This study examines generational differences in preferences for traditional and digital media in Saudi Arabia and their association with three dimensions of cultural identity: reported language practices and attitudes, social values, and national belonging. A descriptive-analytical survey was administered electronically to a non-probability quota sample of Saudi citizens (N = 372; 124 per generation) recruited through social networks. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and chi-square tests.Preferences for channels varied by generation: official TV was most strongly associated with Generation X (F = 28.2, p < .001) and TikTok with Generation Z (F = 15.7, p < .001). Motives also differed across generations (χ² = 41.85, df = 6, p < .001): Generation X more often cited cognitive/informational reasons, whereas Generation Z was more often motivated by entertainment. Contrary to the predicted negative relationship, digital media use was not associated with reported linguistic-hybridity practices (code-switching, attitudes toward English, and Arabizi use) or social values and showed only a weak positive relationship with heritage pride (r = .146, p = .004). The data therefore offer no evidence that digital media use erodes cultural identity, although a cross-sectional survey cannot establish causal effects.The only belonging-and-identity item that differed robustly by generation was a single-item measure of perceived online–offline self-discrepancy (“identity duality”), which was highest among Generation Z (F = 5.408, p = .005, η² = .027). There were no significant generational differences in national pride or global citizenship. The results point to intergenerational differences in perceived online/offline consistency rather than a gap in values.
Data visualization has surfaced as an essential journalistic practice for conveying complex quantitative information in print and digital media. While existing scholarship predominantly examines data journalism within digital newsrooms, the long-term evolution of visual data artifacts in traditional newsprint media persists under-researched, particularly in Central Asia. To address this gap, this study examines the quantitative growth, structural typology, and functional transformation of data visualization in Kazakhstani print media through a ten-year diachronic content analysis of the national socio-political weekly newspaper Jas Qazaq (2016–2025). Based on an extensive review of 466 published newspaper issues, an empirical dataset of N = 1,090 visual data artifacts was categorized across four main graphic topographies: frequently appearing stock-market symbols (42.8%), statistical tables, maps, and seismograms (21.7%), prominent numerical snapshots (18.9%), and thematic infographics (16.6%).The evidence indicates 84.7% over time increase in extent of the visual data (expanding from 72 units in 2016 to 133 units in 2025), demonstrating the consistent institutionalization of data visualization as a constant newsprint standard. Qualitatively, the editorial workflow transitioned from basic numerical decoration to complex crisis communication during major national emergencies (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic, Almaty earthquake, spring floods). The study defines a region-specific print data journalism model, providing a theoretical framework for how print newsrooms structure visual information to reduce potential audience mental strains.
This study aimed to analyze how Jordanian media represent Syrian refugees by examining framing, stereotypes, and the emotional tone of coverage, and to explore the media's role in socially constructing refugees’ identities and their reality within the host community. The study employed quantitative content analysis on a sample of news articles published on three Jordanian news websites. The findings revealed a clear dominance of humanitarian and social frames in the coverage of the Syrian refugee issue by Jordanian media outlets. Moreover, the study found a statistically significant relationship between media framing and emotional tone, indicating that framing is linked to the discourse that accompanies the coverage and the frequency of stereotypes that emphasize the humanitarian nature of refugees. Additionally, the results indicate that Jordanian media are positively associated with public opinion by reconstructing the reality of Syrian refugees through messages that are consistent with a discourse that encourages empathy and social solidarity between society and the refugees.
With the rise of short-form video content creation on social media, along with the growing role of AI in online content creation, there is a need for validation of the use of AI in newsrooms and in social media journalistic communication. To study how AI implementation in short-form video journalism affects the audience's perception of trust, engagement, and authenticity, this study examines how AI technology is shaping media content and how this process influences audiences' perception. As AI becomes more and more popular as a tool for news production, there is an increasing need for research that will explore the perception of audiences in regard to AI-mediated content and how it affects credibility and interaction. The study used a mixed-methods design of surveying 300 participants and conducting focus groups with them. The quantitative data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression, while qualitative information was obtained using thematic analysis. The finding suggests that transparency can create a perception of deception among the audiences; authenticity is seen as performative, and engagement is somewhat habit-based. Additionally, AI journalism is not necessarily affecting trust in a negative way, but rather changing the way audiences perceive news.
This bibliometric review maps the intellectual and thematic organization of research on social media, body image, mental health, and aesthetic behavior, combining descriptive indicators with author co-citation and keyword co-occurrence analyses of 259 Scopus publications selected from 325 retrieved records. The corpus shows annual publication output reaching 55 in 2025, with the largest reported affiliation-based contributions coming from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The networks connect strands concerning appearance comparison and body image, psychological and behavioral concerns, and positive body image and prevention, thereby characterizing scholarly attention while substantive findings are interpreted through the designs and populations of the cited studies. Because the review encompasses adolescent, young-adult, and adult-focused scholarship, population-specific interpretation informs the use of this map as an organizing framework for research on content, forms of engagement, cultural context, and protective approaches. The resulting policy and practice agenda identifies appearance literacy, sponsorship disclosure, cosmetic-procedure promotion, and recommendation pathways as subjects for direct evaluation, connecting research priorities while maintaining distinctions among bibliometric relationships, study-level evidence, and prospective policy assessment.
