Spreading the Good News: Analyzing Socially Shared Inspirational News Content. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ji, Qihao; Raney, Arthur A.; Janicke-Bowles, Sophie H.; Dale, Katherine R.; Oliver, Mary Beth; Reed, Abigail; Seibert, Jonmichael; Raney, Arthur A.
• Is Part Of: Journalism & mass communication quarterly. Volume 96:Number 3(2019:Sep.)
• Page Start: 872
• Page End: 893
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: self-transcendent media experiences -- inspirational media -- news sharing -- news retransmission -- content analysis; Journalism -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; Communication -- Periodicals; Journalism -- United States -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 070
• DOI: 10.1177/1077699018813096
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-6990

Abstract

Past research indicates that people often share awe-inspiring news online. However, little is known about the content of those stories. In this study, more broadly defined "inspirational" articles shared through The New York Times website over a 6-month period were analyzed, with the goals of describing the content and identifying characteristics that might predict inspirationality and measures of retransmission. The results provided a snapshot of content found within inspirational news stories; they also revealed that self-transcendent language use predicted the inspirationality of a news story, as well as how long an article appeared on a most shared list.