Arghumgamgr
Just read an article which shows, among other things, that there is a positive relation between use of news media and civic engagement. Some theoretical explanations offered are that news give 'voice to community concerns', and 'not only [do they] educate, they provide the basis for political discussion and deliberation that can lead to civic action' (pg. 371).
The writers are, of course, quick to re-emphasize that the role of news media in promoting civic participation may only be mediatory in nature (pg. 371). In other words, it could be the case that people who are already disposed to engage in civic activities merely use the news as a springboard to civic participation.
Now, I'm quite apathetic to the plight of the Haiti people, as well as most victims of natural disasters. Apart from interesting links friends sometimes insist I read, my only consumption of news media is The Straits Times, whose quality many would find debatable at best. I consistently skip articles on natural disasters, terrorism, military conflicts, the economy (especially Singapore's economy), and politics (especially Malaysian and American politics). What I'd like to know here is if I'd participate in fund-raising events for Haiti if I had actually bothered to read more about it, not just in The Strait Times but in weekly magazines, emails and websites. If there's an increase in my civic participation in this regard, then I'd be more inclined to think use of news media has a causal link with civic participation; if not, then I'll just be one more example showing that civic compassion is derived from deeper sources.
I remember going down to sign a petition by the SDP calling on the Singapore government to disclose her arms dealings with Myanmar, or something like that. Obviously I'm concerned over some issues more than others. My number one concern now is the warm weather. Buses taking 20 minutes to arrive is a close second, though whether we live in a matrix is an equally pressing issue.
The writers are, of course, quick to re-emphasize that the role of news media in promoting civic participation may only be mediatory in nature (pg. 371). In other words, it could be the case that people who are already disposed to engage in civic activities merely use the news as a springboard to civic participation.
Now, I'm quite apathetic to the plight of the Haiti people, as well as most victims of natural disasters. Apart from interesting links friends sometimes insist I read, my only consumption of news media is The Straits Times, whose quality many would find debatable at best. I consistently skip articles on natural disasters, terrorism, military conflicts, the economy (especially Singapore's economy), and politics (especially Malaysian and American politics). What I'd like to know here is if I'd participate in fund-raising events for Haiti if I had actually bothered to read more about it, not just in The Strait Times but in weekly magazines, emails and websites. If there's an increase in my civic participation in this regard, then I'd be more inclined to think use of news media has a causal link with civic participation; if not, then I'll just be one more example showing that civic compassion is derived from deeper sources.
I remember going down to sign a petition by the SDP calling on the Singapore government to disclose her arms dealings with Myanmar, or something like that. Obviously I'm concerned over some issues more than others. My number one concern now is the warm weather. Buses taking 20 minutes to arrive is a close second, though whether we live in a matrix is an equally pressing issue.
1 Comments:
My number 1 concern will be traffic jams along 74 route. It can be so bad that I waste 30min on each journey because of traffic jams. Even the 74 bus driver complained to me about the traffic jams. I cannot wait for the circle line to be built.
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