Interactivity and Political Communication: New Media Tools and their Impact on Public Political Communication

Abstract

Based on the interactivity theory, this study examines relationships between people's political media commentary online and through traditional methods. Data from Pew Research Center (N= 2,253) shows that those who were actively participated in political discourse using traditional methods were more likely to make statements on newspaper websites and using social media about politics. Higher level of education also predicted participation in political communication in the new media environment.