Kentucky Online Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Project
- Principal Investigator: Seungahn Nah, Assistant Professor in Community Communications
- Co-Principal Investigator: Deborah Chung, Assistant Professor in Journalism
Project Description:
The purpose of this study is to examine how newspaper editors/news audiences use features on online newspapers and blogs, their perceptions about credibility, attitude toward website and media and citizen journalists' role conceptions, and their civic and community engagement patterns. This project seeks to invigorate the bond between community newspapers and their audiences in rural Kentucky. In particular, it will shed light on how to better equip rural newspapers with tools that allow readers to expand their news consumption experience and become more active citizens.
The Kentucky Citizen Media Project (KCMP)
- Principal Investigator: Seungahn Nah
- Co-Principal Investigator: Gary Hansen and Randy Weckman
- Editorial Advisor: Al Cross
- Project Coordinator: Will Samson
Project Description:
The Kentucky Citizen Media Project (KCMP) aims to initiate a citizen-based media through the Internet in Robertson County, Kentucky, which is the only county in Kentucky with no local newspaper, but a county-wide Wi-Fi wireless network. Then the KCMP will train citizens to become citizen journalists who report and deliver news and information regarding public and community affairs through the online citizen media. In partnership with community institutions, organizations, and members, the KCMP will establish an online community media that in turn, can encourage citizens to build social networks and discuss community issues and problems to realize common goods for a healthy community. In the long-term, the KCMP will develop a citizen media model through digital communication technologies which can be applied to and/or replicated in other communities with poor media environments.
The Internet and US Farmers Markets
- Faculty: Seungahn Nah and Randy Weckman
- Grad Students: Kathryn Ellis, Donna Hancock, Jesse Horn
Project Description:
The purpose of the study is to examine community structural pluralism and its impact on community organizations' activities. Specifically, this study examines to what degree community features affect the Internet adoption by U.S. farmers' markets. In doing so, the study aims to collect U.S. county level data from the Website of the United States Department of Agriculture and conduct content analysis of Websites of farmers markets along with a nationwide survey.