Mediating the Conversation

fiona.martin@sydney.edu.au@media_republik

Getting my two cents worth in:access, interaction, participation and social inclusion in online news commenting

“digital inclusion is an individual’s effective and sustainable engagement with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in ways that allow full participation in society in terms of economic, social, cultural, civic and

personal well-being.”Helsper, EC discussion paper,

2014

• Social inclusion• Political participation• Media diversity• Cultural citizenship• Media economics

What type of access?

5 55%

32.5%

12.5%

SOCIAL MEDIA IN HOUSE COMMENTS

PAYWALL

Where is the interaction?

Participation: scale and scope across lower engagement sitesWhere is the interaction?

Who’s commenting?

Commenting distribution: top 100 commenters

Gendered user names: top 100 commenters

metros & internationals

Gendered user names: top 100 commenterspublic service broadcasters

Gendered user names: top 100 commenterslocal services