Research Title: Social Media Practices of Newspaper Publications in Bacolod City

1. Independent Variables

a) Newspaper Publication Characteristics

1. Size of the newspaper (circulation: Measure the newspaper's daily or weekly circulation
figures, indicating the reach and potential audience size.

2. Age of the newspaper: Determine the establishment date of each newspaper, which can
indicate its historical relevance and experience.

3. Ownership structure (independent or corporate): Categorize newspapers as independently

owned or part of larger corporate media groups.

4. Editorial policy (liberal, conservative, etc.): Analyze the newspaper's editorial stance, such as
whether it leans liberal, conservative, or adopts a different ideological position.

b) Social Media Platform Selection

1. Choice of social media platforms: Identify which social media platforms each newspaper
publication uses (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and assess their presence on each platform.

2. Frequency of posting on each platform: Quantify how often each newspaper posts content on
their chosen social media platforms (daily, weekly, etc.).

3. Type of content shared on each platform: Categorize the content shared on social media
platforms, including news articles, videos, infographics, and other formats.

c) Social Media Audience Engagement Strategies

1. Interaction with the audience: Evaluate the level of interaction between the newspaper and
its social media audience, including responding to comments, messages, and engaging in conversations.

2. Use of multimedia content: Analyze whether newspapers use multimedia elements like
images, videos, and live streams to enhance engagement.

3. Promotions and contests: Identify any promotional campaigns or contests run by newspapers
on their social media platforms.

d) Social Media Metrics

1. Measurement of success: Assess the newspapers' criteria for measuring social media success,
such as likes, shares, comments, reach, and engagement rate.

2. Comparison with industry benchmarks: Compare the obtained social media metrics with
industry benchmarks or standards.
 3. Monitoring tools and techniques: Document the tools and techniques newspapers use to
track their social media performance, such as analytics platforms and tracking software.

2. Dependent Variable

a) Social Media Effectiveness

1. Impact on readership and subscriptions: Measure changes in readership and subscription

rates attributed to the newspaper's social media presence.

2. Influence on public perception and credibility: Conduct surveys or analyze public sentiment to
gauge how the newspaper's social media activities affect public perception and credibility.

3. Contribution to revenue: Analyze the revenue generated through social media-related

activities, including advertising and sponsored content.

3. Mediating Variables

a) Journalistic Quality

1. Accuracy of information: Evaluate the accuracy of news articles and information shared
through social media channels.

2. Ethical considerations: Assess whether newspapers adhere to ethical standards in their social
media content.

3. Credibility of news sources: Measure the perceived credibility of news sources shared on
social media.

b) Audience Feedback

1. Comments and reactions from the audience: Analyze the nature and sentiment of comments
and reactions from the social media audience.

2. Audience sentiment analysis: Conduct sentiment analysis to understand how the audience
perceives the newspaper's content.

3. User-generated content (UGC) integration: Investigate the extent to which user-generated

content is incorporated into the newspaper's social media strategy.