Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

4-2019

Abstract

Contemporary media systems are in transition. The constellation of organizations, groups, and individuals contributing information to national and international news flows has changed as a result of the digital transformation. The 'hybrid media system' has proven to be one of the most instructive concepts addressing this change. Its focus on the mutually dependent interconnections between various types of media organizations, actors, and publics has inspired prolific research. Yet the concept can tempt researchers to sidestep systematic analyses of information flows and actors’ differing degrees of influence by treating media systems as a black box. To enable large-scale, empirical comparative studies aimed at identifying interdependencies and power relationships in contemporary media systems, we propose the concept of discursive power. This describes the ability of contributors to communication spaces to introduce, amplify, and maintain topics, frames, and speakers, thus shaping public discourses and controversies that unfold in interconnected communication spaces. We also provide a theoretical framework of how structural features of organizations and media systems contribute to the emergence of discursive power for different types of actors in various contexts. This adds to the theoretical toolkit available to researchers interested in the empirical analysis of contemporary media systems.

Keywords

media systems, hybrid media system, agenda setting, framing, discursive power, theoretical framework, comparative research

Discipline

Film and Media Studies | Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing

Research Areas

Data Science and Engineering

Publication

International Journal of Press/Politics

Volume

24

Issue

4

First Page

404

Last Page

425

ISSN

1940-1612

Identifier

10.1177/1940161219841543

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Copyright Owner and License

Authors-CC-BY

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161219841543

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