Gender and Generational Differences in Political Reporters’ Interactivity on Twitter

Authors

John H. Parmelee, University of North FloridaFollow
Nataliya Roman, University of North FloridaFollow
Berrin Beasley, University of North FloridaFollow
Stephynie C. Perkins, University of North FloridaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-25-2019

Abstract

A content analysis of US political reporters examines how journalists’ age and gender influence their interactivity on Twitter with citizens, politicians, organizations, and fellow journalists. Findings contribute to the concept of normalization, which suggests that journalists do not take advantage of new technology’s engagement opportunities. Male political reporters were nearly twice as likely as female reporters to engage in the most genuine form of interactivity, and Generation X reporters were far more involved than Millennials in having back-and-forth conversations with citizens. The results show the degree to which journalistic normalization of Twitter depends on the gender and generation of the reporters involved.

Publication Title

Journalism Studies

Volume

20

Issue

2

First Page

232

Last Page

247

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1080/1461670X.2017.1364140

ISSN

1461670X

E-ISSN

14699699

Citation Information

Parmelee, John H.; Roman, Nataliya; Beasley, Berrin; and Perkins, Stephynie C., "Gender and Generational Differences in Political Reporters’ Interactivity on Twitter" (2019). UNF Faculty Research and Scholarship. 970.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/unf_faculty_publications/970