This study seeks to identify 1) categories of interactivity, which are promoted through different types of interactive features, 2) patterns of online newspaper readers' uses of interactive features, and 3) factors, if any, that predict the use of different types of interactive features. Based on an online survey of 542 respondents, four categories of interactive features were identified. Findings show that interactive features are generally used infrequently, especially the features that facilitate human-to-human communication and the features that allow audiences to express their views. Regression analyses show that different user characteristics and backgrounds predict the use of specific types of interactive features. This study illustrates that news organizations need not worry about applying all types of interactive features to engage their readers as the features serve distinct functions. Instead, news organizations should focus on building credibility and may seek to identify their online news audiences and then subsequently provide interactive features accordingly. (152)

This study examines cancer patients' and companions' uses and gratifications of blogs and the relationship between different types of blogging activities and gratification outcomes. In an online survey of 113 respondents, cancer patients were found to be more likely than their companions to host their own blogs. Four areas emerged as gratifications of blog use: prevention and care, problem-solving, emotion management, and information-sharing. Cancer patients and companions both found blogging activity to be most helpful for emotion management and information-sharing. Further, cancer patients were more gratified than their companions in the areas of emotion management and problem-solving. Regression analyses indicate that perceived credibility of blogs, posting comments on others' blogs, and hosting one's own blog significantly increased the explanatory power of the regression models for each gratification outcome.

This study examines audience uses of three types of interactivity, user motivations for visiting an online newspaper, and the relationship between user motivations and use of the different types of interactive features. There are three types of interactivity on a continuum: medium, human=medium, and human interactivity. In an online survey of 542 respondents, results indicate that medium interactive features were used most frequently and human interactive features used the least. Three motivations for using online newspapers emerged-information seeking=surveillance, socialization, and entertainment. In addition, further analysis found that although all three motivations were predictors of use of medium interactive features, the information seeking= surveillance motivation was not a significant predictor of use of human= medium and human interactive features. Deborah S. Chung (Ph.D., Indiana University at Bloomington) is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on the impact of information communication technologies on journalism practice, culture and education and how ICTs potentially empower information consumers.

Using a statewide, Web-based survey, this study examines the associations between online community news audiences' uses of interactive features offered in various news presentations and the perceived satisfaction of community news sites. In addition, the study aims to identify associations between different types of interactive news presentation styles and levels of satisfaction. Results indicate that use of interactive features is positively associated with perceived satisfaction with the exception of forums and Q&A features. Results also reveal that customization features, such as content submissions, letter-to-the-editor, and e-mail byline links, are the sole significant positive predictor of perceived satisfaction toward community news sites.Key words: Interactivity, interactive features, perceived satisfaction, customization, community newspapers. IntroductionInteractivity is thought to be a key quality of the Internet (Fortin & Dholakia 2000;Jakobovits, 1997;Morris & Ogan, 1996;Rafaeli & Sudweeks 1997;Williams, Rice & Rogers, 1988). The potential for interactivity has launched the exponential growth of thousands of online newspapers and millions of online news consumers (Newslink, 2004;Abdulla, Garrison, Salwen, Driscoll, & Casey, 2005). Many online news sites are now serious publications incorporating various storytelling techniques and even providing various methods of audience engagement (Li, 2006).The ideal of interactivity speaks to critical issues the popular press has been struggling to deal with for some time. Christians, Ferre, and Fackler (1993) argue that the traditional press has acted as a vehicle of expert transmission rather than a network for community discussion, and the public will reawaken when they are encouraged to fully join the talk and are addressed as a conversational partner. 855Lacy (1992) also suggests that reader input and feedback, a two-way journalism, could mend the disconnect between citizens and the media and revitalize public communication.Although many attempts to define interactivity (Bordewijk & van Kamm, 1986;Rogers, 1986;Rafaeli, 1988, Rafaeli & Sudweeks, 1997Heeter, 1989;Steuer, 1995;Kiousis, 2002) and the implementation of interactive features on websites exist (Chan-Olmsted & Park, 2000;Greer & Mensing, 2006;Ha & James, 1998;Kenney, Gorelik & Mwangi, 2000;Massey & Levy, 1999;McMillan, 2002;Noar, Clark, Cole, & Lustria, 2006;Rosenberry, 2005;Schultz, 1999;Stromer-Galley, 2000), research on the effects of interactivity are sparse and relatively inconclusive. Furthermore, there are limited reports as to the relationship between various news presentations and online news consumers who use various interactive features. While consumer attitudes of online sites have been the topic of research for academics in the business and advertising fields (Cross & Smith, 1996;Ghose & Dou, 1998;Cho & Leckenby, 1999), little has been done to examine such trends within the communication discipline. Despite the continued interest toward online news and various styles of interactive n...

While blogs are not yet a standard public relations tool, practitioners use blogs to enhance their power within their organizations. Using an online survey of public relations practitioners, this pilot test examined the relationship between power and blog use. Three factored categorizations of blog use among practitioners emerged: routine information and research, interactive blog communication, and issues identification. Results showed differences based on power, between blog users and non-users, owner-practitioners and non-owners, among others.