Media discourse and perception of game regulatory issues

ABSTRACT

This study examines how the issue of game regulation has been discussed and influenced public perception by exploring ideologically differing media outlets’ distinct uses of frames by analyzing news contents (N = 1,217) and public opinion survey of the national sample of Korean gamers (N = 1,362), who play games currently. The analyses include the influence of media on attitudes toward game regulation, perception of games, and frame adoption, based on the results of news content analysis. The study found that (a) mainstream media was ambivalent about game issues and tended to define gaming and gamers in sensationalistic ways; (b) while the dynamics of media effects on public attitudes toward game regulation are complex, exposure to game-related news content significantly impacted public attitudes; mass media that highlight the negative aspects of games have strong impacts on public perception toward games, which may ultimately affect attitudes toward game regulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Game regulation
• game violence
• game addiction
• media framing
• public perception of game regulation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

¹ Most of the previous studies (Yoon, Kim, & Kim, 2015) have classified Korean newspapers based on ideological differences: Chosun, Joongang, and Donga Daily are the conservative newspapers; meanwhile, Kyunghyang and Hankyoreh are labeled as the liberal newspapers. Finally, Moonwha, Kookmin, Seoul, and Hankook Daily are viewed as the moderate ones.

² Since the total amount of liberal and moderate newspapers was small compared to other groups, and the overall position and usage of frames was similar to each other, the two groups have been united within a single “moderate” category.