Malakeng Hloma (BSocSci) (MDP)’s Post

Community-centered journalism can strengthen civic health for everyone. This is why our work at The Pivot Fund is more important than ever. By investing in digital-first newsrooms led by underserved people and underrepresented storytellers, we’re reshaping the media landscape to ensure it reflects the realities, priorities, and strengths of marginalized communities. Our work at The Pivot Fund goes beyond sustaining journalism. We’re advancing a movement for a more inclusive media ecosystem where diverse voices can thrive, and the power of storytelling and truth-telling is shared equitably by all.

🚨 Seven years ago, in my Nieman Lab prediction, I warned about the muting of underserved voices in media and its implications for equitable storytelling. This latest Pew Research report confirms and validates that prediction, revealing troubling systemic disparities in media representation. The findings show that men dominate the news influencer space by a margin of nearly two to one, and platforms like Facebook further amplify a significant political tilt—right-leaning influencers outnumber their left-leaning counterparts three to one on the platform. These disparities skew public discourse, limit diverse narratives, and sideline the voices of those most impacted by today’s pressing issues. This is why the work of The Pivot Fund is more important than ever. By investing in digital-first BIPOC-led newsrooms and underrepresented storytellers, we’re reshaping the media landscape to ensure it reflects the realities, priorities, and strengths of marginalized communities. From hyperlocal news outlets to digital-first organizations, these changemakers deliver nuanced, community-centered journalism that broadens the range of perspectives shaping public understanding. The gender gap in news creation also highlights the urgent need to fund media organizations led by women, particularly women of color, whose leadership is vital to building a more inclusive media ecosystem. Our work at The Pivot Fund goes beyond sustaining journalism—we’re advancing a movement for equitable storytelling, empowering diverse voices to thrive in a landscape where algorithms and traditional funding models often favor dominant narratives. Together, we’re ensuring that the power of storytelling and truth-telling is shared equitably. 🔗 Read more from Pew: https://lnkd.in/gMQiX-9Q 💡 Let’s talk about how we can amplify the voices that matter most.

On balance, we'd suggest that banning social media for under-16s is the right thing to do. But, as this BBC story shows, there's a considerable number of factors to be taken into consideration - not least of which is how do you make it happen, how do you oversee it and the question of whether 16 is a bit arbitrary. Clearly had social media been regulated from the very start, we wouldn't have to be thinking about how we're going to impose regulation on young people today. (The same - broadly speaking - goes for AI.) Reducing usage of social media/influencers as marketing tools to reach the youth demographic (as a whole) isn't going to solve the wider problem, but if it makes social media less compelling for younger users, that's got to be a good thing.

Here's a really fascinating The New York Times article discussing how 18-30 year olds engage with news events. They tend to seek individuals with strong opinions post-event on social media platforms, reminiscent of political talk radio. Surprisingly, traditional outlets like AP serve as their primary news sources. For politically-oriented organizations aiming to connect with younger audiences, integrating themselves into news stories and finding ways to engage with these types of influencers can significantly extend the conversation. #SocialMedia #PoliticalInfluence #DigitalStrategy #NYT https://lnkd.in/eQFHZ5z2

#TikTok's impact on media is profound, spearheaded by #GenZ. As outlined by #MediaPost, TikTok is revolutionizing how we consume media, opening up new avenues for digital engagement. This shift from traditional to digital platforms prompts a reevaluation of advertising strategies to resonate with younger demographics. Utilize these valuable insights to enhance your advertising campaigns and achieve remarkable outcomes! #DigitalAdvertising #socialmedia #influencers

Imagine this: you're a fairly popular news media figure, and you have a chance to get a one-on-one with a U.S. vice president and presidential candidate. But the candidate can't make it to your hometown because it's not on any of the last-minute campaign stops. So you get on a plane and get that interview, right? Not if you're Joe Rogan. No, then you look at your follower demographics and conclude that the power move with them is to say to the Harris campaign, "Sorry, but if you can't come to Austin, it's no go." I'm a certified oldster now. (I'll be 69 in a month). Old enough to have watched a lot of Walter Cronkite segments ending with him saying, "...and that's the way it is..." Which was often the way it was. Cronkite was the product of a media regulatory environment that favored balance in political speech on the airwaves. CNN, MSNBC and Fox News reflect splits that happened not long after those regulations were revoked. But the splits are even more fractionated now. Especially among the young. If I was a devoted watcher of any of those cable channels, I'd be just about at the median of their viewers' age demographics. "Former President Trump reached way more potential male voters with his three-hour Rogan conversation (33 million views over the weekend) than he could have with a dozen or more appearances on Fox News, CNN and MSNBC combined. All three cable news networks skew very old in viewership, with median ages ranging from 67 to 70." Thanks, Axios. Thanks for making me feel very old. And thanks for making me feel even more scared -- about what may be coming. In my day, the criticism was that the media majors were trafficking in mere "sound bites." But at least there was a relatively strong political neutrality mandate. These days, it's curation of sound bites according to how they play to the biases of various fractions of influencer audiences. "When attention is scattered across scores of shards, it's easier to propagate conspiracy theories and manipulate "news."" Can this end well? I find that hard to imagine. I find it easier to imagine an American Krystallnacht -- shards of glass in the mediasphere in the election leading to a lot of broken glass on American streets. With a lot more breaking than just the glass.

“The report, covering Black audiences in the U.S., Brazil, Nigeria, the U.K. and South Africa, examined the untapped power and influence Black people have on the media landscape. Researchers concluded that the findings underscored the crucial need for genuine representation and pointed to a significant untapped opportunity for media companies, content creators, and brands.” #media #landscape #representation #global #black #audiences #nielsen

Does social media influence political opinions? Or does it reinforce existing political beliefs within a bubble? I've seen a lot of hot takes since the US election results, but I haven't seen many people talking about how representations of conservative values have become popular on social media as conversations separate to politics. For example, the rising popularity of the quiet luxury fashion trend (don't forget: fashion *is* political and functions as a mirror to our times) and tradwife influencers reinforcing gender norms with stylised content about their beautiful homes and families are just two examples from social media that signalled the way this particular election would lean. And while there has been at least one study that analyses how Facebook algorithms shape political bubbles (I'll drop a link to an article about in the comments), and others that look at specific topics such as radicalisation - I'd be curious to know if anyone researches the impact social media algorithms may have on influencing broader values (and political beliefs as an extension of this) at the population level over time. I suspect they'd find some interesting insights. #SocialMedia

European Parliament Think Tank (EPTT)--At a Glance Young people and the news [7 November 2024] https://lnkd.in/gJAN7pfd or https://lnkd.in/g8xUvxh9 Media consumption patterns have changed profoundly in recent years, creating challenges for traditional news companies. News media are now faced with digitally native younger generations who often pay more attention to influencers and celebrities than they do to journalists, even when it comes to news. The teaching of media literacy skills is more necessary than ever to help people – especially children and young people – understand the difference between news circulating on social media and news provided by professional media sources.

Our research reveals that over half of young men aged 13-25 are exposed to the effects of #Misogynistic content on #SocialMedia, either directly or through their social circles. Surprised? There's more to uncover. 👇 Question: Are young men being bombarded with misogynistic content on social media, and is this trend causing a disturbing societal shift? Influencers like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, known for their 'Red Pill' content, provide a sense of belonging and validation while promoting harmful advice on men's roles in society. Their business model specifically targets young men. According to our survey, 35% of respondents admitted to being personally influenced by misogynistic or hateful content on social media, and 17% know someone who has been influenced. When we asked 'how,' these were some of the responses... Read more below. #GenderEquality #GenderBias #Sexism https://lnkd.in/dQ-iuhgS