Audun Beyer

• Karlsen, Rune; Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Do High-Choice Media Environments Facilitate News Avoidance? A Longitudinal Study 1997–2016. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. . doi: 10.1080/08838151.2020.1835428 Show summary

  The well-known “high-choice news avoidance thesis” and the alternative “network structure perspective” stipulate somewhat conflicting expectations about news consumption in today’s digital media systems. Based on annual survey data from Norway, the article examines news avoidance from 1997–2016, a period when digitalization processes transformed the media environment. Results show that news avoidance increased only marginally. The decrease in use of traditional media is largely compensated for by online news. However, news avoidance is increasingly polarized along educational lines, and it is unclear to what degree online news consumption equals traditional news media consumption in qualitative terms.

• Beyer, Audun & Figenschou, Tine Ustad (2018). Media hypes and public opinion: Human interest frames and hype fatigue, In Peter Vasterman (ed.),  From Media Hype to Twitter Storm. News Explosions and Their Impact on Issues, Crises and Public Opinion.  Amsterdam University Press.  ISBN 9789462982178.  11.  s 249 - 266
• Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2018). Nasjonale organisasjoners bruk av sosiale medier. Muligheter og barrierer for bruk, I: Bernard Enjolras & Ivar Eimhjellen (red.),  Fra kollektiv til konnektiv handling? Nye former for samfunnsengasjement og kollektiv handling i Norge.  Cappelen Damm Akademisk.  ISBN 9788202590420.  Kapittel 9.  s 235 - 270
• Enjolras, Bernard; Steen-Johnsen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2018). Forholdet mellom online- og offline-deltakelse i frivillige organisasjoner, I: Bernard Enjolras & Ivar Eimhjellen (red.),  Fra kollektiv til konnektiv handling? Nye former for samfunnsengasjement og kollektiv handling i Norge.  Cappelen Damm Akademisk.  ISBN 9788202590420.  Kapittel 4.  s 101 - 126 Full text in Research Archive.
• Aalberg, Toril & Beyer, Audun (2015). Human Interest Framing of Irregular Immigration: An Empirical Study of Public Preferences for Personalized News Stories in the United States, France, and Norway. American Behavioral Scientist.  59(7), s 858- 875 . doi: 10.1177/0002764215573258 Show summary

  The media have a strong tendency to frame political issues with a focus on personal and emotional cases. We do not, however, know if there is a close link between the news media’s use of these frames and the news preferences of the public. Such a close relationship may exist either because human interest news coverage is driven by audience demand or because the public might be influenced by the degree of individual news stories in the news. On the other hand, the audience’s news preferences may be unrelated to the actual media coverage on irregular immigration due to citizens’ selective media exposure, which may be driven by political predispositions. Based on a large quantitative content analysis conducted in the United States, France, and Norway and a following public opinion survey in the same countries, we find that the application of a human interest frame in a country’s news coverage of irregular immigration does not correspond with the public’s preferences for this type of news coverage. On the individual level, our findings demonstrate that liberal audience groups favor human interest–framed news coverage, while conservatives do not agree that individual news stories would provide a better understanding of the issue of irregular immigration.

• Beyer, Audun & Matthes, Jörg (2015). Attitudes toward illegal immigration and exposure to public service and commercial broadcasting in France, Norway, and the United States. International Journal of Communication.  9(1), s 3264- 3279
• Beyer, Audun & Matthes, Jörg (2015). Public Perceptions of the Media Coverage of Irregular Immigration: Comparative Insights From France, the United States, and Norway. American Behavioral Scientist. . doi: 10.1177/0002764215573253
• Figenschou, Tine Ustad; Beyer, Audun & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2015). The moral police : agenda-setting and framing effects of a new(s) concept of immigration. Nordicom Review.  36(1), s 65- 78 Show summary

  How does the general public understand media coverage of immigration issues? The present article analyses the media effects of an extensive news series focusing on the harassment of people believed to disrespect traditional Muslim norms. Through an explorative survey study, it traces how Norwegian media launched and covered what was labeled "the moral police" phenomenon, and to what extent the media framing of the issue had an agenda- setting and/or frame-setting effect on the public. It finds that, although most respondents had become aware of the issue through the media, they did not necessarily adopt the media’s framing of the phenomenon. The respondents did not primarily relate the "moral police" to immigration (the dominant media frame), they understood the new phenomenon through experiences from their own lives and framed it as a general social problem.

• Matthes, Jörg & Beyer, Audun (2015). Toward a cognitive-affective process model of hostile media perceptions: A multi-country structural equation modeling approach. Communication Research.  44(8), s 1075- 1098 . doi: 10.1177/0093650215594234
• Waldahl, Ragnar & Beyer, Audun (2015). Offentlig opinion og politisk kommunikasjon, I: Øyvind Ihlen; Eli Skogerbø & Sigurd Allern (red.),  Makt, medier og politikk: Norsk politisk kommunikasjon.  Universitetsforlaget.  ISBN 9788215024585.  3.  s 34 - 46
• Beyer, Audun & Figenschou, Tine Ustad (2014). Human-Interest Fatigue: Audience Evaluations of a Massive Emotional Story. International Journal of Communication.  8, s 1944- 1963 Show summary

  Numerous studies have documented the media’s extensive focus on individual cases when reporting on immigration. In this article, we ask how the audience views such human-interest framing when a single story receives disproportionate attention. Employing an explorative survey of a representative sample of the population as the story peaked in the media, we found that the audience is highly critical of the media coverage, particularly regarding the scale and scope of the coverage. This points to an interesting paradox: the human-interest frame, meant to capture audience attention and engagement in a story, actually makes people tired and less engaged when overused.

• Beyer, Audun; Knutsen, Carl Henrik & Rasch, Bjørn Erik (2014). Election campaigns, issue focus and voting intentions: Survey experiments of norwegian voters. Scandinavian Political Studies.  37(4), s 406- 427 . doi: 10.1111/1467-9477.12029 Show summary

  This article investigates whether and how changes in issue focus in election campaigns affect voting intention, even if no preference change takes place, and whether such effects vary systematically across different groups of voters. Evidence is reported from two survey experi- ments of Norwegian voters, where respondents were treated with information drawing their attention towards issues pertaining either to immigration or the environment. Although irrel- evant for policy learning or persuasion, this information strongly increased the support of particular parties. More specifically, parties with ‘ownership’ of the issues involved gained votes. Certain types of voters were more likely to change voting intentions post-treatment than others, but which types crucially depended on the issue area under focus. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the issue focus of campaigns is very important for vote choice. Hence, one should expect that, for instance, even ‘neutral’ political news coverage at or close to election day could affect voters in predictable ways. Furthermore, one should expect different parties to fight hard to steer the focus of campaigns towards issues where they have ownership.

• Figenschou, Tine Ustad & Beyer, Audun (2014). Elitene, minoritetene og mediene: Definisjonsmakt i norsk innvandringsdebatt. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning.  55(1), s 25- 54
• Figenschou, Tine Ustad & Beyer, Audun (2014). The Limits of the Debate: How the Oslo Terror Shook the Norwegian Immigration Debate. The International Journal of Press/Politics.  19(4), s 430- 452 . doi: 10.1177/1940161214542954 Show summary

  How do disruptive events such as terrorism, disasters, and crises change public discourses? Do they alter journalistic distinctions between legitimate utterances and unacceptable viewpoints? This article provides answers to these questions through a unique data set concerning the coverage of immigration in Norway before and after the Oslo terror of 2011. The data serve as a natural experiment where we can analyze how immigration discourse was changed with regard to its magnitude, topical emphasis, and the sources interviewed. The analysis demonstrate that Hallin’s classic three-sphere model illuminates the dynamics of current meta-debates on polarized topics, where multiple online media continually criticize mainstream media and multiple voices question legitimate discourse. The main finding is that mainstream media definitions of appropriateness and deviance were challenged after the terror, as journalists adapted to a new political context. First, the issue of immigration was covered less in the months after the attacks. Second, the most vocal critics of the current immigration policies were put on the defensive, and debates with a critical potential were largely muted. At the same time, however, the attacks to some extent also opened mainstream media debate to online, deviant anti-Islamic actors who were previously largely silenced and ignored.

• Beyer, Audun (2013). Political superstars: Celebrity politics and the media. Internasjonal Politikk - Skandinavisk tidsskrift for internasjonale studier.  71(4), s 581- 590
• Beyer, Audun (2013). Politiske superstjerner: Kjendispolitikk og mediene. Internasjonal Politikk - Skandinavisk tidsskrift for internasjonale studier.  71(4), s 581- 590
• Beyer, Audun (2010). Hvordan studere generiske nyhetsrammer? forslag til metodiske forbedringer. Norsk Medietidsskrift.  17(2), s 162- 179
• Beyer, Audun & Waldahl, Ragnar (2009). Partibarometre i mediene. Samsvarer presentasjonen med nasjonale og internasjonale anbefalinger? Resultater fra valgåret 2005. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning.  50(1), s 55- 70 Show summary

  Polls are an important part of political communication in the news media. Newspapers and television channels regularly present results from polls, and especially election polls are important as a way of communicating the climate of opinions to citizens. As the election day comes closer, the amount of polls presented in the media peaks, and in the few weeks before an election, citizens are able to read stories presenting results from polls on a daily basis. Organizations such as AAPOR, WAPOR, NCPP, and in Norway, Norsk Markedsanalyseforening, have presented guidelines for presentation of polls in the media. Media organizations are not committed to follow or comply with these international guidelines or standards, but it would be a positive contribution to the role of the news media in a democracy if they did. In our analyses of seven newspapers and two television channels we find that most articles and news items in both newspapers and television news, fail to live up to the standards given by Norsk Markedsanalyseforenings guidelines when it comes to presentation of polls in the media. These findings correspond with findings in other research on the subject of polls and reporting of polls in the media, both in the press and on television.

• Waldahl, Ragnar & Beyer, Audun (2008). Meningsmålinger og valgkamp i USA. Internasjonal Politikk - Skandinavisk tidsskrift for internasjonale studier.  66(2-3), s 435- 449

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• Beyer, Audun; Asbjørnsen, Dag; Akselberg, Jørgen Wold; Larsen, Elin Strand; Lysne, Anders; Eide, Bernt; Haukanes, Lena; Thommessen, Therese; svensøy, Turid; Totland, Geir & Kjelling, Kristoffer (2018). Hallo. Medier og kommunikasjon 2. Aschehoug & Co.  ISBN 9788203404450.  336 s.
• Ringdal, Nils Johan & Beyer, Audun (2008). Georg Valentin von Munthe af Morgenstiernes forunderlige liv og reiser. Aschehoug & Co.  ISBN 9788203188336.  784 s.

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• Brekke, Jan-Paul & Beyer, Audun (2019). “Everyone wants to leave”: Transit migration from Khartoum — The role of information and social media campaigns. Rapport – Institutt for samfunnsforskning. 2019:11. Full text in Research Archive. Show summary

  This report is based on interviews with migrants who are stuck in transit in Khartoum on their way to Europe. Challenged by the rough living conditions in the Sudanese capital, they weigh the attractions of reaching their preferred destination against the costs and dangers on the route through the desert and across the Mediterranean. What role does information play in these considerations? Can information campaigns on social media influence their decisions?

• Brekke, Jan-Paul; Beyer, Audun & Enjolras, Bernard (2019). Antisemittisme på nett og i sosiale medier i Norge: Kjennetegn, avsendere og motvirkning. Rapport – Institutt for samfunnsforskning. 2019:5. Full text in Research Archive. Show summary

  De siste årene har det blitt større oppmerksomhet om antisemittisme og andre typer hatefulle ytringer på nett og i sosiale medier. Flere deltar nå i det offentlige ordskiftet, men samtidig kan flere bli utsatt for antisemittiske ytringer og annen netthets. I denne rapporten ser vi på mulighetene for å følge med antisemittisme på nett og i sosiale medier og hva som eventuelt kan gjøres for å motvirke denne typen ytringer.

• Beyer, Audun; Brekke, Jan-Paul & Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti (2017). Communicating borders : informing migrants and potential asylum seekers through social media. Rapport – Institutt for samfunnsforskning. 2017:04. Full text in Research Archive. Show summary

  Informing migrants and potential asylum seekers through social media Summary How do Norwegian immigration authorities use social media in their communication with migrants with Norway as destination? In this study, we analyze the Norwegian Facebook campaign titled “Stricter asylum regulations in Norway.” The campaign was launched by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in a period when asylum arrivals to Norway peaked in the fall of 2015. In addition to the Norwegian campaign, we examine similar internet based information campaigns in a range of other European countries. The study demonstrates that the social media campaign allowed Norwegian authorities to reach migrants that they would not have reached through conventional means of information. This was accomplished through the use of paid content on Facebook, and the targeting of specific groups who received the information from the Norwegian Government in their personal Facebook feed. The study of similar European and international campaigns confirmed that strategic government communication with migrants through social media is still in an experimental phase. The analysis of the Norwegian campaign demonstrates the need for a set of general guidelines for government communication on social media. The report also notes that we have limited knowledge about the effects of these campaigns. Further research should study how migrants perceive this information and how it influences their decision to migrate. Government communication on social media raises questions related to transparency, communication format and rhetoric, norms of dialogue and target group identification. When communicating with migrants in potentially vulnerable situations, these are questions that clearly needs focus.

• Beyer, Audun (2012). Valgets nyhetsrammer. Produksjon, innhold, opinion.
• Waldahl, Ragnar; Aardal, Bernt & Beyer, Audun Nesheim (2006). Påvirkes velgerne av meningsmålinger?.

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• Brekke, Jan-Paul & Beyer, Audun (2021). Everyone wants to leave. Examining possible effects of social media campaigns on migrants in transit..
• Beyer, Audun; Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2020). Social Media News Consumption and Political Surveillance Knowledge:Adding Motivation and Ability to the Equation.
• Beyer, Audun; Karlsen, Rune & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). News Habits Die Hard, but Die. A Longitudinal Study of Total News Avoidance in the transition from low to high-Choice Media Environments 1997-2016.
• Karlsen, Rune; Beyer, Audun & Steen-Johnsen, Kari (2019). Social Media News Consumption, News Finds Me Perceptions, and Political Knowledge..
• Beyer, Audun (2016, 09. september). Komikere i politikken. [Radio].  Radio Nova.
• Beyer, Audun (2015). Bokanmeldelse av David Nicolas Hopmann & Morten Skovsgaard (red.) Forskningsmetoder i journalistik og politisk kommunikation København: Hans Reitzels Forlag 2014. 381 sider. Tidsskrift for samfunnsforskning.  56(1), s 112- 115
• Beyer, Audun (2014, 21. juni). Kjendiser i politikerklær.  Vårt land.
• Beyer, Audun (2014, 12. januar). Mediene skygget unna innvandring etter 22. juli. [Internett].  vg.no.
• Beyer, Audun (2014). Politiske superstjerner: Kjendisaktivisme og politikerkjendiser. Hvor hender det?.
• Figenschou, Tine Ustad & Beyer, Audun (2014). The Limits of the Debate. How the Oslo Terror Attacks shook the Norwegian Immigration Debate.
• Beyer, Audun (2013). Book review of the book ‘Civic Experiences and Public Connection’ (Kaun, 2012). Nordisk Østforum.
• Beyer, Audun (2013, 13. desember). Politikerkjendiser. [Radio].  NRK P2 - Politisk kvarter.
• Beyer, Audun & Figenschou, Tine Ustad (2013). Burglar Alarm Fatigue. Media-hype, human-interest frames and audience reactions to a real-life news serial.
• Figenschou, Tine Ustad & Beyer, Audun (2013). Norwegian Identity Revisited: How the 22/7 Terror Attacks Shook the Immigration Debate.
• Matthes, Jörg & Beyer, Audun (2013). Toward a Cognitive-affective Process Model of Hostile Media Perceptions: A Multi-Country Structural Equation Modeling Approach.
• Andresen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2012, 18. juni). Forskeruenighet om kvalitet på nyheter. [Internett].  forskning.no.
• Andresen, Kari & Beyer, Audun (2012, 13. juni). Spillet om nyhetene. [Internett].  uio.no.
• Beyer, Audun (2012). Bokanmeldelse av: Christina Holtz-Bacha & Jesper Strömbäck, J. (eds.): Opinion Polls and the Media. Reflecting and Shaping Public Opinion. Nordicom Information.  (3-4)
• Beyer, Audun & Figenschou, Tine Ustad (2012). The consequences of mediatized news serials – what does the audience say?.
• Beyer, Audun (2011, 12. august). - Mindre sirkus, mer politikk. [Internett].  nrk.no (http://nrk.no/kultur-og-underholdning/1.7747273).
• Beyer, Audun (2011, 12. august). Intervju om valgkampen etter 22. juli. [Radio].  NRK Kulturnytt.
• Beyer, Audun (2009, 11. september). Erna er twitter-dronningen.  VG.
• Beyer, Audun (2009, 08. september). Forsker på fjernsynets valgdekning. [Internett].  NRK Torget.
• Beyer, Audun (2009). Generic news frames and content analysis. A strategy for better measurement and operationalization of generic news frames.
• Beyer, Audun (2009, 10. mars). Meningsmålinger i mediene. [Radio].  NRK P2 - Politisk kvarter.
• Beyer, Audun (2008). Partibarometre i mediene.
• Waldahl, Ragnar; Beyer, Audun & Leira, Halvard (2008). Meningsmålinger gir ikke svaret. USA-VALG: HVOR PÅLITELIG BILDE KAN MENINGSMÅLINGER GI AV OPINIONSFORDELINGEN, OG HVILKE SPESIFIKKE UTFORDRINGER KNYTTER SEG TIL AMERIKANSKE PRESIDENTVALG?. Dagbladet.
• Waldahl, Ragnar & Beyer, Audun (2007). Lar vi oss påvirke av meningsmålinger?. Minerva (Oslo).

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