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CHAPTER 3. TECHNOLOGY & THE PUBLIC SPHERE 50 communication can support any of these models (Murray 1991), none of them fully describe the activity in which the participants are engaged (Shank 1993). In addition, semiotic models of communication, such as that offered by Derrida (1976), emphasize the usage of signs rather than speech as the primary communicative act, and thus account for written (textual) and other physical representations of meaning through symbolic exchange. However, computer mediated communication poses a challenge to linguistic and textual models, as it appears to combine the organizational and activities-based nature of the conversation with the written (rather than spoken) context of the text. Shank (1993) suggests a new model of sign communication: We have the starter, or the initial sender, who starts the ’thread’. Once a thread has been started though, it is no longer under sender control. This is because the mechanics of Net response do not require turn taking. It is as if everyone who is interested in talking can all jump in at once, but still their individual voices can be clearly heard. It is as if someone had started writing a piece, but before he/she gets too far, people are there magically in print to add to, correct, challenge, or extend the piece. Therefore, what we have is a written quasi- discussion that has the potential to use the strengths of each form. I think it is best to call this form of communication ’multiloguing’(Shank 1993). Computer mediated discussion may take on characteristics of a conversational discussion, in which a single person retains control of the conversation, or it may take on characteristics of Shank’s (1993) ’multilogue’. Both kinds of discussions can currently be found on a variety of computer networks, including some moderated “newsgroups” on Usenet (see Section 3.3 on the next page), as well as a number of commercial services, such as America OnLine. The form of discussion referred to above as a “multilogue” is found within the “unmoderated” newsgroups on Usenet, as well as many independent bulletin boards.
CHAPTER 3. TECHNOLOGY & THE PUBLIC SPHERE 51 3.3 Usenet: An Arena Of Computer Mediated Discussion One of the most extensive collections of ongoing computer mediated discussions is Usenet (Nickerson 1992, Hauben 1995). 3 Usenet links tens of thousands of computers and millions of users through a series of discussions called newsgroups. As of January, 1995, the best available measures estimated the total number of Usenet readers to be more than 11 million people worldwide (Reid 1994a). The average amount of traffic carried per day on Usenet totaled 127,446 messages, or 586.4 megabytes. A brief explanation of what a newsgroup is may be helpful to some readers. 4 This is best done by analogy to familiar media. One of the many features we use to differentiate some media messages from others is addressability. Addressability, as a feature of a specific message, concerns the specificity of the intended recipient. Some traditional media require specific addresses to be delivered: telephone calls are routed to specific telephone lines; personal letters are routed to specific mailboxes. Other traditional media do not require specific addresses: broadcast television and radio programs are accessible by tuning into a specific frequency. finally, some media are produced without a specific addressee in mind (books, newspapers, junk mail), but require specific addresses for delivery (i.e. many copies of identical messages are delivered to identifiable recipients). Computer mediated communication (see Section 3.2 on page 47) has the same types of messages. Fully addressed messages are called electronic mail. Individuals receive mail from others that is specifically addressed to them, or by virtue of being on a mailing list to which they have subscribed. Subscribing to a mailing list is analogous to subscribing to a magazine, while a newsgroup is analogous to broadcast television. Unlike electronic mail, which requires a user to open her mailbox to retrieve, newsgroups require users to “turn on the set” and “tune into a specific channel.” The set is typically a computer system (as opposed to a personal computer) shared by many users. Though individuals might use a personal computer to connect to the system, they are unlikely to directly access newsgroups on these devices. 3 Usenet is a shorthand reference to “Unix User Network,” and now generally refers to the collection of newsgroups distributed on a variety of computer networks (Hardy 1993). 4 For a more detailed description, see Krol (1992).
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Chapter 7 The Expanding Public Sphe
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CHAPTER 7. THE EXPANDING PUBLIC SPH
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CHAPTER 7. THE EXPANDING PUBLIC SPH
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Appendix A The talk.abortion newsgr
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APPENDIX A. TALK.ABORTION: AUGUST 9
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Appendix B Density Scores Table B.1
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APPENDIX B. DENSITY SCORES 165 Tabl
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Appendix C Supplemental Analysis 16
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APPENDIX C. SUPPLEMENTAL ANALYSIS 1
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 177 Best, Michael L. 1
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 179 Fisher, Bonnie, Mi
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 181 Hiltz, Starr Roxan
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 183 Mansbridge, Jane.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 185 Pateman, Carole. 1
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 187 Savicki, Victor, D
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 189 U. S. Congress, Of
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