Communication Technology and New Media Commons^™

The Sensationalizing Of Presidential Assassinations In Mass Media Throughout American History, Lindsay E. Smith

Undergraduate Theses

This project explores how mass media has shaped the public response to presidential assassinations across American history. By examining the deaths of Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963), we can trace how evolving media technologies – such as newspapers, yellow journalism, radio broadcasts, and live television coverage – have sensationalized violence, politicized tragedy, and transformed periods of national mourning into mass spectacles. The thesis analyzes reporting methods, narrative framing, and the news industry to show how each has influenced emotional response, political landscapes, and eventual presidential legacy. Ultimately, we find that …

Lindenwood Digest, April 8, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Ken Lanter (United HealthCare Medicare Solutions); Ryan Tomlinson (U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management); Dr. Jennifer Edler, Julie Ingoldsby, Julee Mitsler, and Zeke Chism. 

• Key Events: Lindenwood Giving Week including daily focus areas for campus colleges and athletics; Medicare 101 hybrid information session; Staff Celebration BBQ; Digital Symposium on AI-Augmented Learning; "How to Become a Multi-Millionaire" personal finance presentation; Lindenwood Showcase faculty and student research event. 

• Date/Location: Events scheduled between April 8, 2026, and May 31, 2026, at locations including Spellmann Center, Lindenwood Learning Academy, Pavilion, Dunseth Auditorium (Harmon Hall), and the LARC. 

• Archival Significance: …

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Divide And Conquer: Polarization, Power, And Conspiracy Theories, Lilly Vanhouten '26

Honor Scholar Theses

The following paper is designed to explore belief in conspiracy theories, especially conspiracy theories surrounding the distrust of government like the Uniparty theory in relation to polarization, cults, moral and psychological factors, populism, precedence for having distrust in the government, and influencers. I sought to discover why people believe in conspiracy theories like the Uniparty theory and conducted a media analysis; researched polarization, cult and conspiracy, moral and psychological factors, populism, and precedence; analyzed influencers I watch reflecting conspiracy theory belief; and wrote poetry about conspiracy theories to determine the answer. I found that conspiracy theory belief is influenced by …

‘They’Re Squeezing Us Like An Accordion’:Assessing The Information Environment Of Working-Class Residents Of Dublin’S North Inner City, Stephanie Costello

Irish Communication Review

This article assesses the communication environment of the north inner city of Dublin, an area characterised by entrenched disadvantage, rapid demographic change, and neoliberal urban renewal. Findings were produced from a ten-week engagement journalism project involving the Dublin Inquirer, various community groups, and working-class residents. Using Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT), the study draws on focus groups, participant observation, and interviews to assess local storytelling networks in the context of the project. The findings reveal a fractured communication action context (CAC), where safety concerns, transient populations, litter, lack of public space, and negative national media portrayals constrain residents' ability to connect …

Class And The Screen Industries In Ireland – The Unspoken Barriers In The Sector, Caroline Ann O'Sullivan Dr, Mary Ann Bolger Dr

Irish Communication Review

This article proposes the need to widen the diversity conversation in the screen sector in Ireland to one that also considers social inequality. It closely examines the current policies of the main public funders of Ireland’s screen industries, evaluating how these approaches may unintentionally reinforce and sustain structural barriers within the sector. It presents a case study on barriers to entry conducted amongst screen industry practitioners at a professional networking event in 2024. It also draws from qualitative interviews with working class industry professionals who have sought out upskilling and further training opportunities through TU Dublin and Screen Ireland. The …

The Middle-Class Rip-Off'? Subsiding Culture In Contemporary Ireland, Connell Vaughan Dr

Irish Communication Review

In the last few years (roughly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic) there has been a noted increase in state-led cultural funding in Ireland. Key examples include the raise in the financial allocation to the Arts Council, the introduction of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme, and increased sports capital funding. With reference to the official communication documents of these cases (so-called ‘grey literature’) and deploying the classic 1982 episode of the British sitcom Yes, Minister, ‘The Middle-Class Rip-Off,’ which pitches sports funding against support for the arts, as a satirical lens, this paper reflects on the contemporary …

That’S Class! Exploring The Class Dynamics In Ireland’S Creative Industries - Introduction From Editors, Caroline Ann O'Sullivan Dr, Ciara L. Murphy Dr

Irish Communication Review

This article introduces and contextualises this special edition of Vol 20 of the Irish Communications Review

Under The Cover Of Blackness: The Racialized Dimensions Of Netflix’S Personalized Cover Art, Daphne Gershon

Communication Studies Faculty Scholarship

This article explores the mechanisms that shape how race is represented in online TV interfaces by analyzing Netflix’s personalized cover art, an essential digital paratext designed to attract viewers through individualized images. Netflix has previously been accused of using its personalized cover art or thumbnails in racially biased ways, displaying either Black or white characters based on the presumed race of users. To further existing research on this digital feature, this article focuses not just on whether Black characters are represented, but also on how they are represented. Through an exploratory pilot study that involves the creation of different algorithmic …

The Role Of Short-Form Video Content Strategy In Campaign Performance In Service Operations, Arianna Yates, Aileen Olivares

Posters - 2026

Short-form video content, particularly Instagram Reels, has become central to digital marketing strategies aimed at increasing engagement and campaign effectiveness. As consumer attention spans decline, marketers increasingly rely on visually engaging, concise, and interactive content formats. Prior research highlights the importance of content characteristics in shaping engagement outcomes. However, limited empirical evidence exists on which specific attributes most strongly influence performance in short-form video contexts. This study examines how call-to-action (CTA), audio type, and authenticity influence engagement rates in Instagram Reels.

Conservation Communication In Web 2.0: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Alveus Sanctuary's Strategies On Twitch.Tv, Hope Denison

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how environmental creators can effectively transmit conservation messages in the evolving Web 2.0 media environment. The case of Alveus Sanctuary, a virtual sanctuary and education center on Twitch.TV, is used to explore the strategies currently used to engage audiences and raise ecological awareness online. Thematic analysis of interviews with the sanctuary’s founder revealed that Alveus combines traditional environmental education with an influencer business model to engage online audiences, leveraging parasocial behavior, interactivity, and collaboration to garner support. A quantitative content analysis of social media posts revealed that these strategies effectively induce parasocial engagement in online spaces. These …

Lindenwood Digest, April 1, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Key Events: Lindenwood University Giving Week scheduled for April 6–10, 2026; Spring II 8-week midterm grade submission deadline on April 13, 2026; Lindenwood Showcase campus-wide celebration on April 23, 2026. 

• Primary Figures: W. Travis McMaken and James Hutson (Lindenwood faculty speakers at AI mini-conference); Tom Wagganer (Senior Associate Athletic Director recognized for Q2 incident response); Gabriela Romero and Kevin Winslow (RISE Mindsets session presenters). 

• Date/Location: Events occurring throughout April 2026 at various campus venues including Dunseth Auditorium, Harmon Hall, the LARC, and Hyland Arena in St. Charles, MO. 

• Archival Significance: Documentation of the discontinuation of the …

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Lindenwood Digest, March 25, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Annie Turnbo Malone; President John Porter; Professors Brittany Goodman, Gohkan Egilmez, and Karolina Schneider; Associate Athletic Director Kristin Hoffman; and IT specialists Karin May, Derek Dwerlkotte, and Mary Stacy-Brewer. 

• Key Events: The "Annie Turnbo Malone: The Untold Story" fashion showcase; a formal transfer pathway agreement signing with Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC); a Spring Faculty Symposium; and a multi-day emergency IT intervention to resolve a critical student registration bug. 

• Date/Location: Events occur between March 25 and April 8, 2026; locations include the Lindenwood Theater, Dunseth Auditorium, Enterprise Center in St. Louis, and Dorsey College in Michigan. …

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What’S Critical In Critical Media Literacy? Barriers And Good Practices In Adult Education, Stefanie Mayer, Stefanie Fridrik, Josef Mühlbauer, Brigitte Temel, Viktoria Eberhardt

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

While there is broad consensus regarding the social and educational need for CML, its actual didactic content and especially the meaning of ‘critical’ are far from clear. The article argues for a turn to educational practices. Findings are based on empirical research on adult education in Vienna (Austria) consisting mainly of interviews with expert-practitioners in the field of adult education and media and/or digital literacy. We confront academic definitions of the critical impetus of CML with an analysis of innovative projects, which were designed for accessibility and addressed learners facing high educational barriers. Our findings encourage a turn towards the …

Lindenwood Digest, March 18, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Monica Seiter, Manish Bhatt, Dominick Chase, Sarah Schlafly, Ken Lynch, John Clark, and Michelle Vinson. 

• Key Events: The Spring 2026 Educator, Career, and Internship Fair; Brown Bag Basics retirement planning session; Missouri’s Tax Future speaker event; Business Ethics Panel co-hosted with the Rotary Club of St. Charles. 

• Date/Location: Events occur between March 18 and April 23, 2026, primarily at Evans Commons, Harmon Hall’s Dunseth Auditorium, the LARC, and the Lindenwood Learning Academy. 

• Archival Significance: Documentation of the transition to Workday Performance for staff, faculty, and adjuncts through 2027; internal professional development structures including Promotion …

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From Texas To Tehran: A Multilingual, Irgc-Affiliated Influence Operation On X, Instagram, And Bluesky, Ella Murray, Darren Linvill

Media Forensics Hub Reports

We disclose and analyze a new network of at least 62 accounts affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolu- tionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These accounts can be broadly collected into two groups, one set operat- ed in Spanish pretending to be located in the Americas and one set operated in English pretending to be in the British Isles. Among the first set are accounts claiming to be in Texas, California, Venezuela, and Chile, while the second set of accounts claim to be from Scotland, England, and Ireland. All these accounts systematically amplify politically divisive content and disinformation aligned with IRGC nar- ratives, …

Lindenwood Digest, March 11, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Key Events: The "Rise and Run: Running for School Board-Lunch and Learn" on March 19 features a panel on public service governance; the "Annual Assessment and Planning Summit" will recognize faculty and staff for excellence in data-informed strategies and assessment innovation. 

• Primary Figures: Panelists Karen Bernstein (University City), Jamal Bailey (Ferguson-Florissant), and Sarah Oekle (Francis Howell) will be moderated by former State Senator Jill Schupp; Athletic Coordinator Griffin Manning is recognized for supporting student-athlete travel to beach volleyball. 

• Date/Location: Events are scheduled between March 11 and April 3, 2026, primarily occurring at the Spellmann Center AB Leadership …

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Lindenwood Digest, March 4, 2026, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

• Primary Figures: Jen Shepard, Christy Weber, Mike Tiffany, Jen Fraser, Joey Jackson, Jessica Loyd, and Woody Ellis. 

• Key Events: Campus Operations sponsors a document shredding event on March 12; Lindenwood hosted the Region 6 Science Olympiad on February 7 and 21; Men’s Basketball plays Little Rock in the OVC Tournament on March 4; Women’s Basketball secured a share of the regular season OVC championship; Men’s hockey competes in the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup starting March 5. 

• Date/Location: Events occurred between February 7, 2026, and March 12, 2026, at Lindenwood University, Centene Community Ice Center, and Evansville, …

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Political Mediatization In The Digital Era: The Case Of Walhi West Sumatera’S Environmental Advocacy, Muhammad Thaufan Arifuddin, Ernita Arif, Yuliandre Darwis, Rinaldi Rinaldi, Muhammad Al-Amin Dalmenda

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

This article examines how political mediatization operates at the local level through environmental civil society activism in post-authoritarian Indonesia. Focusing on the West Sumatra chapter of the Indonesia Forum for Environment (WALHI) as a critical case, the study argues that media logic is not merely imposed by political elites or mainstream media, but is strategically appropriated by local civil society organizations to contest oligarchic power, shape public agendas, and sustain democratic engagement at the subnational level. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with environmental activists and youth organizers, and an analysis of …

Digital Print Ordering System For Ugs, Han Nguyen

Graphic Communication

This project redesigns the UGS digital storefront to make ordering custom prints clearer and less confusing for students. Research showed that many delays happen because users submit incorrect files, such as wrong formats, low-resolution images, or missing fonts. To address this, I created an interactive prototype that guides users step-by-step through the ordering process and includes a built-in file checklist with simple export instructions. Instead of relying on a separate PDF guide, the new system supports users directly within the workflow, helping reduce errors and making the process smoother for both customers and UGS staffs.

Reliving 10 Years Old: Descriptive Insights Into Retro Gaming, Nick Ballou, Nick Bowman, T. Hakman, Andrew Przybylski

Media Studies - All Scholarship

As video games and players age, some are drawn to retro titles, operationalized here as games from the 1970s–early 2000s. This trend has sparked growing interest among researchers and the games industry in areas such as consumer behavior, nostalgia, and well-being. However, little is known about naturalistic retro gaming—who plays them, and what time periods players revisit. We analyze 1,099 players’ logged session histories on Nintendo Switch classic consoles (e.g., Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64), totaling 13,000 hr. We find that retro gaming increases with age until around 40; that people tend to revisit consoles popular when they were 5–13 …