Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Life Beyond The Like: Uses & Gratifications Of Sharing Business Facebook Page Content, Sara M. Nash

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

One of the main reasons businesses create a Facebook Page is to solidify relationships with existing customers who are Facebook users and to leverage those relationships to gain new customers. Many studies have asked Facebook users to articulate the gratifications they receive when “liking” a business Facebook Page. These studies help explain what gratifications users gain by connecting to businesses via Facebook. To expand on these findings, the current pilot study applied the uses and gratifications theory to identify Facebook users’ motivations to “share” business Facebook content within their own personal network. Understanding users’ reasons for “sharing” will help businesses …

Crisis Communication In An International Organization: An Investigation Of The Bbc’S Reputation In The Aftermath Of The Savile Scandal, Stephanie P. Shipp

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

In October 2012, it was revealed that BBC television host Jimmy Savile had sexually abused victims on the premises of the BBC. The first reported instance of abuse on BBC premises had occurred and 1965 and continued until two years before his death. In the aftermath of the scandal, the BBC was accused of turning a blind eye to Savile's actions. The BBC's response to the crisis was confusing and inept. The BBC appeared to have no crisis communication strategy in place and lacked any sort of variation in its response to stakeholders in individual countries. This paper …

The Impact Of Food Manufacturers’ Recall Notifications On The Tone Of Newspaper Coverage, Monique L. Farmer

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

This study examined whether attributes focused on within food recall notifications issued by food companies have an impact on the tone of the associated, subsequent news coverage. Additionally, the study examined second-level agenda building to determine whether attributes emphasized in food recall notifications showed up in resulting news coverage.

The findings suggest that the most significant attribute for crisis communicators to focus on during the agenda-building process of a food recall event is instructional messaging. This aspect of the crisis communication messaging strategy is positively correlated with a positive tone in news coverage.

Specifically, this research study found some tentative …

A Qualitative Study Of The Effectiveness Of The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln's Journalism Program For Preparing Students For The Workplace, Sarah Anne Carter Rosenbaum

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Journalism is changing at a rapid pace with every new technology and tool being released. Within the past year, Twitter’s Vine, Instagram video, and Google Glass are examples of technology that has emerged and journalists have incorporated them into their news coverage. Journalism education is faced with the task of figuring out how to best educate journalists so they are prepared for the current workplace. The balance is sought between teaching traditional journalism skills and knowledge and teaching the ability to use the latest technology. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications (UNL CoJMC) has made changes …

News Goes Native: An Examination Of Online Media's Disclosure Practices For Sponsored Content, Joseph Dean Moore

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Online news publishers are increasingly using sponsored content that assumes the format of the host site's editorial content. This has led to concern among some in the journalism industry that readers will be unable to distinguish advertising from news editorial. A content analysis and an experiment examined how publishers are formatting sponsored content and how readers are processing disclosure information for sponsored content. The results suggest that current labeling and disclosure practices may be inadequate in alerting readers to the commercial nature of sponsored content.

Adviser: Ming Wang

Meet Them Where They Gather: An Analysis Of Nasa’S Communications Approach For The 21st Century, Amanda D. Stein

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Since the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been tasked with not only governing the United States’ space activities, but also sharing those efforts and subsequent findings with the American public. When President Barack Obama issued the Open Government Directive in 2009, NASA was well positioned to meet the objectives. Today, the administration has built one of the most successful web-based information-sharing presences by government agency, largely by tailoring communications efforts to reach the public on popular social media platforms. This paper will explore how NASA has utilized two-way symmetrical communications …

A Professional Project Surveying Student-Run Advertising And Public Relations Agencies At Institutions With Acejmc Accredited Programs, Allison M. Busch

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

A student-run agency is a valuable opportunity for advertising, marketing, and communication students to build experience, add to resumes, and apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations. The opportunity to work with clients outside of the classroom helps students to develop skills that will set them apart later in their career search.

A student-run advertising agency essentially functions as a true advertising or PR agency does, with a few primary differences. Associated with a particular university, and usually under the guidance of one or more faculty advisors, the agency processes, clients, and projects are managed by the students involved. Depending …

Blind Trusts As A Model For Campaign Finance Reform, Perry Andrew Pirsch

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

In this thesis, I explore whether blind trusts present a viable option for campaign finance reform. More specifically, would either permitting (voluntary) or requiring (mandatory) anonymous donations for political campaigns allow for fully funded, yet privately funded, campaigns while preventing problems, whether real or perceived, such as buying influence (quid pro quo) or buying access, which are traditionally associated with large campaign donations? To study this question, I have examined the constitutional origins of the need to fund federal campaigns, Congress’ power to regulate campaigns under the Constitution’s Elections Clause, the constitutional protection of speech, and the concern of large …

Identifying Barriers And Incentives Related To Attending The Performing Arts: An Examination Of First Year College Students, Laura J. Sweet

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

Young adults entering their first year of academic study beyond high school face seemingly limitless opportunities. For the first time, they’re on their own: deciding everything from when to eat to where to study and what to do in their free time. Campuses are rich with possibilities. From official student organizations and clubs, to impromptu pizza parties and dorm floor trivia contests, daily decisions create the experiences that shape the life to come. On many large campuses, alongside academic buildings are art galleries and performance spaces. Research shows that early exposures to the arts lead to increased engagement during student …