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With the increasingly rapid diffusion of mass communication technology, media audience is able to take on a participatory role in their news consumption. To meet the audience's demand for interactivity, news organizations are discovering new modes of online services and investing more economic and editorial capital towards their online comment sections. As a result, these interactive features are changing the way audience consumes and shares information and the way that news are reported. In short, the online news experience transforms to a social experience with other news readers. This study shows that the commentary section of online news media affects readers’ formation of opinions as well as their willingness to comment. In addition, the degree of persuasion effect is differentiated by topics, but not by the presentation of other readers’ profiles.