Major and Classification
Communication and American Studies & Ethnicity
Faculty Mentor
Sandra Ball-Rokeach, Ph.D.
Department
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
McNair Project
“Addressing Ethnic Diversity with Multi-Lingual Online News: Alhambra Source as an Inter-Ethnic Bridging Tool”
Project Abstract
The hyper-local news site, The Alhambra Source, is approaching its first year as a multi-lingual news source for the residents of the city of Alhambra. An evaluation is in order to ensure that the site is fulfilling the goals with which it was initially created. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Alhambra Source readers’ use of the website including its effectiveness as a promoter of bridging social capital. Bridging social capital occurs when individuals from different backgrounds make connections between different social networks. The website is part of an effort to encourage stronger inter-group relations and increased civic engagement among the residents of Alhambra. The approach of this study is based on the Communication Infrastructure Theory. Studies showing that the Integrated Connectedness to a Storytelling Neighborhood is the most important individual-level factor in civic engagement, inspired the Alhambra Project to launch a civic engagement intervention that would effectively reach the various storytelling networks. The findings of this study, gathered through online surveys, will guide the editorial staff in making changes to story gathering and publishing practices.