Exploring the Dynamics of Multimodal Discourse in Social Media News: Addressing Research Gaps in Interaction, Affordances, and Temporal Patterns

Abstract

This study examines multimodal discourse practices in social media news communication across five platforms through quantitative and qualitative methods. Analyzing 4,000 news posts, the research interrogates how different semiotic resources combine to construct meaning in the sociodigital news ecosystem, with particular focus on user participation, news integration, and information sharing patterns. The methodology employs content analysis and discourse examination to evaluate the interaction between visual, textual, and interactive elements. Results reveal that visual, spoken, and written components combine distinctively across platforms, with content effectiveness significantly influenced by platform-specific features. Three primary types of modal coordination emerge: sequential, simultaneous, and interactive integration. For instance, Twitter posts on political events demonstrate how graphic and verbal components create attention-grabbing, emotionally charged messages, further contextualized through user comments and shares. The findings indicate that multimodal integration in social media contexts tends to be informal yet purposeful, with supportive and complementary information distributed across multiple presentation modes. Significantly, both audience characteristics and platform specifics substantially impact effective multimodal content presentation strategies. This research enhances theoretical understanding of multimodal discourse in sociocultural contexts while offering practical insights for academics, news organizations, and content creators developing communication strategies for contemporary digital platforms.