Observatorio (OBS*)

Autism and Social Media: The Case of Brazil

This paper presents an overview of how social media is used by Brazilian autism communities, aiming at including the perspectives of the Global South into discussions surrounding the topic, which are mostly focusing on English speaking groups. The results are based on a digital ethnography conducted in three Facebook groups about autism. We observed that groups composed by parents looking for information and social support are predominant in Brazilian social media. Autistic people also engage in information gathering and the exchange of personal experiences, mainly the ones with Asperger Syndrome. Additionally, we saw that Facebook offers enough affordances to allow the participation of people with different levels of digital literacy. However, there is still a lack of representation from autistic people who have more challenges, such as non-verbal individuals, which may be a consequence of the digital divide, not only in terms of economical means, but also education and inclusion.

The impact of social media on the professional management of hospital communication in the United Kingdom

Le développement des hôpitaux privés, les nouvelles exigences des patients et laugmentation de linformations médicale diffusées sur Internet ont poussé certains hôpitaux à parier sur les réseaux sociaux pour ainsi optimiser leurs stratégies de communication institutionnelle et créer des marques réputées. Lobjectif de cet article est de savoir si les hôpitaux britanniques considèrent Facebook comme un outil stratégique et utile pour la diffusion de leur marque. Pour ce faire, nous avons réalisé une révision de la littérature sur la communication hospitalière, la marque et les réseaux sociaux ; et, ensuite, nous avons analysé le profil Facebook des 100 meilleurs hôpitaux du Royaume-Uni. La conclusion principale est que, même si la plupart de ces hôpitaux considèrent Facebook comme un outil stratégique, ils ny diffusent pas tous les éléments composant larchitecture de marque.

The development of private hospitals, the new requirements of patients and the increase of medical information disseminated on Internet have pushed some hospitals to bet on social media in order to optimize their corporate communication strategies and create renowned brands. This paper aims to find out whether British hospitals view Facebook as a strategic and useful tool for their branding actions. To do this, we carried out a literature review about hospital communication, brand and social media; and, then, we analyzed the Facebook profile of top 100 hospitals in United Kingdom. The main conclusion is that, although most hospitals consider Facebook as a strategic tool, they do not disseminate all elements of their brand architecture.

A perceção dos profissionais de saúde sobre fontes de informação e sua influência na relação terapêutica

Este estudo tem como objetivo a aferição da perceção dos profissionais de saúde sobre a importância das fontes de informação para a relação terapêutica. R ecorreu-se a uma metodologia qualitativa, através da realização de focus group, baseado num questionário semiestruturado, aplicado a nove especialistas em literacia em saúde e profissionais das áreas da saúde em Portugal. Os participantes enfatizaram a responsabilidade do profissional de saúde como fonte especialista e credível para o fornecimento de informação e direcionamento do paciente quando o mesmo recorre a fontes menos credíveis como a internet. Foi ainda destacado o papel dos pares (outros profissionais de saúde) e dos pacientes que prestam depoimento sobre a sua experiência (por exemplo, doentes crónicos).

This study aimed to assess the perception of health professionals about the importance of information sources for the therapeutic relationship. A qualitative methodology was used, through the moderation of a focus group, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, applied to nine Portuguese health professionals interested in health literacy. Participants emphasized that health professionals have an increased responsibility in the therapeutic relationship, particularly in the management of communicational aspects, as well as, credible source of information that besides providing reliable information, must also direct patients when they use sources of information less reliable like the internet. It also highlighted the role of peers (other health professionals) and patients reporting on their experience (e.g. chronical disease patients).

Adultos com Deficiência Intelectual e Meios Digitais: Desenvolvimento Participativo de uma Campanha Audiovisual

O presente artigo apresenta os resultados de um estudo que teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento participativo e avaliação de uma campanha audiovisual de sensibilização para a importância do uso dos meios digitais por parte de adultos com deficiência intelectual. O desenvolvimento da campanha envolveu um grupo de oito pessoas com deficiência intelectual, que colaborou nas fases de conceção, produção e pós-produção. Numa primeira fase, através das entrevistas e pela observação durante as sessões de trabalho, foi possível caracterizar o perfil de experiência digital e audiovisual dos participantes. Posteriormente, procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento da campanha, tendo-se verificado que os contributos dos participantes com deficiência intelectual centraram-se na tomada de decisão, através de votações e, nas gravações, enquanto técnicos de imagem, som e elenco. Após o lançamento da campanha, aplicou-se um inquérito por questionário final que revelou a grande importância atribuída à temática e mostrou um feedback positivo relativamente à campanha audiovisual produzida, tanto em termos de conceção como ao nível de poder sensibilizador.

This article presents the results of a study that aimed the participatory development and evaluation of an audiovisual campaign to raise awareness of the importance of using digital media by adults with intellectual disability. The development of the campaign involved a group of 8 people with intellectual disabilities, who collaborated in the design, production and post-production. In the first phase, through interviews and observation during the work sessions, it was possible to characterize the participants' digital and audiovisual experience profile. Subsequently, the participants with intellectual disability contributed to the campaign making decisions through voting and being cast technicians, recording image and sound. After the release of the campaign, a final questionnaire was applied, which showed a great importance assigned to the topic and a positive feedback regarding the audiovisual campaign produced, both in terms of conception and sensibilisation power.

Tracking the distribution of non-professional subtitles to study new audiences

This paper analyzes the consumers in the context of non-professional subtitling (NPS). Using web scraping techniques to collect data about the downloading rate of non-professional subtitles we explore the behavior of consumers. Drawing on the case of the subtitles for House of Cards in Addic7ed.com, a popular multilingual non-professional subtitle distribution website, we describe the consumption of non-professional subtitles and the users response. After outlining the situation of the international audiences for audiovisual products and the relevance of consumers as the driving force behind NPS communities, we analyze the collected data in terms of their interest in the originality of the content and their wish to access the content immediately after it is available. Our findings indicate that the users of non-professional subtitles are highly engaged consumers, eager to access the content as soon as possible and interested in watching it in its original language (English), even with intralingual (same-language) subtitles.

Hyperlocal Journalism and PR: Diversity in Roles and Interactions

Hyperlocal media has repeatedly been framed as a potential saviour of local journalism, but the democratic and civic role that often is ascribed to hyperlocals is not obvious or uncomplicated. The hyperlocals vulnerable economic situation makes them dependent on free content, for example material produced by local councils or organizations. This paper investigates the role of hyperlocal media entrepreneurs and their interaction with local councils and other stakeholders. We examine how the hyperlocal media entrepreneurs supply their communities with news in places of a media void, and how they perceive their role in their communities. Findings from this qualitative study show that the media entrepreneurs view their news production as an important part of the local community. They provide a forum for debate and information for citizens, local governments and organizations. Their service also includes a channel for local events relevant for the community. The interactions with the local governments vary, as well as the hyperlocal entrepreneurs evaluation of how the information provided by the councils can or should be handled. The relation between hyperlocal media entrepreneurs and local governments is a complex process, including both interrelated and contradictory goals.

TV news and social audience in Europe (EU5): On-screen and Twitter Strategies

Social networks have altered how viewers watch television and consume information. This new context has obliged broadcasters to adapt their practices to reach viewers in all platforms. In this article, we focus on how the evening news programmes from the general-interest DTT channels in the five main European markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) appeal to their social audience. This concept, although ambiguous, refers to the activity of viewers on social networks in relation to the contents broadcast by the television industry in its multiple forms. We analyse both the screen strategies and their activity on their official Twitter accounts. Although the evening news is the anchor of the prime time and one of the main assets to instil the channels with prestige and influence, the conclusions point to a certain neglect of the social audience from the industry in these key programmes. But mostly, our research reveals how the specificities of the format and the nature of the content distinguish the evening news from other live TV shows.

Silence or alignment: Organized crime and government as primary definers of news in Mexico

The aim of this article is to explain, through the concept of Conflict Discourse System, the influence that Mexican government and organized crime exert on the news-making process. The results of the analysis prove that, considered as sources of information, authorities and cartels frequently determine the agenda and framing of the coverage of their activities. This the outcome of the use of bribes and/or violence. As a result, at the moment of covering these beats, journalists frequently are obliged to choose between silence or alignment. Therefore, rather than reporters, members of the government and drug lords have become the primary definers of news.

The importance of the time-shifted audience in front of the linear audience in Spanish television

Esta investigación intenta cuantificar la importancia de la audiencia en diferido frente a la audiencia lineal o tradicional en el mercado televisivo en España desde una nueva perspectiva basada en la audiencia acumulada de los programas analizados. Planteamos tres hipótesis de investigación: la H1 asegura que el peso de la audiencia en diferido en España continúa siendo muy reducido cuantitativamente frente a la audiencia tradicional; la H2 determina que los géneros con mayor número de telespectadores acumulados en diferido son los vinculados a la ficción frente a los de actualidad y entretenimiento; y la H3 afirma que las series españolas generan más audiencia en diferido que las extranjeras. Para comprobar las hipótesis proponemos una metodología basada en el estudio de los 10 programas más vistos en diferido durante nueve meses pero, en este caso, nos centraremos en la audiencia acumulada de los programas y no en su frecuencia. Concluiremos que la audiencia en diferido tiene más peso de lo que pensábamos porque ya está transformando, en algunos casos, la manera en la que se determina si un programa o no ha tenido éxito. También concluiremos que los géneros de ficción son los que obtienen mayor audiencia en diferido y, primordialmente, las series españolas por el interés que el contenido local también genera en Internet.

This research tries to quantify the importance of the time-shifted audience in front of the linear or traditional audience in the Spanish television market from a new perspective based on the accumulated audience of the analyzed shows. We propose three research hypotheses: H1 to ensure that the power of the time-shifted audience in Spain is very small compared to the traditional audience; H2 to determine that the genres with the greatest number of accumulated viewers in time-shifted audience are those linked to fiction versus current affairs and entertainment tv shows; and H3 to affirm that the Spanish series generate more audience than the others. To verify these hypotheses we propose a methodology based on the study of the 10 most watched time-shifted programs during nine months, although, in this case, they will focus on the cumulative audience of the programs and not on their frequency. We conclude that time-shifted audience has more power than we thought because it is already transforming, in some cases, the way in which it is determined whether or not a program has been successful. We will also conclude that the genres of fiction are those that obtain more time-shifted audience and, mainly, the Spanish series because of the interest generated also by local content on the Internet.

Rádio e Educação para os Media: dinamização de um ateliê de comunicação radiofónica em contexto escolar

Não podendo a cidadania ser pensada à margem do papel desempenhado pelos meios de comunicação na sociedade, torna-se essencial delinear estratégias de Educação para os Media que permitam o desenvolvimento de competências de acesso, de análise crítica dos media e de produção de conteúdos. Foi com base neste objetivo que desenvolvemos, em contexto escolar, um projeto de investigação-ação centrado na rádio e no seu potencial para a promoção de competências de Literacia Mediática. Neste âmbito, e tendo por base o Referencial de Educação para os Media (Pereira et al., 2014) homologado pelo Ministério da Educação, foi dinamizado um ateliê de comunicação radiofónica com uma turma de 23 alunos do 8.º ano do ensino básico de uma escola do norte do país. Nesta ação, que decorreu ao longo 12 aulas de Educação para a Cidadania, os estudantes assumiram um papel ativo na troca de experiências e saberes, foram sensibilizados para a importância do som e da rádio, adquiriram conhecimentos sobre o mundo radiofónico e desenvolveram competências comunicativas e de produção criativa. O trabalho desenvolvido evidenciou o potencial da comunicação radiofónica na promoção da Literacia Mediática e, em simultâneo, da participação e da cidadania dos jovens.

Since citizenship cannot be thought apart from the role played by the media in society, it is essential to design Media Education strategies that allow the development of competences related to access, critical media analysis and content production. Based on this objective it was developed, in a school context, an action research project focused on the radio and its potential for the promotion of Media Literacy competences. In this context, and based on the Portuguese Media Education Guidance (Pereira et al., 2014) approved by the Ministry of Education, a radio communication workshop was conducted with an 8th grade class of 23 students from a school in the north of the country. In this action, which took place during 12 classes of Education for Citizenship, the students played an active role in exchanging experiences and knowledge, became aware of the importance of sound and radio, gained knowledge about the radio world and developed communicative and creative production competences. The research project carried out showed the potential of radio communication for promoting Media Literacy and, at the same time, for developing young peoples participation and citizenship competences.

Photography on Twitter as a form of political image: The case of the general elections of 2015 in Spain

El objeto de este trabajo es analizar los aspectos visuales de los perfiles oficiales en Twitter de los principales candidatos a las elecciones generales de España de 2015. Para ello se emplea una metodología cualitativa a través de un sistema de categorías aplicado a la muestra del estudio, conformada por 527 imágenes. Esta investigación concluye que la gestión de las imágenes realizada por los perfiles de los principales candidatos políticos, que concurren a las elecciones generales, se centra sobre todo en la propia figura del político, dejando a un lado aspectos fundamentales como la exposición de propuestas y nuevas iniciativas para la ciudadanía.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the visual aspects of the official profiles on Twitter of the main candidates for the Spanish general election of 2015. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology is used through a category system applied to the study sample, which is composed of 527 images. This research concludes that the management of the images made by the profiles of the main political candidates, who attend the general elections, focuses especially on the figure of the politician, leaving aside fundamental aspects such as the presentation of proposals and new initiatives for citizenship.

De velhas e novas humanidades, velhos e novos estudos de média: uma leitura crítica de Blow up the humanities e Greening the media

O artigo faz uma leitura crítica dos livros Blow up the humanities, de Toby Miller, e Greening the media, de Richard Maxwell e Toby Miller, ambos de 2012, que, a pretexto da análise de duas crises - a crise das humanidades e a crise ambiental (ou eco-crise) - propõem uma renovação das humanidades e dos estudos dos média em linha com a matriz materialista dos estudos culturais. Em ambos os casos, defende-se o alargamento radical dos objectos de estudo e das abordagens, num quadro de robusta interdisciplinaridade que combina métodos quantitativos e qualitativos e que valoriza o trabalho académico colectivo e colaborativo.

The article develops a critical reading of the books Blow up the humanities, by Toby Miller, and Greening the media, by Richard Maxwell and Toby Miller, both published in 2012, which take two ongoing crises - the crisis in the humanities and the environmental crisis (or eco-crisis) - as a starting point to propose a renovation in the humanities and in media studies that seeks to recover the materialist strand of cultural studies. In both cases, a radical expansion of the objects and approaches is defended, within the framework of a robust interdisciplinarity that combines quantitative and qualitative methods and that values collective, collaborative work.