Research into the persuasiveness of satirical news has found mixed results. Two possible explanations lie in the lack of clarity about mechanisms underlying the influence of consuming different types of satirical content. In six experiments (N[subscript total] = 3,139), we investigated how (different types of) humorous versus nonhumorous…

Since gatekeepers have the ability to inform the public about international affairs, it is important to understand gatekeepers' news values and perceptions of the role of the press in society. A study hypothesized that these problems could be subsumed under two dimensions, freedom of the press and development. In a mail survey, subjects, 118…

Concludes that responders to television editorials see themselves as more politically active and socially responsible than those who do not respond. (RB)

Editors of 16 daily newspapers in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey were interviewed regarding their awareness of local and international urban problems and the reporting of urban problems in their newspapers. Content analysis was then used to determine the urban problems covered by the newspapers. In narrative and tabular form, this…

Investigates whether different measurements can significantly influence the outcome of a study. Examines whether voters learn more from political advertisements than from television news, using exposure and attention to measure television watching, confidence and accuracy to measure knowledge, and different control strategies. Finds that different…

A prospectus and practical guide, this manual shows college teachers how to help students better understand social problems by comparing sociology with two other types of social knowledge (common sense and journalism) and cultivate critical thinking skills which transcend the three types of social knowledge. Chapter 1 proposes a teaching/learning…

Questionnaires were sent to 114 of the 228 editorial page editors at newspapers in the United States with daily circulations greater than 50,000 for a study that compared (1) the editor-publisher relationship existing at chains to that found at independent papers, and (2) the 1984 presidential endorsements made by chains to those by independent…

Purposes and alternative forms of mass communications research are explored in this four-part presentation. Part One examines the origins of, and the differences between, two conflicting types of research: administrative research, in which the mass media are perceived as neutral tools, capable of serving a wide range of purposes; and critical…

To compare attitudes, values, and background of high school journalists with those of the media elite (journalists already working in the media), a survey was administered to 132 public and private high school students attending the Trinity University Journalism Institute during June 5-9, 1983. These students were the editors of their newspapers,…

In the study described in this paper, 221 students in beginning and senior level university journalism and law courses read descriptions of ten cases of alleged invasions of privacy by photojournalists, gave their opinions on the ethics of taking and publishing the pictures, and indicated their degree of interest in a number of topics related to…

The findings of research studies that come from a variety of sources and concern newspapers, some aspects of television news, and news media audiences are summarized briefly. Among the topics are audience characteristics, content of stories, readership, headlines and makeup, editorial policy, and editorial administration and personnel. Most of the…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 23 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) Kansas scholastic newspaper content and management practices in a First Amendment context; (2) a historical analysis of new journalism; (3) how North…