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This article examines what kind of interactive features are available on the websites of Swedish newspapers, and what factors seem to influence the utilization of those features. Using Chung’s typology of interactive features, we can discern four types: human (features that facilitate interpersonal communication), human–medium (allowing users to express their personal opinions), medium (allowing users choice options in experiencing news stories) and medium–human (allowing users to customize news to their liking) interactive features. Factors believed to have influence over interactive features are tested using statistical analysis. Even though different factors tend to influence different types of interactivity, results indicate that the most interactive newspaper websites belong to large, national newspapers with younger web staff.

Research has indicated that although online interactive features are not used by the visitors of different websites, such features might be appreciated by the visitors. This article examines the use and appreciation of interactive features by visitors on Swedish newspaper websites. Utilizing an online survey focusing on different traits and habits of newspaper website visitors, the study presents a typology of visitor types, characterized by the different ways they use and appreciate interactive features in the online news media context. Although certain types make extensive use of interactivity, the overall results of the survey points towards rather low levels of both use and appreciation. As such, newspaper website visitors might be characterized as ‘slow learners’, taking their time to adapt to the interactive capabilities offered by the online news media.

Although many of the initial hopes regarding the Internets effect on political engagement and participation has largely gone unfulfilled, it is generally held that the Internet still has a substantial role to play during political election campaigns. Several studies have focused on how the Internet medium is employed for such purposes during the actual election campaign, but rather few (if any) studies have adopted a broader temporal scope, studying the Web sites of political parties before, during and after the election period. This paper fills this apparent research gap by presenting such a longitudinal analysis of the Web sites of Swedish political parties during the election year of 2010. Starting in January of 2010, these Web pages were downloaded on a monthly basis, lasting until the end of the year. By studying the Web sites of political parties before, during and after an election campaign, this project will provide scholars as well practitioners with unique insights into how Web campaigning rationale seems to develop.

Among the many so-called microblogging services that allow their users to describe their current status in short posts, Twitter is probably among the most popular and well known. Since its launch in 2006, Twitter use has evolved and is increasingly used in a variety of contexts. This article utilizes emerging online tools and presents a rationale for data collection and analysis of Twitter users. The suggested approach is exemplified with a case study: Twitter use during the 2010 Swedish election. Although many of the initial hopes for e-democracy appear to have gone largely unfulfilled, the successful employment of the internet during the 2008 US presidential campaign has again raised voices claiming that the internet, and particularly social media applications like Twitter, provides interesting opportunities for online campaigning and deliberation. Besides providing an overarching analysis of how Twitter use was fashioned during the 2010 Swedish election campaign, this study identifies different user types based on how high-end users utilized the Twitter service. By suggesting a novel approach to the study of microblogging and by identifying user types, this study contributes to the burgeoning field of microblog research and gives specific insights into the practice of civic microblogging.