What shapes the cultivation effects from infotaining content? Toward a theoretical foundation for journalism studies

Abstract

Infotaining formats are gaining rapid popularity over the past decades. So far, studies often attempt either to define what infotainment is, how the technological and economic changes have given rise to the format, or what effects it exerts, but rarely consider all three aspects together. This raises the possibility that the properties of infotaining formats are under-defined, leading to a confusion about the effects from infotaining content. This article explores (1) where infotainment comes from, (2) what its constitutive properties are, and (3) why its potential cultivation effect should differ from other formats. From synthesizing these notions, an integrated model derives that combines insights from journalism studies and cultivation theory in order to explain how the technological and economic forces shape the infotaining content being produced, and its cultivating effects on the public further. Scholars from across multiple subfields can use this framework to make common theoretical and empirical progress.