news 2018

Cambridge University Press has revealed the results of its global study into the language used around the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The huge amount of language data we've collected and analysed gives us fascinating insight into the mood surrounding the World Cup. Laura Grimes There has been no shortage of surprises during this year's competition, and this shines through in the language data.

European countries do not appear to feel threatened by the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, a study of media coverage of Brexit has revealed. The study, based on coverage in 39 media outlets in France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden, found that most Brexit reporting was neutral and fact-based.

Older adults are largely obscured in the media representation of cancer and cancer experience, despite over three quarters of all cancers in the UK diagnosed in those aged over 60. The research, led by the University of Glasgow and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that articles featuring personal cancer stories more frequently focus on younger people.

 New Oxford University research suggests that social media and the internet are not the root of today's fragmented society, and echo chambers may not be the threat they are perceived to be. In fact, only a small proportion of the population, at most, is influenced by echo chambers. The argument against echo chambers is well documented: helped by social media algorithms, we are increasingly choosing to interact in safe spaces, with people who think and act like us - effectively preaching our opinions to the converted.

Nearly 80 per cent of all scenes throughout season 11 of MTV's popular hyper-reality show Geordie Shore contained alcohol content or alcohol use according to the results of a new study published today by researchers at the universities of Bath and Nottingham. The authors behind the paper - published in the journal Alcohol & Alcoholism - suggest that more needs to be done to protect young viewers from alcohol imagery and its harmful effects, including a potential review of age classification policy for the programme.