Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap - Volume 42, Issue 2, 2014

Beste lezer,

I make conscious misleading choices? On logos on food products and the influence on skepticism and buying intention

In this paper we studied a well known label used on food products in Dutch groceries. This label, introduced by the food industry, is tested whether it influences purchase intention, and whether respondents would pay more, when a product has that particular label. We also asked respondents what the origin of the label was and revealed afterwards the real origin. Results show that respondents who were unfamiliar with the origin of the label became more skeptical about the label and had lower purchase intentions than before. We discuss implications of this, and advice the controlling board of the label to be more transparent and open in their communications with the general public.

Communication strategies in complex collaboration: a case study on innovation in health prevention

To prevent people at risk of type 2 diabetes and people with weight problems, a lifestyle intervention project, called the ‘BeweegKuur’ has been developed in the Netherlands. The BeweegKuur, geared towards promoting healthy nutrition and sufficient exercise has been developed and implemented through a great number of parties. In different meetings these parties, with different views and interests discuss the nature and the course of the project. This study concerns the nature and effectiveness of communication strategies that participants use in which they support both their own interests and the collective ambitions at the same time. The study shows how in the collaboration relevant contexts are created and become concrete through their conversations. How this new, jointly created reality, is a new common reference point for behavior in the cooperation.

Ideological pluralism in Flemish news media outlets: the Belgian government formation 2010-2011

On the basis of a critical discourse analysis of four crisis moments during the Belgian government formation 2010-2011, this paper aims to reveal the ideological assumptions and preferences in the editorializing coverage of four Flemish news media outlets, with a specific focus on the ethnic-linguistic and socio-economic fault line. The analysis demonstrates a certain level of ideological pluralism between the selected newspapers on the one hand and an alternative online news medium on the other, by distinguishing two ideological cultures, respectively characterized by depoliticizing and politicizing discursive strategies.

Webcare as online reputation management: the use of webcare strategies and conversational human voice in the Netherlands, and its effects on the corporate reputation

While Twitter offers organizations chances to improve their reputations, tweets can also threaten reputations by attacking the organizational legitimacy. In this article, we studied (1) what webcare strategies Dutch organizations use to preventing reputational damage, (2) how effective these strategies are, and (3) how conversational human voice influences the effectiveness of these strategies. A content analysis of online dialogues (Study 1) shows that we should distinguish three rather than two types of webcare strategies: Organizations use webcare to accommodate (1) their own needs (through denial or justification), (2) individual stakeholder needs (through information, sympathy and compensation), or (3) collective stakeholder needs (through apologies and corrective action). In the Netherlands, stakeholder focused strategies are used more for web care than defensive strategies. A scenario study revealed that accommodating individual needs protects reputation better than defensive strategies, and marginally better than collective accommodative strategies.

In search of the holy grail: analyzing press coverage regarding Flemish public service television’s cultural programmes

Historically, culture took up a central position in public service broadcasting, fitting its cultural-educational logic with a focus on high culture. Yet, in public service broadcasting’s move to a more competitive business logic in the late 1980s, culture took a back seat. This shift continues to be criticized, despite renewed attention to cultural programmes since 2005. Taking press criticism of cultural programmes of Flemish public service television in 2005-2012 as a case in point, this article analyses: What is criticised? Do authors see the cultural and television logic as compatible? In which journalistic genres/when is the criticism presented? Who are the critics? Results show that television formats and presenters are the most criticised topics. Cultural and television logics sometimes clash. Programmes are heavily anticipated as more than half of the articles (news articles, interviews and opinion pieces) appear before airing. Elite cultural stakeholders have a strong voice in the debate.

Daniel Biltereyst, Roel Vande Winkel (red.) (2013).New York: Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN: 978-0230340817, ISBN10: 0230340814.