News and Democratic Citizens in the Mobile Era

Mobile devices have limitations for meaningful reading due to smaller screens and slower connection speeds, leading to increased time, economic, and cognitive costs. Only a few benefits outweigh the costs, so attention, engagement, and recall suffer when people consume news on mobile devices. This has implications for the news industry and an informed democratic citizenry.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 21 December 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Mobile technologies have become increasingly popular for news consumption, yet evidence suggests that smaller screens and slower connection speeds pose significant limitations for meaningful reading. In their book, News and Democratic Citizens in the Mobile Era, Johanna Dunaway and Kathleen Searles delve into the effects of mobile devices on news attention, engagement, and recall, and identify a key cognitive mechanism underlying these effects: cognitive effort.

The authors propose a theory that combines both old and new insights. They argue that the costs of information-seeking can curb participatory behaviors unless the benefits outweigh them. For news consumers in the mobile era, mobile devices introduce additional time, economic, and cognitive costs associated with information-seeking. However, it is only a small fraction of individuals who find the benefits of attending to the news on mobile devices to outweigh these costs.

Building on economic theories of news, media choice, and the ways audience demand shapes news craft and production, Dunaway and Searles argue that attention, engagement, and recall suffer when people consume news on mobile devices. They further investigate the implications of these effects for the news industry and for an informed democratic citizenry.

To address these issues, the authors draw on both laboratory and real-world studies, incorporating the psychophysiology of news consumption into their analysis. They explore the potential losses that may occur in an information environment characterized by a dramatic shift in reliance on mobile devices, including reduced attention span, decreased engagement, and impaired memory retention.

The book offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities posed by the mobile era for news consumption and democratic citizenship. It highlights the need for the news industry to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of mobile users, while also emphasizing the importance of individuals developing strategies to optimize their news consumption in this context.

In conclusion, Mobile technologies have revolutionized the way we consume news, yet they also present significant limitations for meaningful reading. By examining the effects of mobile devices on news attention, engagement, and recall, Dunaway and Searles shed light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying these effects and propose a theory that emphasizes the importance of weighing the costs and benefits of information-seeking. Their book offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities posed by the mobile era for news consumption and democratic citizenship, and highlights the need for the news industry to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviors of mobile users while also emphasizing the importance of individuals developing strategies to optimize their news consumption in this context.

Weight: 266g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190922498