Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Mass Communication Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

LSU Master's Theses

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 181 - 203 of 203

Full-Text Articles in Mass Communication

U.S. Regional Newspapers' Coverage On China's Entry Into The Wto--A Regional Economy Approach, Ying Kong Jan 2003

U.S. Regional Newspapers' Coverage On China's Entry Into The Wto--A Regional Economy Approach, Ying Kong

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine whether a region's economy has an impact on regional coverage of China's WTO entry. It is predicted that regional newspapers vary in reporting this issue because of variation in the regional economic structure. The findings of the study support this prediction. A content analysis of 282 news articles in the U.S. regional newspapers finds that the regional economy can be a predictor of regional newspaper's coverage. For North Carolina, Illinois and California, significant differences exist in the regional coverage of China's WTO accession in terms of reference to key economic issue, reference …

Go to article

How Should Sports Organizations Handle A Crisis?: A Focus On Collegiate Institutions, Jamie Mabile Delatte Jan 2003

How Should Sports Organizations Handle A Crisis?: A Focus On Collegiate Institutions, Jamie Mabile Delatte

LSU Master's Theses

The sports industry is big business just like any other big business. Sports organizations face various crises just as corporate America does. A survey of 345 professional and college level sports organizations revealed that 70% of them experienced a crisis in 1997, while the Los Angeles Times reported that 220 college athletes were the focus of criminal charges in 1995. "Sports crises are clearly more frequent today than ever before," said Kathleen Hessert. Mike Paul agrees with that trend based on his research, attributing the trend to poor life choices away from the sport. What is a crisis? A crisis …

Go to article

Stereotyping Of Women In Television Advertisement, Vaishali Shrikhande Jan 2003

Stereotyping Of Women In Television Advertisement, Vaishali Shrikhande

LSU Master's Theses

This study examined the portrayal of women in television commercials and documented the stereotypes associated with women in today’s television commercials. Content analysis was chosen as a method of inquiry for this study. Two hundred and twenty six advertisements were recorded from the three chosen networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. No local advertisements or public service announcements were included in the sample. Each advertisement was initially coded for the central figure, whether the central figure was a male or a female. In addition, each central figure in the advertisement was coded for the following categories: 1) age; 2) product use; …

Go to article

Media Ownership And Objectivity, Xinkun Wang Jan 2003

Media Ownership And Objectivity, Xinkun Wang

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the different type of ownership will affect the degree of objectivity of newspaper coverage of 2000 presidential election. It is predicted by Shoemaker’s news content theory that publicly-owned newspaper is more objective than privately-owned newspaper. The findings of this study support this theory. A content analysis of 238 news stories and eight editorials from publicly-owned the Boston Globe and privately-owned the Boston Herald showed that not only does the ownership affect the objectivity of the coverage of these two newspapers on 2000 presidential election, the endorsements also affect the degree of …

Go to article

Print Media Impact On State Legislative Policy Agendas, Abby Kral Jan 2003

Print Media Impact On State Legislative Policy Agendas, Abby Kral

LSU Master's Theses

Using a survey of Louisiana’s State Legislature, this study examined the role media have in developing state legislators’ policy agendas by exploring the function of news media in the public policy process. The study also tested whether there was a correlation between media use, years of legislative service, and education level. This thesis was also able to establish a correlation between media use and gender, with results suggesting that female state legislators rely on newspapers more than their male counterparts. The results suggest that legislators do seek out issues in newspapers that affect the communities and constituents they serve and …

Go to article

A Convergence Of Modes: Present Status Of Online News Sites A Content Analysis Of 100 Online Newspaper Web Sites, Renee Chantal Duplessis Jan 2003

A Convergence Of Modes: Present Status Of Online News Sites A Content Analysis Of 100 Online Newspaper Web Sites, Renee Chantal Duplessis

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines the current status of online news sites in terms of their level of convergence, and how they are affected by different organizational factors such as organizational influence, cross media partnerships and circulation size. A content analysis of the top 100 circulated newspaper dailies in the United States was conducted to provide understanding as to the current status of these online newspaper sites. A number of categories were examined including newspaper circulation size, updatedness, cross media partnership/ ownership, and level of convergence. Results showed that the majority of the Internet newspaper sites examined shared a media partnership on …

Go to article

Behind The Scenes: Uncovering The Structures And Manipulations Of Tabloid Talk Show Workers, Guests And Audiences, Kelly Thompson Losch Deshotel Jan 2003

Behind The Scenes: Uncovering The Structures And Manipulations Of Tabloid Talk Show Workers, Guests And Audiences, Kelly Thompson Losch Deshotel

LSU Master's Theses

How talk show workers, guests and audiences behave behind-the-scenes is largely a mystery to the public. This research focuses on the behind-the-scenes workings of a daytime syndicated talk show to better understand the motivations of talk show guests and how talk show workers manipulate guests and audiences. While researchers have conducted studies of talk show guests using formal interviews and questionnaires, no researchers have posed as covert observers to study talk shows. The researcher conducted participant observation to study the behaviors of those involved with the on and offstage talk show structure. The researcher interned for the show without revealing …

Go to article

A Diffusion Of Innovations Approach To Investigate The Brand Name Change Of A Higher Education Institution, Jacqueline Eiswirth Tisdell Jan 2003

A Diffusion Of Innovations Approach To Investigate The Brand Name Change Of A Higher Education Institution, Jacqueline Eiswirth Tisdell

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding the communication concepts behind promoting a brand name is essential to the successful adoption of that innovation. This research links diffusion of innovations theory, branding, and public relations by exploring the name change of a higher education institution. Extensive work has been done in the areas of branding and diffusion of innovations theory. However, this study links the two. The adoption of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette new name by its alumni was studied by analyzing the public relations campaign post-name change and by gathering background information on previous diffusion of innovations research and the importance of brand …

Go to article

Ethics In Public Relations: Gauging Ethical Decision-Making Patterns Of Public Relations Practitioners, Paul Stuart Lieber Jan 2003

Ethics In Public Relations: Gauging Ethical Decision-Making Patterns Of Public Relations Practitioners, Paul Stuart Lieber

LSU Master's Theses

This study employed the Defining Issues Test (DIT) and a quantitative version of the five-factor TARES Test to gather data on the ethical decision-making patterns of public relations practitioners. The former is an instrument based on Kohlberg’s (1969) moral development theory, the latter self-enforced, ethical consideration statements derived from the research of Baker and Martinson (2001). Results show that levels of moral development in public relations differ based on job segment, and that age, education, gender and rank significantly affect levels of ethical consideration. The TARES test, it was discovered, is better suited for a three-factor configuration based on Day’s …

Go to article

Corporate America And Web Access For The Blind: Are Public Relations Practioners Communicating With The Blind Public?, Jenice Daigle Jan 2002

Corporate America And Web Access For The Blind: Are Public Relations Practioners Communicating With The Blind Public?, Jenice Daigle

LSU Master's Theses

Advances in technology have given the blind public a new voice in corporate America. Today, blind individuals are able to utilize the Internet independently using screen access software. However, like ramps for wheelchairs in physical spaces, Web site accommodations are needed in cyberspace for successful use. A review of the current literature indicates trends in public relations are shifting toward a corporate ethic of social responsibility, but on-line concerns for the disabled are not clearly demonstrated among the leading corporations in the United States. The purpose of this research is to determine if blind consumers are being accommodated on corporate …

Go to article

How The Media Are Portrayed In Print Advertisements: A Content Analysis Of Magazine Advertisements Throughout The Twentieth Century, Kathryn Elizabeth Burke Jan 2002

How The Media Are Portrayed In Print Advertisements: A Content Analysis Of Magazine Advertisements Throughout The Twentieth Century, Kathryn Elizabeth Burke

LSU Master's Theses

This study examines the portrayal of media within print advertisements found in Harper's Magazine between 1931 and 2000. This study evaluated a number of categories to provide understanding of the role of media within society, specifically the portrayal of gender and media use, how media are used in society and the perceived class within the advertisements featuring media products. The study also looked at the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, which states that a socioeconomic elite group are the first people within a society to adopt new ideas or technologies. A content analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, of Harper's Magazine produced …

Go to article

Taking Pr To School: A Case Study Of The Three Private High School Public Relations And Development Departments, Christine Cidalise Indest Jan 2002

Taking Pr To School: A Case Study Of The Three Private High School Public Relations And Development Departments, Christine Cidalise Indest

LSU Master's Theses

Few studies specifically explore public relations in private high schools. Statistics reveal that in Louisiana the number of nonpublic high school students continues to increase, therefore the competition among private schools for students increases as well as the demand to improve the private schools. These private schools need public relations to establish mutually beneficial relationships with strategic publics to attract students and to raise money to educate the students. This thesis is a case study of private school public relations programs at three Louisiana high schools. The theoretical basis for this thesis centered on the research of James Grunig. To …

Go to article

Perception Of And Reactions To The Presence Of Url's In Print Advertising Of A Non-Technology Brand, Neil Melancon Jan 2002

Perception Of And Reactions To The Presence Of Url's In Print Advertising Of A Non-Technology Brand, Neil Melancon

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis, through an experiment of 108 subjects, studies the relationship between the presence of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL or web address) in newspaper advertisements and perception of the product advertised as well as the likelihood to act on the advertisement. The findings reveal URLs do in fact have an effect on perception, although, as it is suggested in the theoretical framework, it does not necessarily induce the subjects to act on the ad. This study also finds there is a stronger inclination for perception change to take place versus the likelihood for consumers to either seek more information …

Go to article

2001 Louisiana Legislative Special Session: Do We All Read The Same News, Jennifer Bhatia Ledbetter Jan 2002

2001 Louisiana Legislative Special Session: Do We All Read The Same News, Jennifer Bhatia Ledbetter

LSU Master's Theses

This study reviews the newspaper coverage given during the 2001 Louisiana special legislative session. It was convened to raise additional money to fund teacher pay raises through legislation impacting the state’s gambling tax requirements. The seven markets include Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe and Shreveport. The session was a “last resort effort” in response to persistent pleas from educators that had elevated into statewide teacher sickouts. In the fall of 2000 the public voted down new taxes to fund their pay raises. The governor charged his administration to come up with a plan to raise teacher’s …

Go to article

The World Wide Web As A Vehicle For Advertising Movies To College Students: An Exploratory Study, Xiaoge Hu Jan 2002

The World Wide Web As A Vehicle For Advertising Movies To College Students: An Exploratory Study, Xiaoge Hu

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the World Wide Web as a vehicle for advertising movies to college students. Through a survey of LSU students, this study finds that online promotions as vehicles for advertising movies have great potential. Movie promotion websites are rated the second most effective form of movie advertising after television. The study found that people surf movie promotion websites mainly for movie show times, movie plot and cast information to compare film choices, and movie ticket purchases. The huge amount of data available and the 24/7 access to the internet is an important advantage. …

Go to article

From Print To Online World: Examining The Predictors That Influence The Level Of Interactivity Of Newspaper's World Wide Web Pages, Qian Zeng Jan 2002

From Print To Online World: Examining The Predictors That Influence The Level Of Interactivity Of Newspaper's World Wide Web Pages, Qian Zeng

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictors that influenced the interactivity of U.S. daily newspapers Web sites, namely the market size of newspapers, newspapers ownership, the number of online newspaper technical staff, length of newspaper Web site existence. Whether a national newspaper has different interactive Web site from a local newspaper is also studied. A content analysis of 106 U.S. daily newspapers Web sites found that market size and length of time newspapers having Internet presence sites are correlated to the interactive level of newspapers Web sites. National newspapers are also found having more interactive Web sites …

Go to article

Is This Journalism?: A Study Of Whether The Snapshots On The Front Page Of Usa Today Adhere To Journalistic Standards, Emily Arnette Vines Jan 2002

Is This Journalism?: A Study Of Whether The Snapshots On The Front Page Of Usa Today Adhere To Journalistic Standards, Emily Arnette Vines

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examined 22 Snapshots on the front-pages of USA Today from April 2001 to determine whether they adhered to the journalism standards of wholeness, accuracy, and credibility. Fourteen were found not whole, 8 were not accurate, and 3 were not credible according to the definitions of this thesis. The researcher compared the data in the Snapshots to the data obtained from the cited source and interviewed sources as well as a news assistant and graphics editor at USA Today. The researcher found four possible explanations for the poor quality of the Snapshots and examined the routines of Snapshot production, …

Go to article

Mass Media Ethics Vs. Ethnicity : The Cuban American National Foundation's Battle With The Miami Herald, Michelle M. Cobas Jan 2001

Mass Media Ethics Vs. Ethnicity : The Cuban American National Foundation's Battle With The Miami Herald, Michelle M. Cobas

LSU Master's Theses

In 1992, a prominent Cuban-American organization, the Cuban American National Foundation, launched a full-scale campaign against the Miami Herald following an editorial against the Cuban Democracy Act, sponsored by Congressman Robert Torricelli, (D-NJ). The bill, which the Foundation endorsed and helped craft, was aimed at tightening the loopholes on the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Two men-CANF Chairman Jorge Mas Canosa and Herald publisher David Lawrence-represented opposing sides of the feud. CANF galvanized the exile community to support its side of the debate. The Herald used its opinion and editorial pages to argue against Mas's charges that the newspaper attacked the …

Go to article

A Reexamination Of The Canon Of Objectivity In American Journalism, Les L. Lane Jan 2001

A Reexamination Of The Canon Of Objectivity In American Journalism, Les L. Lane

LSU Master's Theses

Journalistic objectivity is the definitive canon of American mainstream journalism. Yet American journalists cannot agree on what it is, how it is measured, or on how it is done. The source of the confusion is the assumption that objectivity is an ideal, absolute, impossible, incomprehensible, value-free state of being, outside of all physical, cognitive, psychological, and social contexts, where reality is perceived without distortions of any kind. This assumption is logically invalid and historically inaccurate. Journalistic objectivity evolved from the American cultural premises of egalitarianism and positive scientific empiricism through four historical stages: Nonpartisanship, Neutrality, Focus-On-Facts, and Detachment. It is …

Go to article

Attribute Agenda-Setting In An Open Primary: An Examination Of Press Coverage And Political Ad Effects, Scott Hobbs Jan 2001

Attribute Agenda-Setting In An Open Primary: An Examination Of Press Coverage And Political Ad Effects, Scott Hobbs

LSU Master's Theses

Creating a favorable candidate image is one of the more difficult tasks a political consultant faces. Besides researching which issues their client will address, the consultant must analyze what attributes voters find most appealing in a candidate. Then, through a complex process, a candidate image is finally packaged and presented to the public. This thesis looks at the end result of the packaging process for a Mayoral candidate in East Baton Rouge parish. By examining the press coverage and campaign ads in a local election in a mid-size city, this study expands on previous second level agenda-setting research. Literature in …

Go to article

A Textual Analysis Comparing The Content Of "Black Enterprise," "Forbes," And "Fortune" Magazines And The Message Each Presents To Its Readers, Karen M. Rowley Jan 2001

A Textual Analysis Comparing The Content Of "Black Enterprise," "Forbes," And "Fortune" Magazines And The Message Each Presents To Its Readers, Karen M. Rowley

LSU Master's Theses

A study of Forbes, Fortune, and Black Enterprise magazines finds that the two mainstream business publications—Forbes and Fortune—provide virtually no coverage of Blacks and the black business community, thereby helping to perpetuate the white-dominated view of society that places minorities in general—and Blacks in particular—outside the norm. Black Enterprise, on the other hand, continues in the long tradition of the black press, providing an alternative view of society through its focus on the black business community.

Go to article

The Effectiveness Of Sports Sponsorhips: A Study Of The New Orleans Zephyrs, Amy Marie Boyle Jan 2001

The Effectiveness Of Sports Sponsorhips: A Study Of The New Orleans Zephyrs, Amy Marie Boyle

LSU Master's Theses

Despite the pervasiveness of sports in American society and the ever-increasing role of sponsorship in the marketing mix, sponsorship marketing as a discipline currently lacks the rigorous academic study and theoretical foundations that exist in other marketing disciplines. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not sponsorship of New Orleans Zephyrs baseball is an effective way of increasing awareness of a product or brand. Using intermediate measures of recognition testing, fans at three New Orleans Zephyrs games were surveyed to test sponsor recognition. The study examined various elements of sponsorship marketing including the effects that gender, age, …

Go to article

When Everybody's A Critic: Effects Of A Newspaper's Self-Improvement Program, John M. Laplante Jan 2001

When Everybody's A Critic: Effects Of A Newspaper's Self-Improvement Program, John M. Laplante

LSU Master's Theses

This case study examined a peer-evaluation program at The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in which employees took turns serving on committees that critiqued each day’s coverage. Their critique reports, containing both negative and positive comments on all elements of the news pages, were distributed to each employee of the news department. The purpose of the study was to examine the content of the critique reports and to determine whether the participants and the editors thought the program improved the newspaper, whether they wanted to continue it and what changes might improve it. The research methods included a survey …

Go to article

First Prev