ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter summarizes the research presented in this book, and identifies the key findings of mapping and evaluation work. The evidence of the focus groups is not that social media are replacing 'old' media in consumption and use of political media, or that legacy media are redundant in the digital environment. Digitalization has also allowed the entry of several new players into the Australian public sphere, such as the Guardian, Buzzfeed and the Mail Online – media brands founded overseas, but with local editions which are performing well as against local publications. Overall, the extent of diversity to be found within the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been found to be an issue by both producers and publics in the focus groups. As to the deficit of current affairs programing on commercial free-to-air TV, the chapter shows that political media can be popular, if designed and presented with skill and originality.
