bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Student-Collected Survey Data: An Examination of Data Quality and the Value of Survey Research as a Learning Tool
Authors: Boyle Michael P. , Schmierbach Mike
Published: December 2011

Instructors who use students enrolled in survey methodology courses to collect data must ensure that the process is not unreasonably difficult for some students and that the data gathered are representative of the population. Two sets of student-collected survey data are used to examine the fairness of the data-collection process for students and the quality of the data based on comparisons with census data. The findings demonstrate this process is a useful learning tool that efficiently yields quality data. The authors provide suggestions for improvement in student survey-data collection based on their experience as both students and instructors in the experiential-education-based data-collection process.
Teaching Web Design in Journalism and Mass Communications Programs: Integration, Judgment, and Perspective
Authors: Royal Cindy
Published: December 2011

The Internet is being implemented for many educational and academic purposes, and departments of journalism are no exception in integrating technology into the curriculum. The presence of the Internet in education is causing many educators to reconsider, reevaluate, and modify their teaching methods to meet the needs of a new media environment. But this presents many challenges. Should the focus be on theory or practice? This paper is a case study of a Web publishing course that covers the basic skills of Web design, graphics, animation, and multimedia, and how it has evolved over time to broaden its focus to include integration, judgment, and perspective.
Enrollment Growth Rate Slows; Field's Focus on Undergraduate Education at Odds with University Setting
Authors: Becker Lee B. , Vlad Tudor , Coffey Amy Jo , Tucker Maria
Published: December 2011

Undergraduate and graduate enrollments in the field of journalism and mass communication grew again in the autumn of 2004, but at rates considerably smaller than in recent years. Enrollment at the freshman level was considerably higher than a year earlier, however, suggesting increased enrollment demand at the undergraduate level for the future. While the field of journalism and mass communication is heavily slanted toward undergraduate education, new analyses show that these undergraduate programs are mostly in university settings where graduate education is highly valued. Journalism and mass communication as a field clearly underperforms in terms of graduate education.
Examining the Student Newspaper: An Opportunity to Teach Research Methods
Authors: Mersey Rachel Davis
Published: December 2011

This article provides a case study of an innovative approach to teaching quantitative methods to journalism students. By posing questions that inspire curiosity, this method suggests that we can motivate students who might be apprehensive about statistics to embrace them in pursuit of answers. It was employed in a media analysis course taught by Knight Chair in Journalism Philip Meyer. In the course, Meyer's 2004 book, The Vanishing Newspaper: Saving Journalism in the Information Age, provided the blueprint for the students' examination of their campus newspaper and an entree into quantitative methods for the social sciences and/or investigative reporting.
Using Writing to Predict Students' Choice of Majors
Authors: Wiltse Eric M.
Published: December 2011

This predictive study examines whether discriminant analysis results can classify students enrolled in communication courses into their majors. Predictor variables were writing apprehension, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, skills, and experience. The study correctly classified 53% of the participants as journalism, communication, or non-majors. Discriminant analysis found that writing apprehension, self-efficacy, and experience were positive predictors of academic major
The Need for More Business Education in Mass Communication Schools
Authors: Roush Chris
Published: December 2011

Teaching business and economics in journalism and mass communication schools has long been ignored despite the fact that students in all areas of media will have to work with budgets, financial statements, and annual reports at one time or another in their careers and despite requests from the industry. A number of schools are looking to change mass communication curricula to include courses that discuss these and other business-related topics
Reconsider the Source: Implications of Vanishing Online Citations in Communication Journals
Authors: Bugeja Michael , Dimitrova Daniela V.
Published: December 2011

This invited essay focuses on the use of Internet footnotes in academic journals, an increasingly popular practice that may undermine scholarship—and the teaching thereof—in every discipline. Recent studies have documented that online footnotes disappear from the original source, undermining communication research reliability and replicability. The half-life of Internet footnotes also has pedagogical ramifications. The authors recount findings from their several investigations and propose methods to stabilize online footnotes in scholarly works.
2006 Enrollment Report: Enrollments Level Off; Online Instruction Now Routine
Authors: Becker Lee B. , Vlad Tudor , McLean Joel D.
Published: December 2011

Journalism and mass communication enrollments increased only slightly in 2006, and the increase was brought about by the addition of new programs, rather than growth at existing programs. The slowdown in enrollments is not unprecedented, and enrollments have declined in the recent past. Growth in enrollments at the entry level in 2006 and the expectation that university enrollments will increase generally in the next five to ten years suggests the likelihood of continued growth in journalism and mass communication enrollments in the next few years. The curricula of journalism and mass communication programs have changed in response to changes in the technologies used by the communication occupations. While fewer students are enrolled in the four traditional areas of advertising, journalism, public relations, and telecommunications than in the past, journalism continues to attract the largest number of students.
Wanted: A First Job in Journalism—An Exploration of Factors that May Influence Initial Job-Search Outcomes for News-Editorial Students
Authors: Neidorf Shawn M.
Published: December 2011

This essay explores how journalism-school graduates pursue newsroom jobs and what characteristics and approaches serve or harm the graduates, particularly those looking for what are traditionally called “print” jobs. The role of social capital is a major focus: Education, credentials, and experience (through internships, especially) are important, but graduates sensed they needed something more. Some tapped social networks for information and/or sponsorship, while others—often those lacking extensive networks—opted for more aggressive, attention-seeking actions. Among a small group interviewed, job-seekers who tapped networks had better luck in their job searches than those who did not.
Thinking along the Cultural Line: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry of Ethical Decision Making among U.S. and Chinese Journalism Students
Authors: Zhong Bu
Published: December 2011

A cross-cultural inquiry of ethical decision making among U.S. and Chinese journalism students ( N = 204) investigated four internal and four external constructs relevant to moral reasoning. Students, regardless of nationality, shared similarities in assessing the internal constructs, whereas differences emerged in evaluating relevance of external constructs. Chinese students also were more likely to emphasize colleagues' views and their editors' reactions, while U.S. students emphasized news media's needs in a competitive environment. Differences confirm that ethical thinking follows a prominent cultural line of individualism and collectivism.
Teaching Magazine Publishing through Experiential Learning
Authors: Rhodes Leara , Roessner Amber
Published: December 2011

Journalism educators have encouraged the creation of an experiential learning environment for more than two decades. Although many reformers have advocated such environments, little discourse exists on the pedagogical approaches for journalism instruction. This article seeks to provide an overview of differing course designs used in sixteen undergraduate magazine publishing classes taught at U.S. universities. In particular, the article provides insight into the experiential learning environment within a major Southern university's magazine publishing class by closely examining the course design and pedagogical approach.
Educating Public Relations Students to Enter the Blogosphere: Results of a Delphi Study
Authors: Duke Shearlean
Published: December 2011

This study uses the Delphi technique to ask public relations experts how Web logs (blogs) are changing the practice of public relations and how educators can prepare students for these changes. Respondents agree that blogs are a powerful new medium, creating new audiences, and that as a media outlet, blogs have changed how public relations professionals work. Findings suggest that students must develop online conversational skills, learn to communicate with bloggers, and learn to use blogs to monitor issues. However, panelists said that educators should not require students to blog because forced content skews the transparency of the blogosphere.
Academic and Professional Dishonesty: Student Views of Cheating in the Classroom and on the Job
Authors: Shipley Linda J.
Published: December 2011

Early studies of academic dishonesty discovered that a large percentage of college students admitted they cheated. Since then, additional studies found even higher numbers of students who report that they cheat, and those students indicate that stress related to getting good grades is a driving factor. In recent years, several incidents have involved journalists caught cheating. Are student views of academic and professional dishonesty connected? This study looks at how journalism and mass communication students view both academic and professional dishonesty.
Is Ignorance Bliss? Assessing Singaporean Media Literacy Awareness in the Era of Globalization
Authors: Phang Anna , Schaefer David J.
Published: December 2011

Singaporean college students (N = 262) were surveyed about their awareness of visual media literacy. One hypothesis and two research questions are posed comparing awareness of media literacy components for two educational conditions—students enrolled in mass media production programs vs. those enrolled in other programs. Potential effects of cultivation and censorship on media literacy awareness also are explored. Findings include that media education corresponds to an increased awareness of media literacy; the effect was more pronounced for production-oriented rather than consumption-oriented components. Media students reported lower awareness of the ability to distinguish fact from fiction than non-media students, suggesting a cultivation effect.

Conclusions address media literacy theory.
Assessing the State of Math Education in ACEJMC-accredited and Non-accredited Undergraduate Journalism Programs
Authors: Cusatis Christine , Martin-Kratzer Renee
Published: December 2011

Although the importance of mathematical skills in the newsroom has been researched, little attention has been given to math education provided in collegiate journalism programs. To assess journalists' math education in the United States, 341 department chairs from both ACEJMC-accredited and non-accredited journalism programs were surveyed. Results indicated that few programs offered a math course specifically for the journalism major. Instead, most relied on general education requirements and segments of core journalism courses to provide students with math skills. General education requirements in math were typically satisfied with minimal credit hours. The average journalism student's mathematical skills were rated as “poor” or “fair” by 70.2% of journalism chairs. A lack of room in the curriculum was the most commonly cited constraint to the implementation of math education, although others, such as conflicts with the math department and the limiting effect of accreditation standards on the curriculum, were also documented.
Research-informed Design Exercises Enhance Audience Understanding among Visual Communication Students
Authors: George-Palilonis Jennifer
Published: December 2011

This case study focuses on two journalism graphics courses in which research-informed-design and development strategies were implemented as a learning exercise. The purpose was to provide visual communication students with a better sense of audience understanding related to their design work. Students took a survey at the completion of each course intended to gauge their opinions about research-informed design activities. Survey responses were overwhelmingly positive. This paper provides a look at how two different research-informed design strategies can enhance the classroom experience, better prepare students for careers in visual communication, and better serve contemporary students with collaborative classroom exercises.
The Teaching of Advertising Management: Essential, Elective, or Extraneous
Authors: Stuhlfaut Mark W. , Davis Craig
Published: December 2011

The practice of advertising takes creative, media, and other skills, but management is the determining discipline for developing advertising campaigns. This study investigated the teaching of advertising management at U.S. colleges/universities, by examining school Web sites, analyzing course syllabi, and surveying educators. More than half of advertising or IMC programs studied do not have a management course. The diversity of course names, goals, and texts indicates a loose understanding of the essential elements. The place of a management course within the curriculum is discussed, including coordination in teaching the subject with other departments.
Rigor or Remediation? Exploring Writing Proficiency and Assessment Measures in Journalism and Mass Communication Programs
Authors: Lingwall Andrew
Published: December 2011

This exploratory study probes respondents' perceptions of the writing proficiency of students entering programs of journalism and mass communication, and measures used to assess and improve student writing. Results show that regardless of institutional attributes, faculty members are dealing with many new students who are only moderately proficient in writing. The study also shows that among respondents, there is no clear pattern of measures used or in the degree of success achieved with those measures. Results indicate a dichotomy between faculty favoring a more rigorous approach and those favoring a remediation-based approach to improving student writing. Finally, program planners must now begin doing more to meet students where they are, and then implement meaningful measures that work for their own institutions.
How to Educate Innovation Journalists? Experiences of Innovation Journalism Education in Finland 2004–2010
Authors: Lassila-Merisalo Maria , Uskali Turo
Published: December 2011

Finland has been among the very first nations to apply for practice theories of innovation journalism—journalism covering innovations. This essay is based on deep interviews since 2004 of all former Finnish innovation journalism fellows ( N = 9), and two surveys of undergraduate journalism students ( N = 16) who took part in the world's first innovation journalism courses for university students in Finland. We argue that a fellowship program is often a part of a larger professional process of change, and that innovation journalism education should mainly focus on mid-career journalists.
Yearbooks Ahead for Departments
Authors: Levy Doran Jay
Published: December 2011

A recent survey of major universities showed that yearbook circulations today average about 30 per cent of student enrollments. “Yearbooks at large universities are searching for new approaches to presenting content appealing to readers, but it would be an exaggeration to say flatly that they are dying,” commented Photolith, magazine of the National Yearbook Association, which also predicted that small yearbooks for separate schools of a university may be coming. Similar conclusions were reached by the writer of the article below, based on research at a small midwestern educational institution.
Study Pinpoints Major Variances among Accredited J-Sequences
Authors: Trayes Edward J.
Published: December 2011

“A program of education for journalism should be based on a wide and varied background of competent instruction in the liberal arts and sciences.”

“ACEJ (American Council on Education for Journalism) suggests about one-fourth/three-fourths as an equitable ratio between courses in journalism and courses in the arts and sciences.”

“The required professional courses for a program in journalism should vary with the objective of the program or sequence, but all students should be instructed in the basic elements of reporting and editing and the theory, history, and responsibility of mass communication.”
I. Black J-Enrollments Increase, but Important Questions Remain
Authors: Trayes Edward J.
Published: December 2011

The proportion of black upperdivision news-editorial majors has almost tripled since 1968.

The number and percentage of black full-time journalism faculty has increased slightly in a year.

About one of every 11 full-time journalism faculty positions is held by a woman.
Classes Simulate ‘Good Gray Lady’ in Producing ‘Borrowed Times’
Authors: Vivian John H.
Published: December 2011

Editing, reporting and advertising students coordinate efforts in novel project that ends up in print.
Relation of Growth of Use of the Internet to Changes in Media Use from 1995 to 1999
Authors: Stempel Guido H. , Hargrove Thomas , Bernt Joseph P.
Published: December 2011

This national survey of media useshows a huge gain for Internet use in the last four years and decline for both local and network television news and for newspapers. Comparison of those who use the Internet and those who do not shows that Internet users are more likely than non-users to be newspaper readers and radio news listeners. For both local and network television news viewing, there is no significant difference between users and non-users of the Internet. Clearly, the Internet is not the cause of the decline in use of the other media.
Local Press Coverage of Environmental Conflict
Authors: Taylor Claire E. , Lee Jung-Sook , Davie William R.
Published: December 2011

An examination of 600 items in the local press coverage of environmental conflict during a ten-year period showed that a community daily in a small, hut heterogeneous system (1) did indeed favor government/industry sources rather than activists/citizens through all five stages of the conflict; (2) supported local industry in editorials and staff opinion columns in only two stages (Mobilization and Confrontation); and (3) legitimized local industry and marginalized its opponents through all five stages.
Setting the Journalist Agenda: Influences from Journalists' Individual Characteristics and from Media Factors
Authors: Peiser Wolfram
Published: December 2011

The journalist agenda (issues journalists consider personally important) has received no attention in research about agenda setting and media content creation. However, the discussion about diversity in newsrooms seems to imply that journalists differ in their personal agendas and that these agendas influence media content. Drawing on data from Germany, this study investigated how the agendas of journalists depended on individual and media factors. Some systematic variations were found among journalists working in different media and departments, and between men and women. As journalists' agendas probably have relevance to their news judgments, results seem important to newsroom-diversity issues and media agenda-setting research.
More Than Just Talk on the Move: Uses and Gratifications of the Cellular Phone
Authors: Leung Louis , Wei Ran
Published: December 2011

Mobility, immediacy, and instrumentality are found the strongest instrumental motives in predicting the use of cellular phones, followed by intrinsic factors such as affection/sociability. Subscription to functionally enhanced services such as call transfers and caller ID appears to be important predictors for overall cellular phone use, especially for those who are on the go. As expected, the use of cellular phones on buses, cars, and trains or in malls and restaurants is strongly linked to mobility and immediate access gratifications. Further, young and less educated women tend to talk longer on each call. Finally, talking to co-workers and business partners via cellular phones appears to be for instrumental reasons, while talking to immediate family members is for mobility and showing affection.
Not Likely Sent: The Remington-Hearst “Telegrams”
Authors: Campbell W. Joseph
Published: December 2011

This article challenges as improbable one of American journalism's best-known anecdotes, the purported telegraphic exchange in 1897 between Frederic S. Remington and William Randolph Hearst in which Hearst supposedly vowed, “I'll furnish the war.” The article discusses several reasons why it is exceedingly unlikely the exchange ever took place, including: The supposed reply is at odds with the editorial stance of Hearst's New York Journal in early 1897, and the account is not supported by the contemporaneous record of Remington's assignment to Cuba, from where he is said to have initiated the often-quoted exchange with Hearst.
Making Local News: A Holistic Analysis of Sources, Selection Criteria, and Topics
Authors: Gant Camilla , Dimmick John
Published: December 2011

TV news has great potential to influence our day-to-day decisions and to cultivate our perceptions of what issues and events are important in society. Consequently, this holistic field study analyzes the sources, topics, and selection criteria that frame the perceptions viewers glean from one local station. Traditional news selection criteria were good predictors of which news story ideas would make it to the small screen, and a new criterion (affiliation) was particularly critical during the initial filtering. Crime, disaster/accident, and government/politics proved to be enduring news story topics, topping the list with business/ economy, education, and environment/ecology news stories.
The Color of Crime and the Court: A Content Analysis of Minority Respresentation on Television
Authors: Tamborini Ron , Mastro Dana E. , Chory-Assad Rebecca M. , Huang Ren He
Published: December 2011

This content analysis examines portrayals of Whites, African Americans, and Latinos in the criminal justice system as representatives of the court and as criminals. Results indicate that African Americans and Latinos were similar to White characters in their roles, personalities, and aggressive behaviors. Most African Americans and Latinos were depicted as representatives of the court, and the attributes associated with these characterizations were positive. Mass media's depictions and viewers' perceptions of racial/ethnic issues concerning law enforcement and criminal tendencies also are discussed.
Media Effects on Political and Social Trust
Authors: Moy Patricia , Scheufele Dietram A.
Published: December 2011

Public opinion data from the last two decades document a crisis of confidence in America. Citizens are expressing lower levels of trust in government and in others. To what extent are variations in political and social trust a function of media use? Using data from the 1996 American National Election Study, we find that media use affects only social trust. Reading newspapers and watching television entertainment content enhanced social trust, while watching television news undermined trust in others. We discuss the implications of these findings for the healthy functioning of democratic systems.
Using Is Believing: The Influence of Reliance on the Credibility of Online Political Information among Politically Interested Internet Users
Authors: Johnson Thomas J. , Kaye Barbara K.
Published: December 2011

This study surveyed politically interested Web users online to investigate the degree to which reliance on traditional and online sources predicts credibility of online newspapers, television news, news-magazines, candidate literature, and political issue-oriented sites after controlling for demographic and political factors. Reliance on online and traditional media was the strongest predictor of credibility of online sources. Reliance on traditional media tended to be a stronger predictor of credibility of its online counterpart than reliance on the Web in general.
Front Pages of Taiwan Daily Newspapers 1952–1996: How Ending Martial Law Influenced Publication Design
Authors: Lo Ven-Hwei , Paddon Anna , Wu Hsiaomei
Published: December 2011

The number of Taiwanese daily newspapers increased tenfold after martial law was lifted in 1988. Increased competition and new technology influenced the adoption of design innovations. This study examined three Taiwanese daily newspapers' use of color, graphics, headline styles, modular design, and number of stories before and after the lifting of martial law.
From Class D to LPFM: The High-Powered Politics of Low-Power Radio
Authors: Stavitsky Alan G. , Avery Robert K. , Vanhala Helena
Published: December 2011

The most heated broadcasting issue of the year 2000 was the fight over low-power FM radio. The rise and fall of the proposed service reflected the state of the art in telecommunication policymaking, and provided a snapshot of power relations among broadcasters, the FCC, Congress, and citizen activists. For public radio managers with long institutional memories, however, the low-power FM debate seems a bit ironic. That's because a similar low-power service did exist, but was permitted to languish by broadcasters and regulators. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the former Class D FM and the contemporary debate.
Accidentally Informed: Incidental News Exposure on the World Wide Web
Authors: Tewksbury David , Weaver Andrew J. , Maddex Brett D.
Published: December 2011

An important element of news delivery on the World Wide Web today is the near ubiquity of breaking news headlines. What used to be called search engines (e.g., Yahoo! and Lycos) are now “portals” or “hubs,” popular services that use news, weather, and other content features to extend the time users spend on the sites. Traditional models of news dissemination in the mass media often assume some level of intention behind most news exposure. The prevalence of news on the disparate corners of the Web provides opportunities for people to encounter current affairs information in an incidental fashion, a byproduct of their other online activities. This study uses survey data from 1996 and 1998 to test whether accidental exposure to news on the Web is positively associated with awareness of current affairs information. The results indicate that incidental online news exposure was unrelated to knowledge in 1996 but acted as a positive predictor in 1998.
Are Journalists Really Irreligious? A Multidimensional Analysis
Authors: Underwood Doug , Stamm Keith
Published: December 2011

The notion of religion defined as moral activism is embraced by journalists of all stripes, regardless of whether they identify themselves as people of faith or not. The finding is based upon a nationwide survey of American and Canadian journalists who were asked about their religious beliefs and how they put those beliefs into action in their professional lives. The study found that journalists surveyed indicated a strong general religious orientation. But even nonreligious journalists responded strongly to fundamental calls for moral action as long as they were framed as part of a journalistic, rather than a religious, mission.
“A Death in the American Family”: Myth, Memory, and National Values in the Media Mourning of John F. Kennedy Jr.
Authors: Kitch Carolyn
Published: December 2011

This article provides narrative and rhetorical analysis—considering structure, language, and emphases in content and presentation—of journalistic coverage of the 1999 death and funeral of John F. Kennedy Jr. It contends that, because of JFK Jr.'s particular symbolic role in the Kennedy story, journalists explained his significance in terms of cultural and mythic themes, including family and nation, tragedy and hope, and sacrifice and redemption. The evidence comes primarily from newsmagazines, which have played a key role in the construction of “the Kennedy myth” for forty years.
Impartial Spectator in the Marketplace of Ideas: The Principles of Adam Smith as an Ethical Basis for Regulation of Corporate Speech
Authors: Kerr Robert L.
Published: December 2011

The corporate voice is arguably the loudest in mass communication today and has been the subject of a series of landmark Supreme Court decisions since 1978. This integrative essay offers an ethical basis for justifying regulation of corporate speech, based on the neglected moral and political theories of Adam Smith. His essential tenets on free markets are applied to the First Amendment marketplace of ideas concept that has been prominent in developing corporate free-speech rights. This essay argues that regulation of corporate speech on this basis can actually enable more ideas to flourish in the political marketplace—advancing utilitarian ideals of the common good.
Source Use In a “News Disaster” Account: A Content Analysis of Voter News Service Stories
Authors: Sumpter Randall S. , Braddock Melissa A.
Published: December 2011

This quantitative content analysis examines source use for an eleven-week period in a “news disaster” story. The frequency of similar stories, which explain to readers, viewers, and listeners how the media do their work, has grown in the past forty years, and media observers are unsure what the change means. In this study, source affiliations and themes are evaluated in a census of stories about errors made by the media in reporting election night returns for the 2000 presidential race. News workers and other media-affiliated sources initially dominated the stories. They commonly explained how the reporting errors occurred or related factual information about the coverage. These sources and themes effectively blocked other affiliated and unaffiliated sources from evaluating the media's performance until later.
The Presentation of Self in Virtual Life: Characteristics of Personal Home Pages
Authors: Papacharissi Zizi
Published: December 2011

This study focused on how individuals used personal home pages to present themselves online. Content analysis was used to examine, record, and analyze the characteristics of personal home pages. Data interpretation revealed popular tools for self-presentation, a desire for virtual homesteaders to affiliate with online homestead communities, and significant relationships among home page characteristics. Web page design was influenced, to a certain extent, by the tools Web page space providers supplied. Further studies should consider personality characteristics, design templates, and Web author input to determine factors that influence self-presentation through personal home pages.
Cultural Standards of Attractiveness: A Thirty-Year Look at Changes in Male Images in Magazines
Authors: Law Cheryl , Labre Magdala Peixoto
Published: December 2011

This study examined images of male bodies in the popular magazines GQ, Rolling Stone, and Sports Illustrated, from 1967 to 1997. A sample of images was analyzed using an eight-point scale measuring levels of body fat and muscularity. Findings suggest that the male bodies featured in these magazines became more lean, muscular, and V-shaped (featuring a broad chest tapering to a narrow waist) over the years. Leanness and V-shape increased dramatically from the 1960s and 1970s to the 1980s, declining slightly in the 1990s. Muscularity increased progressively over the years, reaching its highest level in the 1990s.
Sources and Civic Journalism: Changing Patterns of Reporting?
Authors: Kurpius David D.
Published: December 2011

Research studies consistently demonstrate a disproportionate use of elites, males, and non-minorities as sources. Previous research demonstrated that only enterprise reporting altered journalistic routines and therefore improved source diversity. Civic journalism is a decade-old, foundation-driven effort to encourage journalism organizations to alter their coverage routines to better reflect communities and the public dialogue on issues. Civic journalism encourages greater depth of knowledge of communities, alternative framing for stories, and developing sources within layers of civic life (from officials to private individuals). This study of 1,071 sources in 184 television entries to the James K. Batten Civic Journalism Awards found that civic journalism improved traditional source diversity for women and minorities.
Preaching to the Choir? Parents' Use of TV Ratings to Mediate Children's Viewing
Authors: Warren Ron
Published: December 2011

In 1997, a system of TV ratings was instituted to label objectionable television content for parents. This study gathered ratings use data from 439 parents of preschool and school-age children. Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory of development is used to interpret the results. Parents most likely to use TV ratings are those who already mediate viewing, a finding with important implications for redefining television's place in Bronfenbrenner's theory, particularly its role as a microsystem setting and mediation's place as a mesosystem factor in child development.
Intertwining of Campaign News and Advertising: The Content and Electoral Effects of Newspaper Ad Watches
Authors: Min Young
Published: December 2011

By integrating content analysis and experimental analysis of newspaper ad watches, this study examines the interactive qualities of news and candidate ads as well as the effects of those interactions. First, the content analysis shows that negative issue advertising is the most frequent focus of ad watch journalism. The tone of journalistic assessments of political ads is not invariably critical; while the press tends to deflate the accuracy of the ad messages, it more often than not reinforces the effectiveness of the messages. Second, an experimental analysis demonstrates that the tone of the news analysis of a campaign ad significantly influences the audiences' preferences toward the sponsoring candidate. However, it provides little support for the demobilizing effects of negativity in the ad watch coverage.
Effects of Anti-Tobacco Advertisements Based on Risk-Taking Tendencies: Realistic Fear vs. Vulgar Humor
Authors: Lee Moon J. , Ferguson Mary Ann
Published: December 2011

This study examined effects of two different types of anti-tobacco advertisements (realistic fear ads vs. vulgar humor ads). Results indicate that rebellious participants who watched the realistic fear ads reported higher levels of interest than those who watched the vulgar humor ads. As expected, there was a strong negative correlation between participant rebelliousness and intention to quit smoking after watching realistic fear ads, a correlation not present among those who watched vulgar humor ads. Impulsive participants reported more interest in the realistic fear ads than in the vulgar humor ads, but their intentions to change smoking behavior were not affected by the different types of messages.
Health and Beauty Magazine Reading and Body Shape Concerns among a Group of College Women
Authors: Thomsen Steven R.
Published: December 2011

Research indicates that exposure to thin ideal images in women's magazines is associated with heightened concerns for body shape and size in a number of young women, although the media's role in the psychopathology of body image disturbance is generally believed to be mediated by personality and sociocultural factors. Here, data from a survey of 340 college-age women (ages 18–25) were used to test a structural equation model that examined three potential factors—hope, beliefs about men's expectations for female thinness, and expected weight gain or loss in five years—that might mediate the relationship between reading women's magazines and body shape and size concerns. The study found health and fitness magazine reading was linked directly to body shape concerns as well as indirectly through beliefs about men's thinness expectations and to a lesser degree through expected future weight gain or loss. Beauty and fashion magazine reading, however, was linked to body shape concerns only indirectly via beliefs about men's thinness expectations. Hope was not influenced directly by reading either type of magazine, nor did it mediate the relationship between reading and body shape concerns.
The Economy and Second-Level Agenda Setting: A Time-Series Analysis of Economic News and Public Opinion about the Economy
Authors: Hester Joe Bob , Gibson Rhonda
Published: December 2011

Data from a content analysis of forty-eight months of print and broadcast news about the economy were combined in time-series analyses with two indicators of consumer economic evaluations and three measures of real economic conditions to investigate second-level agenda-setting effects. Economic news was framed as negative more often than as positive, and negatively framed news coverage was one of several significant predictors of consumer expectations about the future of the economy. The study supports the argument that media coverage, particularly the media's emphasis on negative news, may have serious consequences for both expectations of and performance of the economy.
Effects of Salience Dimensions of Informational Utility on Selective Exposure to Online News
Authors: Knobloch Silvia , Carpentier Francesca Dillman , Zillmann Dolf
Published: December 2011

An Internet newsmagazine was created to ascertain effects of three dimensions of news salience—magnitude, likelihood, and immediacy of events—on selective news exposure. In an overview, leads of half the articles were manipulated along the salience dimensions (low vs. high). Remaining leads and all articles were held constant. While readers sampled articles, their selective exposure was automatically recorded. Independent manipulation of salience dimensions resulted in increased exposure to associated articles for all three dimensions. Their joint manipulation yielded the same results for magnitude and likelihood. The absence of interactions in the joint manipulation suggests additive dimension effects.
Acculturation, Cultivation, and Daytime TV Talk Shows
Authors: Woo Hyung-Jin , Dominick Joseph R.
Published: December 2011

This study explored the cultivation phenomenon among international college students in the United States by examining the connection between levels of acculturation, daytime TV talk show viewing, and beliefs about social reality. It was expected that international students who were heavy viewers of daytime TV talk shows and who scored low on a measure of acculturation about the United States would hold the most negative perceptions and attitudes concerning U.S. society. Three specific hypotheses were tested. International students who score low on acculturation and watch a great deal of daytime talk shows should (1) overestimate the frequency of certain undesirable behaviors in the United States, (2) have more negative attitudes toward human relationships in the United States, and (3) have more negative perceptions of human relationships in the United States. The first hypothesis received limited support while the second and third received strong support.
Race and Ethical Reasoning: The Importance of Race to Journalistic Decision Making
Authors: Coleman Renita
Published: December 2011

A controlled experiment is used to investigate the effects of race of news subjects on journalists' ethical reasoning. In this study, race of the people in the ethical dilemmas presented had a significant effect on ethical reasoning. When participants knew the race because they saw photographs, their ethical reasoning scores were higher when the people in the ethical dilemmas were white than when they were African American.
Objective Evidence on Media Bias: Newspaper Coverage of Congressional Party Switchers
Authors: Niven David
Published: December 2011

Are the media biased? Many sources answer in the affirmative, typically indicting the media for a pro-liberal or pro-Democratic slant. Analysis subjecting these claims to objective testing, using baselines with which to compare coverage, has been lacking. By studying newspaper articles on congressional party switchers (members who have left their political party in mid-term), this research compares coverage when members of both parties have engaged in the same behavior. The results provide little evidence of partisan media bias, and no support for allegations of a pro-liberal or pro-Democratic bias.
Media Effects on Public Opinion about a Newspaper Strike
Authors: Moy Patricia , McCoy Kelley , Spratt Meg , McCluskey Michael R.
Published: December 2011

This study examines antecedents of public involvement in and support for a strike by newspaper journalists in a two-newspaper metropolitan area. Specifically, we focus on the role that perceptions of journalists and the news media, as well as mediated and direct experience, play in shaping involvement and support for the strike. Using data from a probability sample of 456 respondents, we find differential effects of the specific newspaper read by respondents as well as attention paid to newspaper and television news. Results indicate that direct experience, attention to newspaper news, and knowledge of local politics have an impact on strike involvement. Perceptions of news organizations as profit-driven and views of local media drive perceptions of the legitimacy of striking journalists' concerns.
Holding the News Media Accountable: A Study of Media Reporters and Media Critics in the United States
Authors: Fengler Susanne
Published: December 2011

The last decade has witnessed a significant, albeit understudied, increase in media reporting and media criticism in the U.S. news media. An exploratory study of leading media reporters and media critics in the United States indicates that these journalists have considerable potential as instruments of media self-regulation. Their impact on other media professionals, however, is partially left unexploited, mainly because of the peer orientation of media critics and media reporters.
Personal and Professional Dimensions of News Work: Exploring the Link between Journalists' Values and Roles
Authors: Plaisance Patrick Lee , Skewes Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2011

Scholars studying news work have long focused on either journalistic roles or journalistic values, rather than trying to integrate the two as a way to better understand internal forces that drive reporters and editors. This study questions assumptions regarding values by applying social psychology research on values to better understand how journalists operate. The resulting “profile” of journalistic values produced by a nationwide probability-sample survey of 600 newspaper journalists—and an analysis of the links between ranked values and role conceptions—challenges assumptions about the influence of newsroom socialization on journalistic values. Analysis also shows more linkages between the adversarial role of the press and values, suggesting that the adversarial function may be more significant than indicated by previous research.
Embedding Journalists in Military Combat Units: Impact on Newspaper Story Frames and Tone
Authors: Pfau Michael , Haigh Michel , Gettle Mitchell , Donnelly Michael , Scott Gregory , Warr Dana , Wittenberg Elaine
Published: December 2011

This investigation probed whether embedded journalist coverage of the first days of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq produced print news coverage that was either more decontextualized inform or more favorable in tone. Embedded news coverage of the first days of Operation “Iraqi Freedom” was compared to nonembedded, so-called “unilateral” coverage; and print coverage of “Iraqi Freedom” was compared with the first days of U.S. ground operations in Operations “Enduring Freedom” and “Desert Storm.” The results indicated that embedded journalists in Operation “Iraqi Freedom” produced news stories that featured more episodic frames, compared to both nonembedded reporters in “Iraqi Freedom” and overall coverage of Operation “Enduring Freedom.” The results also revealed that, compared to nonembedded reporting, embedded print coverage of “Iraqi Freedom” was more favorable in overall tone toward the military and in depiction of individual troops, but this bias did not produce more positive overall coverage compared to recent conflicts.
Information Seeking and Emotional Reactions to the September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Authors: Boyle Michael P. , Schmierbach Mike , Armstrong Cory L. , McLeod Douglas M. , Shah Dhavan V. , Pan Zhongdang
Published: December 2011

Based on uncertainty reduction theory, this paper argues that individuals were motivated to seek information and learn about the September 11 terrorist attacks to reduce uncertainty about what happened. Results from a panel survey indicate that negative emotional response was a strong predictor of efforts to learn. Analyses also show that relative increases in newspaper, television, and Internet use from Wave 1 to Wave 2 were positively related to efforts to learn about the attacks. The findings extend uncertainty reduction theory to the mass media context thereby contributing to our understanding of uses and gratifications.
Operationalizing and Analyzing Exposure: The Foundation of Media Effects Research
Authors: Slater Michael D.
Published: December 2011

The ability of researchers to empirically test theories of media effects and to assess impact of communication campaigns depends on their ability to identify levels of exposure to the media or messages of interest. This paper critically examines exposure operationalization and analysis strategies, including some not yet widely used in the communication field.
Counter-Hegemony and Environmental Justice in California Newspapers: Source Use Patterns in Stories About Pesticides and Farm Workers
Authors: Burch Elizabeth A. , Harry Joseph C.
Published: December 2011

Articles from four California newspapers focusing on pesticide use and farm workers were content analyzed to track inclusion of pro- and anti-pesticide sources, along with neutral sources. The authors applied hegemony theory to news content and historical, socioeconomic, and demographic data. Results indicate that in all newspapers, “counter-hegemonic” anti-pesticide sources were the most-often quoted. Analysis suggests that newspapers, themselves part of the ruling hegemony, nevertheless do sometimes provide significant space for opposing voices on environmental justice issues, especially when the sources become professional challengers, such as the United Farm Workers Union, highly legitimized by their routine use in the press.
Tonight's Top Story: Commercial Content in Television News
Authors: Wood Michelle L. M. , Nelson Michelle R. , Cho Jaeho , Yaros Ronald A.
Published: December 2011

While marketers look for creative ways to promote products on television, critics suggest the integrity of television news is being compromised by commercial content. This exploratory study investigates local and national news programming on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, and CNN for evidence of two commercial practices: unpaid brand/company content and cross-promotion with other station shows and services. The content analysis confirms that a substantial amount of commercial content exists; however, programs differ greatly in the amount and types of commercial content featured. Local news programs were found to have significantly more commercial content than their national counterparts.