Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effective Communication Strategy During Crisis: A Case Of The 2010 Toyota Recall Crisis, Masud Mensah

Masters Theses

Crisis communication is an integral part of public relations and organizational management at large involving the timely and strategic sharing of information during a crisis or emergency. Its primary purpose is to ensure that organizations effectively manage and minimize the negative impact of the crisis on their operations and stakeholders, which invariably helps to maintain trust, credibility and restore their reputation. Based on an interpretivist standpoint, the study utilizes qualitative approaches and takes the form of a case study. It offers a comprehensive account of the crisis, including key occurrences, media representation, and public responses, showcasing its international impact via …

Q/A: A Semiotic Deconstruction Of Narrative Transportation On Episodic Television, Josh Grube

Masters Theses

Narrative transportation is a captivating phenomenon in which an audience member psychologically departs from material reality and immerses into the narrative world (Gerrig, 1993). Existing literature on narrative transportation mostly consists of audience-level studies, primarily focused on the phenomenon’s persuasive effects and audience attributes that mediate their ability to be transported. From a theoretical media perspective, transportation is conceived as an aspect of the larger audience cultivation process (Gerbner, 1998) due to its persuasive influence, revealing the importance of viewing it from the textual level. This thesis fills a significant gap in narrative transportation theory by examining television narratives through …

Communication & Popular Culture, Marita Gronnvoll

Syllabi

This course examines popular culture and the emergence of mass culture in the United States. Itstarts from the premise that popular culture, far from being a frivolous or debased alternative to“high culture”, is in fact an important site of popular expression, social instruction, and culturalconflict, and thus deserves critical attention. We examine theoretical texts that help us to “read”popular culture, even as we study specific forms and artifacts of popular culture: from televisionshows to Hollywood movies, graphic novels to advertisements, and popular music to fiction.Throughout the course, we ground what we call “culture” in political, economic, and socialcontexts. We pay …

Persuasion, Marita Gronnvoll

Syllabi

This class will study symbolic communication intended to influence beliefs, attitudes, values, andbehaviors. The course will focus on the critical assessment of persuasive messages, with additionalattention to the theories and research behind persuasive message construction.

Political Communication, Marita Gronnvoll

Syllabi

The purpose of this course is to explore various aspects of political communication in the UnitedStates. Our first topic will be presidential rhetoric and the rhetorical presidency. As we explorethis topic, we will investigate the historical development of presidential communication and themajor genres which help shape and structure that communication. Our second topic will bepolitical campaigns and the evolution of the “long campaign,” particularly its inescapableconnection to mass media. Our third topic will be grassroots and resistance politicalcommunication. Here, our focus will be on the nontraditional approaches taken by ordinarycitizens and citizen groups as they strive to have their voices …

Introduction To Communication Theories, Richard Jones

Syllabi

How does communication work? Why does communication work thatway? Scholars in communication studies begin to answer these questions through the applicationof communication theory. This course serves as an introduction to a broad range ofcommunication theories related to interpersonal, group and public, intercultural, media, gender,and organizational communication. This core course is required for communication majorsbecause it serves as a building block for upper level communication courses that depend upon aworking knowledge of communication theories and processes. This course serves as part of youroverall training as a communication scholar/professional in regards to critical thinking, analyticthinking, critical reading, and listening skills. In this …

Topics In Media History, Jeffrey Owens

Syllabi

Topics in Media History provides an in-depth study of the history of one particular medium (e.g. film, radio, television, or the internet). It will cover the development of media technology, the structure of media institutions and their regulation, and the social and cultural significance of these media. This class is repeatable with change in topic.

Media Criticism, Scott Walus

Syllabi

This course is an overview to studying media content, producers, and audiences. This empirical andcritical overview maps the current state of mass communication and media studies research through boththeoretical and applied pieces. Specifically it provides the foundations to entering a conversation on mediastudies, the methodology and theory behind producer studies, various theoretical approaches to textualanalysis, and approaching audience and reception studies.

Television Criticism, Scott Walus

Syllabi

Television remains the greatest shared cultural force for explaining the world and providing possibilitiesfor living in that world. The average household spends 59.5 hours a week watching televisual content.From early childhood through old age viewers connect with characters who they will never meet andinvest deeply into a narrative that will never end. This course takes an in-depth examination into howtelevision keeps us watching and the complex meanings present in even the most innocuous programming.

Television & Video Development, Scott Walus

Syllabi

This course focuses on the development process of both the creation of television and video content aswell as that of the individual producer. Students will learn about the industry, future careers, the resourcesand opportunities available at EIU, pre-production formats (scripts, storyboard, pitches), the narrativestructure, logistics, and types of productions. This course prepares students for navigating productions, amajor or minor in media, and their profession after graduation.

Why A Negative Body Image? A Study On Gender, Social Media, And Mass Media, Taryn Bland Teeters

Masters Theses

This study was designed to identify the contributors to body image (BI) dissatisfaction. The factors affecting the adult body image and the extent of their consequences were examined. This study attempted to determine the extent to which these individual's peers, the mass media, and social media affect their BI, body shaming, and the individual's shame of others.

An anonymous online questionnaire was utilized and sent to participants by snowballing through the use of Facebook and email. Participants were asked to identify their age, gender, pleasing and displeasing body parts, their use of social media, and an overall rating of their …

War Spin: How U.S. Politicians, The President And The Media Frame Foreign Intervention, Samantha White

Masters Theses

In this research, I seek to explain how three different foreign policy actors, the President, key Senators, and the media frame intervention policy when determining if intervention is used for human rights versus U.S. interests. I will be looking at four different areas of turmoil (Bosnia (1992-1995), Rwanda (1994), Syria (2011-present) and Iraq (2003-2011)) to see if the Presidents, Senators, and the media framed their intervention around human rights atrocities being committed, or if they framed it around a national security dilemma.

An Analysis Of Media Use And Public Opinion Toward The Affordable Care Act, Matthew Cain

The Eastern Illinois University Political Science Review

The author tests a number of hypotheses regarding views of the Affordable Care Act. Using a regression model and a variety of other data sources, the author finds support for the argument that the debate was forged by partisanship and ideology, along with age.

Broadcast News Curriculum, Communication Studies

Curriculum Programs

This concentration is designed to provide the knowledge, values, perspectives, and skills necessary to understand the roles, functions, and operations of broadcast news.

Electronic Media Production Curriculum, Communication Studies

Curriculum Programs

This concentration is designed to provide the knowledge, values, perspectives, and skills necessary to understand the roles, functions, and operations of various electronic media. This program of study is focused on balancing theoretical issues with practical experience.

Introduction - How Pop Culture Shapes - Full Chapter.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Introduction: FunhouseMirrors - Popular Culture'sDistorted View ofGirl/Womanhood

Chapter 9 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sally Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Beyond the I-Iot Flashes: New Portrayals of Mature Women

Conclusion - Hop Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sally Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Conclusion: Exiting the Funhouse - Challenging Society's Lessons One Stage at a Time

Chapter 4 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Selling Weddings and ProducingBrides: Mediated Portrayals of That'Perfect Day'

Chapter 1 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Full Chapter.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Becoming a Girl: Pop Culture'sFirst Stage of Gender Training

Chapter 2 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Reading Between the Lines: The Lessons Adolescent Girls Learn Through Popular Young Adult Literature

Chapter 5 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Love, American Style: GenderedRepresentations of Marriagein the Media

Chapter 6 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Nine Months of Fear and aLifetime of Paranoia: The I-IiddenEffects of Pregnancy Manuals,Child Rearing Products, and More

Chapter 7 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Changing the Playing (orReading) Field: ReconceptualizingMotherhood Through HumorousParenting Texts

Chapter 8 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Pumas, and Cougars, and MILFs,Oh My!: Popular Portrayals ofRomance and Sexual EncountersBetween 'The Older Woman'and Younger Man

Chapter 3 - How Pop Culture Shapes - Excerpt.Pdf, Melissa R. Ames, Sarah Burcon

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The Gendered Self-Help Reel:How Romantic Comedies InstructWomen on Dating Dos and Don'ts

Going Solo: A Study Into The Framing And Salience Of International Terrorism, Arianne Gouveia

Masters Theses

In order to explore presidential rhetoric, media coverage and its contribution to public opinion, this thesis will examine these facets in the matters of international terrorism. More specifically, terrorism in India, Syria, and Afghanistan will be assessed and compared during two time periods: 2003-2004, and 2011-2012. This thesis will predominately attempt to evaluate the relationship between the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) and actual coverage. By searching for key words in presidential speeches from President Obama and President Bush, evaluating the news coverage of terrorist activity in all three countries, this thesis will attempt to show the impact of presidential speeches …

The Convergence Theory: Causal Affects Of Media Violence Communicated To Our Youth, Allan R. Alldredge

Masters Theses

This paper observes present violent activities and how there appears to be a correlation communicated through media and societal influences that we, as natural observers, have noticed affecting our youths. Over 3000 studies have attempted to prove that television, music, film, Internet, even video games, and news is the single cause of violence. This paper does not confirm evidence that any of the mediums are responsible for the violence in our youth alone. Instead this paper expresses a theory that convergence of all the mentioned mediums along with other societal factors contribute to the violence. This paper explores the possibility …

How Actualities Affect The Credibility And Audience Evaluation Of Radio Newscasts, Michael G. Bradd

Masters Theses

This study tests the hypotheses that actualities increase the audience appeal and credibility of a radio newscast. Two treatment newscasts of identical content were produced using the same announcer. One of the treatments used actualities in four of the seven stories while the other treatment had no actualities. Analysis of variance was used to compare subjects' evaluations of the two treatments. The study found that contrary to common wisdom in the radio industry, actualities have no statistically significant impact on the audience appeal of a newscast. The data did not confirm the credibility hypothesis; it strongly suggested that actualities do …

Viewers' Reactions To Ordinary People In Television News Events, Janice R. Kidd

Masters Theses

Viewers' Reactions to Ordinary People in Television News Events examines two hypotheses relating to respondents' reactions to viewing violent events or the likelihood of violent death as portrayed on the major news networks. Research centers on reactions of viewers to ordinary people caught in extraordinary news events. Results of two free-flow written exercises are discussed.

Research excludes reactions to viewing those in the news, such as police personnel, soldiers etc., whose lives might be expected to be involved in violent or dangerous events.