Journalistic Tactic and Intercultural Deficit: Post–publication Audience Engagement in a Finnish News Case Study

This study examines audience interaction with a Finnish news article on Facebook, scrutinizing the influence of clickbait headlines and their contribution to intercultural divisions. Utilizing positioning theory and the concept of ‘othering,’ the research enriches our comprehension of media framing, post–publication gatekeeping, and audience conduct in the digital realm. The comment analysis indicates that the audience primarily reacts to the headline, positioning in regard to the incident, often employing sarcasm and emojis to underscore their points. The media entity abstains from participating in post–publication conversation. The study underscores additional significant insights and scrutinizes the scant presence of rational–critical reasoning, proposing strategies for its augmentation on digital platforms. By examining these dynamics within the digital milieu, the research offers a more layered portrayal of the perceived ‘other’ and addresses detrimental positioning.