Mapping mediamorphosis: how print newspaper circulation influences features of audience participation at online news sites

This quantitative research study explores questions about why and how U.S. daily newspapers are adapting as the traditional print medium moves into the revolutionary new realm of digitization of content and delivery systems. It explores mass communication theories on media technology change and relies on Roger Fidler's (1997) conception of a mediamorphosis, in which older media change in order to avoid obsolescence. The study asks how newspapers' performance in circulation relates to the their shift toward embracing digital practices, specifically a willingness to invite more of a two-way flow of information between journalists and audience members. The study looks at a randomly selected sample of 195 daily U.S. newspapers with paid circulations of 14,000 or more. The research design involves three distinct methodological steps. The first draws upon industry data to calculate newspapers' individual performances in maintaining a base of subscribers for their print versions. The second applies a content analysis of the Web sites of the sample to explore the extent of activity online as newspapers provide opportunities for audience members to participate in the creation of content by posting comments and images, a practice unique to the digital landscape. The third quantitative step correlates the two data sets to shed light on the process of mediamorphosis. The study also inspects the uses of various types of participatory features and provides examples from several sites. The data was gathered in 2004 and offers both a snapshot of this transitional period as well as baseline information for future studies. The study found a slight but statistically significant negative correlation, suggesting that as newspapers' performance declined in circulation, organizations were shifting to provide more online features that promoted user participation. But few newspaper sites were moving quickly. On average, newspapers featured a single kind of structure promoting audience response, such as a discussion forum or spaces for comments at the end of stories. Trends (such as blogging), new literature, and recent practices indicate that this morphing will accelerate in the near future, prompting online editors to adopt more elastic forms of professional gatekeeping