranges from finding solutions to make journalistic workflows more efficient (e.g., automating part of news writing) to developing innovative products for audience consumption and engagement (e.g., a mobile chatbot for Olympics coverage).

Journalism Research in Practice Perspectives on Change, Challenges, and Solutions, 2020

This is from Chapter 21 of "Journalism Research in Practice Perspectives on Change, Challenges, ... more This is from Chapter 21 of "Journalism Research in Practice
Perspectives on Change, Challenges, and Solutions."

Since the purpose of journalism has been to provide citizens with useful information so that they can make individual and collective decisions about their governments, lives, communities, and society, it is important to understand how peripheral news actors in journalism such as web analytics companies are altering news production and culture. Such consideration can provide insights into what news is today and what it may look like in the near future. Drawing on interviews with we analytics managers representing some of the leading web analytics companies in the world, this study examines how these companies perceive their roles in journalism and how they may be altering news production and culture.

PEC Innovation, 2023

This study offers an innovative lens through which scholars and healthcare providers may examine ... more This study offers an innovative lens through which scholars and healthcare providers may examine the experiences of BRCA previvors as they seek adequate care. Asking previvors to explain their perceptions of conversations with genetic counselors and healthcare providers offers insight into the communicative process of seeking care rather than the health outcomes of the care itself. Our findings suggest biases among providers related to gender, age, and sexual orientation are concerning elements of family planning communication that potentially interrupt previvors' abilities to express their care needs in a safe environment. We argue for an increased awareness of, and advocacy for, more inclusive conversations regarding treatment and family planning decisions.

Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2024

Genetic testing has become a common way of identifying a woman’s risk of developing hereditary br... more Genetic testing has become a common way of identifying a woman’s risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, however, not all medical providers have the necessary information to support patients interested in genetic testing, nor do they always have the proper information for patients once they have been diagnosed. Therefore, many previvors, the name of those who have tested positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, have taken to social media to inform others about the importance of genetic testing and explain to them how to understand their test results. Historically, those desiring to speak about their medical issues online have sought out structured support groups or chat rooms, however, many previvors today are instead posting on their own personal social media accounts and creating more niche communities. This study aimed to examine why BRCA previvors are sharing content on their personal social media accounts and how posting online in this way serves a purpose for their larger community.

Media and Communication, 2024

Journalists are increasingly experiencing the negative consequences of online news transformation... more Journalists are increasingly experiencing the negative consequences of online news transformations, such as trolling and harassment, as well as audience distrust. Despite acute need, intra-organisational efforts to support journalists’ online wellbeing have so far been limited. More recently, research has explored how journalists have turned to individual practices of disconnection, such as blocking, muting, or small breaks from online media to mediate the impacts of their everyday online labour (Bossio et al., 2024). Building on this research, this study explores how these individual practices are moving toward collective practices of disconnection. Using interviews with 21 journalists, this study traces how emergent collective practices might contribute to systemic change in journalism. We argue that in lieu of intra-organizational support, journalists seek to disconnect through informal sharing of experiences and support as well as collective efforts toward inter-organisational training and intra-organisational formalization mentoring programs.

Online Information Review, 2024

In the past few years, research focusing on misinformation, referred to broadly as fake news, has... more In the past few years, research focusing on misinformation, referred to broadly as fake news, has experienced revived attention. Past studies have focused on explaining the ways in which people correct it online and on social media. However, fewer studies have dealt with the ways in which people are able to identify fake news (i.e. fake news literacy). This study contributes to the latter by theoretically connect people’s general social media use, political knowledge and political epistemic efficacy with individuals’ fake news literacy levels. A diverse and representative two-wave panel survey in the United States was conducted (June 2019 for Wave 1, October 2019 for Wave 2). We performed cross-sectional, lagged and autoregressive regression analyses to examined how social media us, people’s political knowledge and political epistemic efficacy are related to their fake news literacy. Results suggest that the more people used social media, were politically knowledgeable and considered they were able to find the truth in politics (i.e. epistemic political efficacy), the more likely they were to discern whether the news is fake. Implications of helping media outlets and policy makers be better positioned to provide the public with corrective action mechanisms in the struggle against fake news are discussed.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2023

Genetic testing (GT) has become ubiquitous in the United States, either in clinical or direct-to-... more Genetic testing (GT) has become ubiquitous in the United States, either in clinical or direct-to-consumer markets. White and English-speaking populations have primarily benefited from this new technology, leaving other groups, like Hispanic populations, behind. Explanations for this disparity has cited a lack of awareness and knowledge of genetic testing purposes. Science communication from English-language media play an important role in setting initial attitudes and influencing decision-making for audiences. However, Spanish-language media have virtually no research published on documented potential effects for GT utilization despite the continued growth of Hispanic Spanish-speaking groups in the United States. Thus, this study characterized coverage of GT from two of the most prominent US Spanish-language media outlets, Telemundo and Univision. Over a 12-year time period, we identified 235 written ar- ticles of GT, mainly focusing on forensics applications, followed by gossip and health. There were 292 sources referenced across all 235 articles drawing from governmental agencies or officials, other news agencies, and medical institutions or officials. The findings suggest that coverage of GT among Spanish-language news outlets is lim- ited. When Spanish-language news outlets do cover GT, they focus on aspects of intrigue or entertainment more than demystifying and explaining GT. Stories tend to cite other published articles, with author attribution often missing, leading to ques- tions of comfort of Spanish-media to cover these topics. Further, the publishing pro- cess may lead to confusion of the purpose of genetic testing for health purposes and may bias Spanish-speaking groups towards genetic testing for health purposes. Thus, reconciliation and education initiatives around genetic testing purposes are needed for Spanish-speaking communities from not only media, but also genetics providers and institutions.

Howard Journal of Communications, 2023

Genetic testing (GT) for health purposes has grown exponentially in the past decade, with the abi... more Genetic testing (GT) for health purposes has grown exponentially in the past decade, with the ability to prescribe precision medicine regiments as well as preventative and preparatory actions. White and English-speaking populations have largely benefited from GT, leaving other groups, like Latinx populations, behind. Explanations for this disparity have cited a lack of awareness and knowledge of GT for health purposes but have generally only been studied in clinical settings. Mass and news media have virtually ignored this disparity. English-language news coverage of GT for health purposes has linked coverage to views of genetic determinism. Spanish-language news coverage of GT for health purposes has cited no published data, thus the current study is the first to characterize health-focused articles on GT from two U.S. Spanish-language news outlets, Telemundo and Univision. From March 2008 to August 2020, we identified only 49 published stories on health-focused stories on GT. Stories focused mostly on cancer and fertility types of GT and often did not attribute an author to the story. Spanish-language coverage is limited and may be contributing to the lack of knowledge of GT for health purposes. We offer potential future research opportunities in genomics from a mass media perspective.

Journalism Studies, 2023

Since the Columbine school shootings more than two decades ago, advocates have called for mass sh... more Since the Columbine school shootings more than two decades ago, advocates have called for mass shooting coverage at local and national levels to reduce focus on perpetrators and instead increase focus on victims. Given these recommendations, the present study explored the degree to which recent local and national news coverage of the Parkland school shooting is consistent with suggested best practice compared to the precedent-setting Columbine coverage. Newspaper coverage following both shootings was examined, resulting in an analysis of 641 national and local print news articles. Results indicate local Parkland coverage exhibited a greater percentage of articles that referenced the perpetrator by name compared to local Columbine coverage, and references were in more prominent locations, such as the article title and lead paragraph. No other statistical differences were found in perpetrator and victim references between Columbine and Parkland coverage. Findings suggest that despite continued calls to give less focus to perpetrators of mass shootings in local and national news, perpetrators still perpetuate in coverage. Results highlight the need to identify barriers to implementing recommendations for responsible reporting of mass shooting events.

SAGE Encyclopedia of Journalism, 2022

Instagram now ranks as one of the most popular and widely used social network sites in the world ... more Instagram now ranks as one of the most popular and widely used social network sites in the world and has an especially American user-base given its beginnings in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center, one in seven adults get their news from Instagram as of 2020 with a higher frequency among women and users under the age of 50. This falls in line with Instagram’s younger demographic, which is part of a user-base that is expected to generate close to US$20 billion in ad revenue for the social network site in 2021 and continues to reshape how journalism is created for and shared across Instagram. This entry examines Instagram’s history and evolution, summarizes critiques of the platform, and explores its impact on news production and circulation.

American Journal of Public Health, 2020

This study quantifies and describes the incidence of misinformation about breast cancer on the so... more This study quantifies and describes the incidence of misinformation about breast cancer on the social media platform Pinterest, a leading source of women's health (e.g., breast cancer) information. A content analysis of 797 Pinterest posts ("pins") mentioning the terms "breast cancer" or "breast" and "cancer" was collected and analyzed in November 2018. From the original sample of 797, 178 (22.3%) made a factual claim about what social media users could do to prevent or treat breast cancer. Of these, more than half-91 (51.1%)-contained misinformation. Therefore, 11.4% of the sample overall contained misinformation related to breast cancer prevention or treatment. These and other findings indicate Pinterest is a significant vector of misinformation about breast cancer, especially given the platform's overwhelmingly female composition and its visual means of conveying information. Health practitioners should be aware of the myths circulating about breast cancer prevention and treatment and be prepared both to dismantle misinformation and to stress reliable health guidance. Meanwhile, Pinterest may wish to widen the criteria it uses for identifying health misinformation on its platform.

Health Communication, 2022

Research on previvors, individuals with a genetic predisposition to develop hereditary breast and... more Research on previvors, individuals with a genetic predisposition to develop hereditary breast and ovarian cancer but who have not yet been diagnosed with breast or other cancers, examines online information gathering and community support to alleviate uncertainty. However, research exploring online content published by previvors themselves is limited. We examined content published to Instagram and TikTok to explore how breast cancer previvors discussed their lived experience which included, but was not limited to, genetic testing, diagnosis with a BRCA1/2 pathogenic (i.e. risk-increasing) variant, the decision to undergo preventative measures like surgery and/or reconstruction, and how they cope after diagnosis and surgical procedures. In the findings, we explicate how many previvors feel a responsibility to share their authentic experience on social media in order to help others and mitigate their own feelings of uncertainty. This study offers a snapshot of how women are sharing breast cancer previvorship and building social connections with each other online.

Social Media + Society, 2022

This commentary considers the concept of "disconnection" as a way to understand practices of cont... more This commentary considers the concept of "disconnection" as a way to understand practices of contemporary digital journalism while advocating for consideration of disconnection as a necessary component of sustainable journalism.

Digital Journalism, 2021

As news organizations continue to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by engagemen... more As news organizations continue to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by engagement with audiences across digital and social media platforms in the creation and sharing of news and in the development of news-oriented products, they also offer up uniquely personal investment pathways and emotional ties for their audiences. This commentary considers conceptualizations of emotion and individual agency in engagement with journalists, news organizations, and the process of newsmaking. We suggest that exploring more forms of engagement and accepting them as part of the news process can encourage the sharing of emotion and the development of positive emotional connections to journalists and news content and products. This is important to consider as audiences move from influencing the profession of journalism to becoming one of its indispensable creators.

Journalism Practice, 2021

Journalists are increasingly reporting that online harassment has become a common feature of thei... more Journalists are increasingly reporting that online harassment has become a common feature of their working lives, contributing to experiences of fatigue, anxiety and disconnection from social media as well as their profession. Drawing on interviews with American newsworkers, this study finds at least three distinct forms of harassment: acute harassment such as generalized verbal abuse, chronic harassment occurring over time and often from the same social media users and escalatory harassment that is more personalized and directly threatening. Women journalists said they especially are experiencing chronic and escalatory forms of harassment. Journalists also discussed a perceived lack of systemic efforts on the part of news organizations to address such harassment, leaving journalists to search for preventative and palliative coping mechanisms on their own. Such labor may be driving journalists’ disconnection from social media as well as the profession of journalism and highlights a growing need for news organizations to address harassment as a systemic, rather than individual, issue. The mental health and well-being of journalists may depend on such action, especially at a time when more journalists are reporting fatigue, burnout, and a desire to exit the profession.

Popular Communication, 2018

An increasing body of media research suggests journalists are struggling to balance their persona... more An increasing body of media research suggests journalists are struggling to balance their personal and professional identities. This is particularly evident in social media spaces, where regulations from news organizations remain murky and audience expectations for engagement continue to grow. These studies, which relied heavily on content analyses and large-scale surveys, have demonstrated fundamental shifts in the norms journalists use to guide their practice, while also suggesting that journalists may be searching for ways to periodically disengage from social media. Drawing on interviews with 39 American and Australian journalists, this study explores drivers of what we consider to be a rising identity dilemma among journalists and why social media disengagement is considered a possible solution. The findings suggest journalists are grappling with issues of personal and professional identity construction across social media platforms with organizational pressures to present a more professional appearance without room for periodic disengagement from social media.

Journalism, 2019

This study explores forms of social media fatigue described by professional journalists, includin... more This study explores forms of social media fatigue described by professional journalists, including frustration with the perception of their increased affective labor, dissatisfaction with communication environments on particular social media platforms, and increased anxiety about the possible impact of social media use on both their professional reputations and personal well-being. We argue that these forms of social media fatigue have influenced new professional practices on social media practice that include strategies of disconnecting from, but not necessarily terminating, social media use. Using a comparative analysis of semistructured interviews with Australian and American professional journalists, this study illustrates that experiences of social media fatigue over time have resulted in a careful renegotiation of professional and personal boundaries around journalists’ social media use, influenced by the technological, social, and cultural affordances of specific media platforms, organizational and institutional constraints, as well as the online literacies and behaviors of journalists themselves.

Journalism Practice, 2016

Building on research proposing reciprocal journalism as a concept underlying participatory practi... more Building on research proposing reciprocal journalism as a concept underlying participatory practices and norms in journalism, this study examines how reciprocity might meaningfully be measured in a journalistic context. Using a survey of US journalists, this study adapts measures of reciprocal attitudes and behaviors to journalistic practices. It also develops measures of direct, indirect, and sustained reciprocity as applied to journalism, and explores the relationship between each of these reciprocal forms and one type of participatory behavior: interacting with audiences online. The results indicate that some measurements of positive reciprocity can be meaningfully translated to a journalistic environment and may help to predict forms of audience interaction. For future research, the findings point to the potential for forms of reciprocity to be explored as antecedents for other journalistic norms and practices.

Qualitative Health Research, 2020

The script of parenting shifts when parents learn of their child’s Down syndrome diagnosis. To bu... more The script of parenting shifts when parents learn of their child’s Down syndrome diagnosis. To build a theory of the diagnostic experience and early family sense-making process, we interviewed 33 parents and nine grandparents living in the United States who learned prenatally or neonatally of their child’s diagnosis. The core category of rescuing hope for the future encompassed the social process of sense-making over time as parents managed their sorrow, shock, and grief and amassed meaningful messages that anchored them as they looked toward the future. Application of the theory to practice underscores the import of early professional support offered to parents at key points in the sense-making process: Early as they disclose the news of the diagnosis to family and friends, and later close friends and kin assimilate meaningful messages about what the diagnosis means as they recalibrate expectations for a hopeful future.

mHealth, 2020

Women in India continue to have high rates of anemia, especially in critical periods of adolescen... more Women in India continue to have high rates of anemia, especially in critical periods of adolescence and pregnancy. Anemia persists despite decades of government programs aimed at combatting anemia, including through the provision of iron folic acid tablets (IFA). With growing access to mobile phones and social media, even among women, mobile interventions hold potential for influencing knowledge and behaviors. Social media consumption, including on Facebook, is high in India. However, little research has explored if women can be reached with health messages using social media, if data can be collected through this mechanism, and if interventions using social media impact knowledge and behaviors surrounding important health issues such as anemia. The aims of this study were to test an advertising campaign on Facebook about anemia and IFA to women, collect data through social media, and measure its impact.

Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 2020

In this special forum led by Cindy Royal, we begin by noting that digital product managers have ... more In this special forum led by Cindy Royal, we begin by noting that digital product managers have become some of the most popular positions offered in news organizations, along with new roles “that support the development of media products incorporating audience engagement, interactivity, multimedia and data presentation” as Royal states. As Bright and Pellizzaro indicate, though some product managers’ work remains nebulously defined within newsrooms under a range of titles that are tasked with constantly innovating while maintaining a user- or design centric ideology. This may be occurring at the peril of rejecting or reconsidering some journalistic norms and ethics or, alternatively, relying on editorial judgment that can take a back seat to product functions (Royal, 2017). Such work ranges from finding solutions to make journalistic workflows more efficient (e.g., automating part of news writing) to developing innovative products for audience consumption and engagement (e.g., a mobile chatbot for Olympics coverage).

Journalism Research in Practice Perspectives on Change, Challenges, and Solutions, 2020

This is from Chapter 21 of "Journalism Research in Practice Perspectives on Change, Challenges, ... more This is from Chapter 21 of "Journalism Research in Practice
Perspectives on Change, Challenges, and Solutions."

Since the purpose of journalism has been to provide citizens with useful information so that they can make individual and collective decisions about their governments, lives, communities, and society, it is important to understand how peripheral news actors in journalism such as web analytics companies are altering news production and culture. Such consideration can provide insights into what news is today and what it may look like in the near future. Drawing on interviews with we analytics managers representing some of the leading web analytics companies in the world, this study examines how these companies perceive their roles in journalism and how they may be altering news production and culture.

International Journal of Communication, 2020

The technologization of news acts refers to the applications of technologies in journalism and th... more The technologization of news acts refers to the applications of technologies in journalism and the functional and infrastructural roles technological actors, such as Web designers and coders, may play in these applications. This conceptual article explores how technology facilitates news acts as forms of civic participation, particularly through citizen-oriented journalistic practices. Recognizing emerging scholarship examining news participation, this article argues for situating journalism within the networked news ecology. Drawing on an example-self-media production by LGBT communities in Mainland China-we explore a framework (1) conceptualizing peripheral actors' roles in journalism, (2) theorizing power dynamics driving the broader news ecology, and (3) accounting for political-economic and sociocultural contexts specific to localities. This article argues that the technologization of news acts presents a networked power structure within which peripheral actors are situated and of which they negotiate. Technological infrastructures are thus a pivot to connect contextual factors with networked news participation and reveal the dialectical power relations warranting an information elite in the news ecology.

Journalism Practice, 2014

Journalism Studies, 2012

This study examines how mainstream journalists who microblog negotiate their professional norms a... more This study examines how mainstream journalists who microblog negotiate their professional norms and practices in a new media format that directly challenges them. Through a content analysis of more than 22,000 of their tweets (postings) on the microblog platform Twitter, this study reveals that the journalists more freely express opinions, a common microblogging practice but one which contests the journalistic norm of objectivity (impartiality and nonpartisanship). To a lesser extent, the journalists also adopted two other norm-related microblogging features: providing accountability and transparency regarding how they conduct their work and sharing user-generated content with their followers. The journalists working for national newspapers, national television news divisions, and cable news networks were less inclined in their tweets than their counterparts working for less "elite" news outlets to relinquish their gatekeeping role by sharing their stage with other news gatherers and commentators, or to provide accountability and transparency by providing information about their jobs, engaging in discussions with other tweeters, writing about their personal lives, or linking to external websites.

Journalism Practice, 2014

The public receives a great deal of its public health information from the media, which has the a... more The public receives a great deal of its public health information from the media, which has the ability to deliver such information and to affect public perceptions about issues. The study presented here examines the media's mediating role in a recent marketing campaign with possible health implications. The baby carrots campaign targeted children and teenagers, advertising baby carrots as junk food. The campaign received much attention from media sources, and coverage of the campaign moved across a range of ...

Information, Communication & Society, 2018

In a social media age, branding is an increasingly visible aspect of identity construction online... more In a social media age, branding is an increasingly visible aspect of identity construction online. For media professionals generally and journalists especially, branding on spaces such as Twitter reveals the complicated set of forces confronting such public-facing actors as they navigate tensions between personal disclosure for authenticity and professional decorum for credibility, and between establishing one’s own distinctiveness and promoting one’s employer or other stakeholders. While studies have begun to reveal what journalists say about branding, they have yet to provide a broad profile of what they do. This study takes up that challenge through a content analysis of the Twitter profiles and tweets of a representative sample of 384 U.S. journalists. We focus on the extent of branding practices; the levels at which such branding occurs, whether to promote one’s self (individual), one’s news organization (organizational), or the journalism profession at large (institutional); and how other social media practices may be related to forms of journalistic branding. Results suggest that branding is now widely common among journalists on Twitter; that branding occurs at all three levels but primarily at the individual and organizational levels, with organizational branding taking priority; and that time on Twitter is connected with more personal information being shared.