Published In
International Journal of Communication
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2019
Subjects
Democratic norms -- case studies, Mass communication -- studies
Abstract
Communication interventions can make valuable contributions to the democratic development of citizens. This article reports on a nongovernmental organization’s (NGO’s) effort to leverage a television rap news program in Uganda to strengthen viewers’ democratic norms. Two different approaches addressing government failures and malfeasance are tested with an experiment conducted in six villages outside of Kampala. Results indicate that soft news segments can influence viewers’ perceived democratic norms and shape downstream behaviors as well. Beneficial effects were strongest when participants were exposed to stories that featured relatable citizens demonstrating desirable democratic attitudes and behaviors. Treatment effects were most pronounced among less politically sophisticated participants. Results suggest that media interventions are most likely to change perceived norms when they employ messages that depict individuals modeling the desired norms. Second, results show that entertainment news can be a genre used for communication interventions that employ theoretically grounded messages. These lessons are likely both transferable to interventions in other contexts.
Rights
Copyright © 2019 (Lee Shaker, Paul Falzone, Paul Sparks, and Ruth Kugumikiriza).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Locate the Document
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/29335
Citation Details
Shaker, L., Falzone, P., Sparks, P., & Kugumikiriza, R. (2019). From the Studio to the Street: Cultivating Democratic Norms in Uganda. International Journal of Communication, 13, 19.