Mass Communication Commons^™

Approaching Ideals Through Innovation: Twentieth And Twenty-First Century Mass Media Technology And American Democracy, Elizabeth Brand Cermak

Senior Theses

From the moment our First Amendment was adopted, America’s ideal of democracy has been firmly intertwined with media communications between the President and the citizenry. Over time, technological advancements have altered the way this communication is facilitated, increasing the public’s access to the Office of the Presidency, and visa versa, via new forms of media. Through an examination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s use of the radio, the first televised debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, and Barack Obama’s use of Social Media and the Internet, this thesis will seek to answer the question of whether the …

Looking Back At The Media's Future: A Mixed Method Analysis Of Race And Gender Bias During The 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary Season, Tim Vance

Dissertations

Political knowledge has been defined as the individual’s ability to recall candidate names, personal characteristics, and qualifications. Furthermore, it is the ability to identify election issues, current campaign developments, and recognize connections between candidates and issue positions (C. Atkin & Heald, 1976). I posit that political knowledge has become much more…and much less.

I have introduced, in this paper, a number of sources for political learning: ads, newspapers, YouTube, and television news. All hold some interest for investigation as political knowledge sources, but methodology cannot be standardized across all sources. As such, the focus of the qualitative part of this …

Atheists In The Media: How Public Figures And Fictional Characters Affect Public Perceptions Of Atheists, Joseph Michael Stepniewski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how media depictions of atheists might influence perceptions of them based on media theories of cultivation and priming. Severe distrust and dislike of atheists found in the literature indicated a need for the study. The measurement instrument used in the study asked a sample of 195 respondents to report their media consumption habits, including news sources, television shows, and movies, as well as identify real atheists in the public eye. Respondents were then asked to rate positive and negative statements about both atheists and religious people on a Likert scale and provide basic demographic information about themselves. …

Roots, Rock And Public Relations: A Study Of The U.S. Government’S Use Of Music As A Tactic In Its Cultural Diplomacy Efforts, Katherine Sartain

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Television News: Pro-Social & Anti-Social Effects Of Criminal Depictions & Information Processing On Race Perceptions, Eunette Gentry

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This quantitative research is a content analysis of network affiliate crime reporting statistics in Las Vegas. As part of this study, six months of news content in Las Vegas was recorded in order to gather pertinent sociological information about crime reporting techniques and its potential effects on public perceptions of crime and race. Pertinent issues such as media-image affect on viewers, biases within reporting information, and gatekeeping within the media are analyzed. This study adds substantive knowledge through empirical research to existing literature that asserts media depictions do shape and/or affect perceptions and attitudes about crime and race. Data sources …

The End Of The World (Eotw) Scientist And The Framing Of Science In Science Fiction Films From 1950 To 2010, Jennifer Naoko Lui

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study looks at scientists in End of the World (EOTW) films spanning from 1950 to 2010 through stereotypes and gender roles. Eighteen films, 12 representing EOTW films and 6 that are considered “regular” science fiction films, were analyzed in terms of Goffman’s (1976) 6 aspects, first introduced in Gender Advertisements, as well as aspects of visual and textual frame analysis. The analysis of these films provided a way to look at the portrayal of scientists in EOTW films and add to the limited body of literature on this particular sub-genre of film.

Previous research identified that scientists were …

Depictions Of Beauty On Cosmopolitan Magazine: Content Analysis Of Covers (1959-2014), Azalee Maslow

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The media, especially advertisers, have long used beautiful women as an ideal image for attracting viewers and selling products. American women have been portrayed as, ideally, thin Caucasians with blonde hair and blue eyes. Research has found that women compare themselves to the beautiful women in advertising and in turn have negative feelings towards their own appearance. This thesis’ goal is to find whether the ideal American woman has changed through a content analysis of the women on the covers of Cosmopolitan magazine over the past 55 years, 1959 through 2014. This content analysis will focus on how the covers …

Unrealistic Weeds Of Love And Romance: The Korean Drama And The "Flower Boy" Genre, Colby Y. Miyose

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The concept of love has intrigued many social critics, and has led them to accuse media of perpetuating unrealistic notions of romance that are unattainable for a healthy and satisfying relationship. Unrealistic expectations of love and romance are a primary cause of relationship dissatisfaction among real couples. It is imperative to critically analyze media sources in order to gain knowledge of how to counter unhealthy notions of romance. Korean dramas (K-dramas) typically present a scenario in which strong mutual love and desire between two people come into conflict with existing sociocultural values. The kkonminam (Flower Boy) genre in particular, caters …

Siren Song: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Gender And Intimate Partner Violence In Gotham City Sirens, Katlin Schmidt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project investigates comic book discourse. Specifically, I investigate how comic narratives provide readers with an interpretation for how they should discern and assess “appropriate” behaviors for women. The artifact of analysis included in this project is DC Comics Gotham City Sirens (2009). This text features popular female superheroes, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. Because comic books utilize both textual and visual means to disseminate a message, this project evaluates the visual rhetoric of these characters within the narrative. Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm is used to provide an understanding to how these visual means contribute to the meanings assigned …

Narrative Advertising, Meng Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Brand meaning, which is often used in narrative advertising, is an important value that companies try to build around their loyal consumers. This exploratory research aims to explore brand meanings from consumers’ narratives. This study analyzed 2,382 consumer submitted narratives for a real brand in the food service marketplace. Brand narratives were analyzed using a mixed method content analysis approach by applying Leximancer software to generate key themes and their related concepts. The results indicate brand meaning with some thematic similarities as well as differences when comparing narratives submitted by females and males. This exploratory study introduces analyzing narrative as …

Gender, Personality, And Self Esteem As Predictors Of Social Media Presentation, Heng Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an age when people make and maintain relationships in online environments, creating and sustaining impressions online becomes equally important. For a better understanding of social networking sites usage, the present study examines the influence of gender, personality, and selfesteem on social media presentation. The goal of this study is to investigate individuals‘ expressions through social media in order to determine if they reflect the author‘s gender, personality, and levels of self-esteem. Quantitative analysis was used in this study through survey and SPSS content analysis. The researcher found that neuroticism was related to selfpresentation, and agreeableness is related to Facebook …

"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do": An Analysis Of Parasocial Relationships And Breakups Among "How I Met Your Mother" Viewers, Sara Montes De Oca

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The study of one-sided mediated interactions, commonly known as parasocial interactions, have generated significant investigations which have examined both mediated relationships through television, the Internet, other media, and the discontinuation of these relationships (also known as parasocial breakups). These studies have specifically identified certain trends in which respondents have tended to form strong emotional connections with subject(s) within narrative fictional depictions. This study examines the relationship between parasocial breakup and the dissolution of a viewer following the end of primetime series, How I Met Your Mother. The following measures were used in the survey; 1) age, gender, and ethnicity; 2) …

Framing Responsibility For Bullying: An Ethnographic Content Analysis, Kayla Knight

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study is to explore ways in which American print news media frame responsibility for adolescent and teen bullying. More specifically, how media portray responsibility for the underlying causes and consequences of bullying, as well as for responding to bullying, are examined. Drawing from media studies and the construction of Social problems literature, the study is guided by two broad research questions, 1) How do American news media frame responsibility for bullying? and 2) What news sources, or "claims-makers," are selected as authorities on bullying in news media articles? Articles published between 2009 and 2013 are …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 51, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Harney, Lashana. The Elephants in the Room – Politicians, Hal Heiner, James Comer, Matt Bevin
• Harney, Lahsana. A Look Back: Ransdell Hall Turns 4 Years Old
• Rogers, Shelby. Swimming Team Attorney, Gold Medalist Speak About Suspension – Brian Lowder, Hazing, Claire Donahue
• Ponder, Abby. WKU Elizabethtown / Fort Knox Campus Offers Military, Nontraditional Students Opportunities
• Profumo, Morgan. Truth Be Told: The Difference Between a Perfect Relationship or a Masked Dictatorship
• Parker, Jacob. A Tentative Student Syllabus for Fall 2015 Professors
• Lafser, Erica. Adjusting to Autism – Robert Dietle, Samuel …

Spartan Daily, April 30, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 37

Ua12/2/1 Best Of The Hill - 2015 Winners, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Special awards edition of the College Heights Herald.

A Content Analysis Of The Mpaa Rating System And Its Evolution, Cesar A. Perez

Honors College Theses

This thesis analyzes the content within PG-13 and R-rated films from 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2014 to determine if there is any indication of ratings creep. Ratings creep is a term used to describe the increase of adult content in movies; especially in movies aimed at a younger audience. The film industry since the beginning has had to adapt to an ever-changing society. From small silent pictures to big-budget digital productions the film industry has evolved into what it is today, a statement of freedom of expression. It is this freedom of expression, however, that has placed the industry in …

Prospectus, April 29, 2015, Zach Trueblood, Brittany Webb, Humna Sharif, Adam Vilman, Billi Jo Hart

Prospectus 2015

EARTH WEEK; Experts gathered in Nepa! a week ago to ready for earthquake; Illinois air museum plans to close over finances; Illinois schools chief says funding fix could take years; Summer semester approaching fast: Tips for getting ahead with schoolwork; Heaith officials say ice cream is safe despite some recalls; The world as seen by an artist; Ohio in a minority as high court weighs same-sex marriage; The upcoming baseball! season; A took ahead at Summer Camp Music Festival

The Guardian, April 29, 2015, Wright State University Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

Sixteen page issue of The Guardian, the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. The Guardian has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Spartan Daily, April 29, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 36

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 50, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Crumbie, Trey. Student Gets Hit by Car – Shawntrice Hammonds, Traffic Accidents
• Henderson, Andrew. Drag 101 – Housing & Residence Life
• Rogers, Shelby. Vice President for Alumni Relations Retiring – Kathryn Costello
• Rogers, Shelby. Gender Conference Discusses Sexuality, Identity – Housing & Residence Life, Gays, Lesbians
• Rogers, Shelby. University Handling Seven Lawsuits, Most Pending – University Attorney
• Voorhees, Jessica. Board of Regents Debate Student Athletic Fee Increase
• French, Jackson. Age of Adaline Doesn’t Live Up to Exciting Innovative Plot – Movie Review
• Lives Depend On Campus Road Safety – …

Spartan Daily, April 28, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 35

The Prospector, April 28, 2015, Utep Student Publications

The Prospector

Headline: Listen to Your HeART

Winthrop University Students Unite For Black Lives, All Lives, Wendrah M. Mccoy

Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

The purpose of this project was to research and compose a soft news story that conveyed the emotions of Winthrop University students who protested during a die-in and injustice march on December 9, 2014. They were demonstrating solidarity with those who protested after two officers were not indicted for killing unarmed black males Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Primary research was conducted through recorded observations of the demonstrations and interviews with the protesters. Facts and statistics were obtained from secondary sources, such as the NAACP website and news sources, such as USA Today. About 100 students of diverse races, …

Message Design Logics And Messaging In The Ebola Crisis, Gregory M. Bieger

Symposium of Student Scholars

O'Keefe's (1988) theory of message design logics explains why some messages are more

persuasive than others. The first, expressive design logic, is the most basic and focuses on

expressing individual thoughts and opinions (O’Keefe, 1988). This type of message design

merely states what the persuader wants. The second, conventional design logic, appeals to

typical reasons or emotional appeals that would be suitable for any audience. The third,

rhetorical message design logic, is the most complex and sophisticated message design focusing

on achieving an agreement between the sender and receiver in which the message provides

context. Unlike conventional design logic, rhetorical …

Spartan Daily, April 23, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 34

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 90, No. 49, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news.

• Rogers, Shelby. Parking, Tuition to be Key Topics at WKU Regents’ Friday Meeting
• Henderson, Andrew. GIScience Club Celebrates Earth Day – Geography & Geology, Geographic Information Science
• Rogers, Shelby. New Temporary Lot Coming to Russellville Road – Parking & Transportation Services
• Crumbie, Trey. WKU Hosting Gubernatorial Debate Next Week – Politicians
• Henderson, Andrew. Student Voice Program Concludes First Semester at WKU – Voices of Discovery
• Profumo, Morgan. Sneezing Season – Allergies
• Sproles, Katherine. Old Conditions for Animals in Logan County Human Society Unacceptable
• Dahmer, Jody. Corruption Starting in Student …

Spartan Daily, April 22, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 33

The Guardian, April 22, 2015, Wright State University Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

Twelve page issue of The Guardian, the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. The Guardian has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Spartan Daily, April 21, 2015, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 144, Issue 32