Digital Commons Network^™

Get Schooled: A Visual Social Semiotic Analysis Of Target's Branding Using Instagram, Chelsea Bevins

Masters Theses

With new technology arising, brands must be able to adapt to them. This thesis will break down brand management, using David Aaker's framework, of the Target Corporation to see if they are using modern resource, Instagram effectively. This thesis will also look at how the theory of visual social semiotics, applied to communications, is used to decipher intended meaning. Brand management embodies a company and people are driven by what a brand portrays. People are driven by values, emotions and quality within a brand. People associate products with memories, celebrities, attributes and symbols. Brands are more than just a name. …

Aesthetically Designed Maps: Development And Perception, Catherine Wang

Graphic Communication

This research explored the creative element of subway map creation in light of its effectiveness. Printed subway maps, used often for metropolitan cities and areas, are limited in physical dimension and scale, carrying minimal information. The New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Tokyo, Paris, London and Moscow subway maps highlight similar design and abstraction that fulfill the basic necessary elements for subway patrons. Over the years since the first metro map for each city was created, maps have become more simplified by removing physical land features and reference points to make way for expanding and new subway lines, stations, and …

Visualization, Viewer And Emotion: An Empirical Study Of Cognition And Affective Responses To Infographics Used For Crisis Communication, Sean M. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

A 3 (crisis response strategy) x 3 (medium) factorial design experiment was conducted to determine if information graphics conveyed through online news sources may be more beneficial for organizational reputations during some crisis situations than the use of news videos and text-based news stories. Variables examined include cognitive and affective appraisal, third-person effect, behavioral response and crisis response strategy.

Recent research in organizational crisis communications has pointed to the fact that more information is needed regarding how individuals react cognitively and affectively to crisis communications. Current crisis communications literature is also sparse concerning the behavioral aspects of crisis message reception …

Social Media And The Church, Danielle Nicolette Kelley

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Internet: Friend, Foe Or Target?, Jonathan D. James

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In this concluding chapter, I give an overview of how the Internet, a byproduct of our times, is shaping our culture and society in profound ways. I note some of the major concerns and perils of the Internet age and I conclude by pointing out how and why certain countries are targeting the Internet in terms of increased regulation and surveillance.

Media Bias Through Facial Expressions On Local Las Vegas Television News Programs: A Visual Content Analysis, Jessica Zimmerman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Trust in news media has been considered an important base for social order and cohesion in society and is a crucial variable for evaluating news media. Media credibility has been questioned by the audience for some time and the audience's trust in the media has been slowly diminishing over the years. When a news broadcaster communicates a story on local television news, it is possible for his own opinions to leak through nonverbal communication, specifically facial expressions. This thesis explores the six local Las Vegas television news stations' anchors and reporters to visually analyze whether facial characteristics reveal media bias …

Visual And Linguistic Influences On Public Perceptions Of Swine Confinement, Arthur Leal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to analyze the visual and linguistic characteristics of online (YouTube) videos and electronic newspapers, identifying relationships with positive, negative, and neutral attitudes toward swine confinement.

This study followed a content analysis design. Two coders, trained to an acceptable level of agreement (κ = .68), examined online videos and electronic newspapers, assessing linguistic and visual images used in relation to attitudes toward swine confinement. A series of search terms deemed suitable for this study's objectives were employed in multiple search engines, and 48 articles and 157 videos were coded for content.

Results from this study showed that …

Vol. 25 Number 2, Newhouse Network, Spring 2013, Syracuse University. S.I. Newhouse School Of Public Communications

Newsletters from School of Public Communications - Newhouse Network

Dean;s Column -- Dick Clark Studios -- Mirror Award winners -- Harnessing big data -- Students win at Telly awards -- Student film project partnership -- Toner Prize -- Bright future for journalists -- Acclaimed photographer joins faculty -- Finding Entrepreneurship success -- Student App looks at CNY Winters -- Student Startup madness -- Parade of speakers -- Interning with Charles Barkley -- Alexia Awards -- Class notes -- Report of donors

Developing Parasocial Relationships Through Emerging Social Media Platforms, Harkeet “Kittu” Pannu

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

War's Visual Discourse: A Content Analysis Of Iraq War Imagery, Mary Elizabeth Major

Dissertations and Theses

This study reports the findings of a systematic visual content analysis of 356 randomly sampled images published about the Iraq War in Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report from 2003-2009. In comparison to a 1995 Gulf War study, published images in all three newsmagazines continued to be U.S.-centric, with the highest content frequencies reflected in the categories U.S. troops on combat patrol, Iraqi civilians, and U.S. political leaders respectively. These content categories do not resemble the results of the Gulf War study in which armaments garnered the largest share of the images with 23%. This study concludes that …

Contents And Abstracts

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

A New Hybrid: Students’ Extensions Of Integrated Communication Content, Amy L. Housley Gaffney, Brandi N. Frisby

Basic Communication Course Annual

Using Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory, this study examined student perceptions of changes in efficacy and affect toward a variety of communication skills (e.g., interpersonal, writing, visual, public speaking, group collaboration) over a sequence of two hybrid basic course classes. As part of a larger assessment initiative, both quantitative and qualitative data from the first course (n = 793) and the second course (n = 273) were analyzed. Students reported greater affect and efficacy during the second course when compared to the first course. Specifically, students reported six affective changes including expanded knowledge, enhanced collaborative skills, increased openness and acceptance, heightened …

Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 25

Basic Communication Course Annual

Full issue (377 pages, 14.2 MB)

International Advertising Education In A Digital World: Achieving Global Competency, Frauke Hachtmann, Nancy Mitchell, Bruce Mitchell, Sheila Sasser

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Emotionally Arousing Negative Images On Judgments About News Stories, Martin Daniel Smith-Rodden

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two experiments investigated the effects of the presentations of photographic images (highly emotionally arousing/low arousal/no image) on people's attitudes after reading a news story. Experiment 1 presented a story and images about U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan War. Experiment 2 replicated the design with a story and images about African famine relief efforts. Consistent with predictions of the affect heuristic model of judgment formation, the addition of emotionally arousing pictures had an effect on people's support for the war in Afghanistan and their support for famine aid. Additionally, effects were observed in broader attitudes concerning participant's support of a militaristic …

Visual Resistance: How To Challenge Brand Messages Visually, Daria S. Kempka

Master's Theses (2009 -)

No abstract provided.

Is It Sexy? A Semiotic Analysis Of Sexual Imagery In Japanese And United States Advertising, Marc P. Pereira

Northwest Communication Association Conference Papers & Presentations

This study presents a semiotic analysis of several magazine advertisements in an attempt to explore body image and sexuality as it is illustrated in marketing campaigns in both the United States and Japan. Each of the magazines from which the artifacts were drawn was published in 2011, and each presents a similar focus on fitness, fashion, and television in each country. A comparison of the sexuality portrayed in advertisements was conducted to explore similarities and differences. It was found that there is a difference in how sexual imagery was used between the United States and Japan, with the United States …

Minero Magazine, Vol. Xiv, Spring 2012, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

Cover Story: El Paso: Secret Corridor for Modern-Day Slavery

Understanding Involuntary Job Loss Among Former Newspaper Staff Photographers, Ryan K. Morris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines former newspaper photographers' experience with being laid-off from their staff positions. The purpose was to identify emerging themes within the context of involuntary job loss, job satisfaction, and occupational identity via interviews with 8 photojournalists who experienced the phenomenon of being laid-off. The newspaper industry has long been considered both the starting point for young and aspiring photojournalism careers and the most consistent and stable venue for an income. Yet recent changes in the media landscape, particularly economic stress on traditional business models and rapid adoption of digital technology sway the occupational future of photojournalism within newsrooms. …

Global Csr And Photographic Credibility: Exploring How International Companies Portray Efforts Through Photographs In Csr Reports, Janel Lynn Norton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We are living in the age of the visual. Imagery is an important element in constructing and deriving meaning through symbols, colors, and context. Images may hold persuasive power, be used as evidence, or simply provide a moment of beauty. Organizations rely on photographs to help them convey an image to their stakeholders within annual reports. Telling an organizations' story through photographs has become an intrinsic part of their efforts to convey sustainability. We live in the age of transparency, and organizations that construct an image that is not truthful will face consequences in today's socially connected and conscious world. …

Visual Framing Of Patriotism And National Identity On The Covers Of Der Spiegel, Andrea Pyka, Scott B. Fosdick, William Tillinghast

Faculty Publications

Patriotism in Germany has been a controversial issue since the Nazi era. Despite the fear and hesitations surrounding the idea of German pride and national identity, Der Spiegel, one of Germany's major national news magazines, showed an increasing visual presence of national identity symbols on its covers following key historical events: the building of the Berlin Wall, the reunification of Germany, the adoption of the euro, and the 2006 World Cup.

A Content Analysis Of How Al Jazeera English And Arabic Channels Framed The War On Gaza, Farah Fakhri Jallad

Student Theses and Dissertations

A Content Analysis of How Al Jazeera English and Arabic Channels Framed the War on Gaza The purpose of this study was to examine how Al Jazeera channels; Al Jazeera English channel and Al Jazeera Arabic Channel framed the war on Gaza from December 27, 2008 to January 18, 2009. A total of 220 news stories were analyzed, with 110 stories from each channel. The study showed that the two channels follow the same trends in covering the Palestinian Israeli conflict, often focusing on the Human disaster script and turning a political conflict into a humanitarian crisis that requires support …

Ethnic Online Newspapers Vs. Mainstream Online Newspapers: A Comparison Of The News Coverage Of The 2010 Health Care Reform Debate, Masudul Biswas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the news coverage of the 2010 health care reform in a comparative context of mainstream and ethnic online newspapers. Since health care reform had consequences among all ethnic groups in the U.S., the news coverage of this policy issue warranted an analysis in a diverse media context. The importance of this study lies in the fact that diverse news media provide a wide range of perspectives to the public and policymakers for a better understanding of an issue at stake. In past studies, mainstream media coverage was criticized for emphasizing political conflict and gains and losses over …

The Experiences Of Mississippi Weekly Newspaper Editors As They Explore And Consider Producing Internet Editions, Cassandra Denise Johnson

Dissertations

This dissertation focused on the challenges Mississippi weekly newspaper editors faced when deciding to have an online edition and the issues these editors encountered when they adopted a Web newspaper. The study expounded on four areas—the operational changes weekly newspapers have had to make to produce Web editions, the different type of newsroom staff that are needed to create both editions, the content that is going in the online edition, and the financial pressures that editors work through to keep the newspapers profitable. The study was modeled after similar studies from three organizations—the Pew Research Center, the Bivings Group, and …

The Need For Effective Visual Communication: How Website Design Can Further The Success Of The Cal Poly Women’S Lacrosse Team, Bonnie J. Burtis

Journalism

This paper argues that an efficient and successfully built website is crucial to the future success of college sports websites. By focusing on the Cal Poly Women’s Lacrosse team and its website, visual communication research gives insight into what works and what does not. The fundamental and design elements examined include: text elements, site navigation, accessible links, presence of news, communication and graphics (visual design). These are the elements that promote success and efficiency. Compared to other websites built and maintained by teams in the women’s lacrosse league, Cal Poly’s lacks foundational website material. General website research proves this and …

Sound Matters: Aural Rhetoric In Pharmaceutical Advertising (Toward A Theory And Method Of Auralacy), Michael Hovan

All Theses

As scholarly theories and explorations of visuality continue to grow in prominence within the discourse on multimodal communication, a gap remains in the literature regarding the affective qualities of sound in multimedia messages. The following study attempts to address this gap and likewise propose a theory of auralacy (aural literacy) by examining the audiovisual interactions present in three different pharmaceutical commercials.
This study begins by examining literature regarding Gestalt perceptual theory, with emphasis on its origins, historical developments, and current status in perceptual research. The literature shows that perceptual wholes may be formed visually, tactilely, aurally, or even intermodally. After …

Author Biographies

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Advocacy Groups In The Wake Of Hurricane Katrina: Who Shapes Coverage Of Wetlands Loss, Paul Harang

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s coastal wetlands provide a habitat for diverse wildlife, recreational opportunities for Louisiana residents and tourists, and an important natural buffer between communities and powerful hurricanes. Because they are disappearing at a rapid rate, coastal wetlands issues have been prominent in south Louisiana for decades. The catastrophic hurricanes of 2005 and 2008 have given the discussion an increased sense of urgency. Through this paper, I explore coverage of wetlands loss in local south Louisiana daily newspapers. Specifically, I try to determine how these papers frame the issue and illuminate how sources present in these stories participate in the construction of …

Central Florida Future, Vol. 40 No. 102, November 12, 2008

Central Florida Future

Vine ripened; Man shot in neck in attack; Credit card companies target students; Chicken soup book to wrap up; UCF switches to green cleaners.

Author Biographies

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.