Mass media and the concept of interactivity: an exploratory study of online forums and reader email

Lack of interaction between the mass media and their audiences has always been a target for media criticism. While the Internet provides a potential for more interactive communication, one wonders how much this opportunity is taken up. The traditional mass media do not seem to become obsolete. Their function as providers of a shared lifeworld might become even more important. Besides their traditional formats, mass media are well represented on the World Wide Web, but it is not clear yet how interactive they will be in the online environment. The article first goes over theoretical implications, taking the perspective of the current Frankfurt School and the American movement of public journalism. Then it identifies concrete settings and levels of interactivity in online journalism. Finally, an exploratory study of New York Times journalists and forum participants helps illustrate chances and problems of mass media online.