A Proposed Technical Communication Degree Program for Texas Colleges and Universities (open access)

A Proposed Technical Communication Degree Program for Texas Colleges and Universities

This investigation is concerned with the problem of Texas employers' inability to hire adequately trained technical communication personnel because Texas universities and colleges do not offer a bachelor's degree program for that career field. This study contains the results of five separate surveys that investigate the backgrounds and training of present technical communication personnel and the training desired by supervisory personnel. The study also recommends a bachelor's degree program in technical communication with three technological specialties: electronics, mechanical, and chemical/petroleum. Anticipated problems in setting up such a degree program and possible solutions to the problems are discussed in the study. The suggested freshman and sophomore curriculum could be used as a guideline for a junior college associate program.
Date: May 1978
Creator: Walker, Ronald O.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dallas Morning News Editorial Cartoonists: Influences of John Knott on Jack "Herc" Ficklen and William McClanahan (open access)

Dallas Morning News Editorial Cartoonists: Influences of John Knott on Jack "Herc" Ficklen and William McClanahan

This problem's investigation deals with gauging the artistic influence, if any, pioneer editorial cartoonist John Knott had on his successors, Ficklen and McClanahan. Information was gathered through interviews and the pages of the Dallas Morning News. Organization is as follows: introduction, biography and art of Knott, biography and art of Ficklen, biography and art of McClanahan, summary and conclusion. The study found minimal artistic influence by Knott on the cartoons of Ficklen and McClanahan. Compared to Knott, Ficklen and McClanahan had different art backgrounds, cartoon styles, personal and political beliefs. Knott's successors admired different artists, drew during a different editorial page emphasis and had more freedom in cartoon selection than Knott did. Neither Ficklen nor McClanahan listed Knott as an artistic influence.
Date: August 1978
Creator: Darden, Robert F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Comparative Content Analysis of The Lewisville News-Advertiser and Lewisville Daily Leader (open access)

A Comparative Content Analysis of The Lewisville News-Advertiser and Lewisville Daily Leader

The problem with which this study is concerned is that of determining what differences, if any, existed between two newspapers with different circulation characteristics and whether the two papers were in competition. The thrice-weekly News-Advertiser and the five-day daily Leader were measured by a content analysis over eight weeks and by a readership and advertiser survey. This study concludes that the two newspapers are in competition in six of eleven designated categories of the content analysis, using Spearman rho and t-tests. However, the two newspapers seemed to be aiming at different markets in Lewisville, because one paper subscribes to a news service and prints thousands of inches of wire news and the other paper is all local news.
Date: May 1980
Creator: Frerichs, Colleen Doolin
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Comparison in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Between the State of Public Relations Education and the Views of Public School Public Information Directors and University Journalism Department Chairmen Concerning Public Relations Education (open access)

A Comparison in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Between the State of Public Relations Education and the Views of Public School Public Information Directors and University Journalism Department Chairmen Concerning Public Relations Education

Data obtained through interviews with eleven directors of school public information directors and four university chairmen in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex indicated that they are generally satisfied with public relations education being housed in the journalism department, with course format, and with undergraduate study and specialization; and that they are dissatisfied with practitioner-educator relationships. Some of their recommendations included that graduatelevel study be offered more often, and that more emphasis be placed in the curriculum on specific areas of public relations, the social sciences, and the news-editing side of communications studies.
Date: May 1980
Creator: Ramsey, Patricia Kingsley
System: The UNT Digital Library
Newspaper Editor Attitudes Toward Matters Involving Privacy (open access)

Newspaper Editor Attitudes Toward Matters Involving Privacy

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether there has been a change in attitude of newspaper editors toward privacy matters. The study examines a 1976 survey of editors on some specific situations involving privacy and compares that survey with one done for this paper in the spring of 1983. The study also seeks to determine whether such factors as circulation size, type of readership and political philosophy have any influence on privacy decisions made by editors. The study shows that there has been a change in attitudes. A chi square test showed that the comparison of the two surveys was significant at .01. Figures gathered to determine influences on privacy decisions were scattered among many categories and too small to be statistically significant.
Date: August 1983
Creator: LaRocque, Paul R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
China's Propaganda in the United States During World War II (open access)

China's Propaganda in the United States During World War II

The study examined China's conduct of its most important overseas propaganda activities in the United States during World War II. The findings showed that the main characteristics of China's propaganda in the United States in the war years included, (a) official propaganda in the United States was operated by the Chinese News Service and its branch offices in several cities; (b) unofficial propaganda involved work by both Americans and Chinese, among them, missionaries, newspapermen, and businessmen who tried to help China for different reasons; (c) both China lobby and Red China lobby, changed people's image about China, either the Nationalists or the Communists; and (d) propaganda toward the overseas Chinese in the United States was to collect donations and stir up patriotism.
Date: August 1980
Creator: Tsang, Kuo-jen
System: The UNT Digital Library
Attitudes of Foreign Students at North Texas State University Toward American Advertising (open access)

Attitudes of Foreign Students at North Texas State University Toward American Advertising

The problem of this study was to determine whether any relationship existed between foreign students' cultural and economic backgrounds and their attitudes toward American advertising and advertising media. The major findings of this study were that foreign students had a slightly favorable attitude toward American advertising and spent a great deal of time with American mass media. The stage of economic development of foreign students' home countries and the length of time foreign students stayed in the United States were powerful group predictors of their attitudes toward American advertising.
Date: August 1980
Creator: Chung, O-Jeeru
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Comparison of Attitudes of Photojournalists and Photojournalism Educators: The Best Literature About Photojournalism and Its Usefulness (open access)

A Comparison of Attitudes of Photojournalists and Photojournalism Educators: The Best Literature About Photojournalism and Its Usefulness

This study has two purposes: (1) to provide a reference tool--a list of the best books, articles, and audiovisual materials about photojournalism, and (2) to make a general evaluation of available literature. In response to a mail survey, photojournalists and photojournalism educators recommended twenty-four sources of information about photojournalism in twenty subject categories. Respondents believe reading about photojournalism is important in helping professionals do their jobs well. But, they do not think there is enough up-to-date information available. Further, a majority think photojournalism literature is unrealistic, poorly written and designed, and ineffective in preparing students.
Date: August 1984
Creator: Wolf, Rita Breedlove
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Study of the Attitudes of Journalism Students in Dallas High Schools Toward Journalism Careers (open access)

A Study of the Attitudes of Journalism Students in Dallas High Schools Toward Journalism Careers

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of journalism students in Dallas high schools toward the meanings and images of journalism careers. Eleven out of eighteen Dallas high schools participated. A total of 211 respondents, 145 females and 66 males, completed the questionnaire. The first part of the analysis involved the comparison through percentage tables illustrating the similarities and differences of the groups. The second part of the analysis involved the semantic differential scales and the mean profile comparisons for the groups. Although the seven branches of journalism did differ significantly from one another, the male and female subjects did not differ significantly in their meanings of the concepts.
Date: December 1976
Creator: Cates, Judy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Editorial Reaction of Texas Daily Newspapers to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1938 (open access)

The Editorial Reaction of Texas Daily Newspapers to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1938

The objective of this study is to identify newspapers who supported or opposed portions of the New Deal from 1932 to 1938. Nine newspapers from various geographic areas were consulted. Chapter II discusses the 1932 campaign, in which all newspapers supported Roosevelt. Chapter III discusses the First New Deal, in which widespread support was evidenced. Chapter IV discusses the Second New Deal, in which criticism appeared. Chapter V discusses the 1936 campaign, in which only one newspaper opposed Roosevelt. Chapter VI discusses three post-1936 issues. The study determined that Texas newspapers became more critical during the 1930s. The central hypothesis, that urban newspapers were more critical of urban measures and rural newspapers of rural measures, was rejected.
Date: May 1977
Creator: Sellers, Steven A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Examination and Evaluation of the Role of Public Relations in Neiman-Marcus Fortnights (open access)

An Examination and Evaluation of the Role of Public Relations in Neiman-Marcus Fortnights

This study examines the organization, function, and role of public relations in Neiman-Marcus Fortnights. Fortnight is an annual October extravaganza combining cultural and community education with merchandising. Information was gathered by interviews with three people associated with Fortnight public relations. The public relations department follows general goals in planning Fortnight public relations activities. Audiences are not restricted. Public relations responsibilities are publicity, press relations, guest relations, community relations, and special events. Evaluations are made with respect to public relations activities of the previous Fortnight. Though public relations is of secondary importance to merchandising, the effectiveness of Fortnight activities would be improved with established objectives, specific audiences, and a formal means of evaluation.
Date: May 1983
Creator: Falgout, Paula O'Reagan
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Descriptive Study of the Public Relations Practices at Hardin- Simmons University (open access)

A Descriptive Study of the Public Relations Practices at Hardin- Simmons University

This study examined the public relations practices-- the concept, structure, functions, goals and objectives, procedures, and standards of performance--at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. The study concluded that the public relations practices provide an effective, well-organized, well-planned and well-executed program based on formal goals and objectives, definite philosophy and purpose, and criteria for measurement of effectiveness. Although the program has a good sense of direction, it lacks focus, largely because of the mingling of public relations and fund-raising responsibilities in some staff positions and a lack of separate standards of performance for each staff member. Recommendations to strengthen the program include separate and distinct public relations and fund-raising responsibilities in each staff position and standards of performance for each staff member.
Date: August 1984
Creator: Schmucker, Susan Parker
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Survey of Selected Chinese Students in the United States to Determine How They Receive Hometown News (open access)

A Survey of Selected Chinese Students in the United States to Determine How They Receive Hometown News

The problem of this study was to determine how Chinese students obtain news from home. The study was conducted in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Denton, with 182 respondents from six universities. The study determined that Chinese students obtained Chinese news from Chinese newspapers circulating in the United States. The longer Chinese students remained in the United States, the fewer letters they received from home and the fewer newspapers and clippings their family and friends sent them. The conclusion of the study was that Chinese students read Chinese newspapers because they wish to maintain ties with their hometown and culture. Students stated that Hong Kong local news was their primary item in reading Chinese newspapers.
Date: August 1981
Creator: Yang, Joe T. (Joe Tsi)
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of Magazine News and Editorial Coverage of the 1973 Chilean Military Coup (open access)

An Analysis of Magazine News and Editorial Coverage of the 1973 Chilean Military Coup

The study focused on the positive or negative direction shown in 57 articles from ten English-language magazines covering the 1973 military coup in Chile, September 1 to December 31, 1973, inclusive. Magazines chosen were from the fields of news, religion, opinion, and business. Direction was determined by comparing individual thought units within articles against a category table comprising mutually exclusive pairs of thought units. Directional value of each article was determined by positive and negative ratios. Results showed a wide variation in scores, with news magazines adhering most closely to the objective ideal. Recommendations for further study included long-term study of single magazines or classes of magazines for direction, and an expanded mathematical analysis.
Date: August 1976
Creator: Hunnicutt, Robert W.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Role and Function of Public Relations at National Semiconductor Corporation as Practiced by Two Departments (open access)

The Role and Function of Public Relations at National Semiconductor Corporation as Practiced by Two Departments

This study examines the public relations practices of the Public Relations Department and the Human Relations Department at National Semiconductor Corporation. Source material included interviews with twelve company employees, company publications, and other publications. Five chapters deal with particular problems with which the semiconductor industry in the 'United States is confronted; background and development of National Semiconductor Corporation; organization and practices of the Public Relations Department; and public relations practices of the Human Relations Department. The study finds much strength in each of the two departments but concludes that the public relations function would be strengthened by consolidation into one department. It recommends further scholarly research of public relations practices at other electronics companies.
Date: May 1982
Creator: Waller, Gwendolyn L. (Gwendolyn Lea)
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of Community Attitudes Toward the "Bowie News" as a News-Advertising Medium (open access)

An Analysis of Community Attitudes Toward the "Bowie News" as a News-Advertising Medium

This study measured attitudes of newspaper staff members, advertisers, subscribers, and power structure members toward the Bowie News as a news and advertising medium. Three hypotheses were tested: that members of the power structure would have a more favorable attitude toward the Bowie News than other readers; that the Bowie News would play an active role as an instrument of the power structure; and that all four publics would differ in their perception of the newspaper's role in getting information to the community. The hypotheses were tested by a t test and rejected. Publics' attitudes were homogeneous. It was concluded that the Bowie News reflects consensus opinion within the community and is a trusted news source.
Date: May 1977
Creator: Whitfield, James Daniel
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Independent Candidate, Campaign '80: A Content Analysis of the Coverage of John B. Anderson in Three News Magazines (open access)

The Independent Candidate, Campaign '80: A Content Analysis of the Coverage of John B. Anderson in Three News Magazines

This study seeks to determine, through content analysis, whether there was evidence in news magazines during the 1980 presidential campaign to support the claim that Anderson was a "media-created candidate." Studying weekly issues of Time, Newsweek, and U. S. News & World Report from April 28, 1980 through November 3, 1980, it was found that (a) Anderson received 17 per cent of the total campaign coverage, compared to Reagan's 42 per cent and Carter's 37 per cent, and (b) overall, Anderson's coverage was mildly negative in all magazines. The study concludes that rather than "creating" Anderson, news magazines may have undercut his viability by restricting the length and number of stories about him.
Date: May 1982
Creator: Deahl, Maureen E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nigerian Military Government and Press Freedom, 1966-79 (open access)

Nigerian Military Government and Press Freedom, 1966-79

The problem of this thesis is to examine the military-press relationship in Nigeria from 1966 to 1979 and to determine whether activities of the military government contributed to violation of press freedom by prior restraint, postpublication censorship and penalization. Newspaper and magazine articles related to this study were analyzed. Interviews with some journalists and military personnel were also conducted. Materials collected show that the military violated some aspects of press freedom, but in most cases, however, journalists were free to criticize government activities. The judiciary prevented the military from arbitrarily using its power against the press. The findings show that although the military occasionally attempted suppressing the press, there are few instances that prove that journalists were denied press freedom.
Date: May 1984
Creator: Agboaye, Ehikioya
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Content Analysis of Press Coverage of the 1975-1976 Lebanese Civil War by "The New York Times" and "The Times" of London (open access)

A Content Analysis of Press Coverage of the 1975-1976 Lebanese Civil War by "The New York Times" and "The Times" of London

This study was designed to determine (a) the extent of the coverage in total wordage; (b) the direction and intensity of the articles; and (c) the impression conveyed by each newspaper toward the two main parties of the war. The findings show that (a) The New York Times devoted nearly twice as many words to the war as The Times of London; (b) the majority of the articles were neutral; (c) The New York Times was more favorable to the leftists and was as favorable to the rightists as The Times of London; and (d) the two newspapers were consistent in direction, and all deviation from neutrality remained within the limits of mild intensity.
Date: May 1980
Creator: Husni, Samir A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Critical Examination of "The Echo": Prison Publication of the Texas Department of Corrections (open access)

A Critical Examination of "The Echo": Prison Publication of the Texas Department of Corrections

The problem this investigation deals with is how The Echo functions as a communication vehicle within the TDC. Information was gathered through visits, interviews and a questionnaire. Organization is as follows: Chapter I, introduction, Chapter II, history and development; Chapter III, analysis of questionnaire data; Chapter IV, content; Chapter V, summary and conclusions. The study found that The Echo is often the sole source of TDC information to inmates, frequently aids administrators in providing inmates with information, provides an outlet for creativity, and enjoys little censorship. The report concludes that The Echo is an effective information medium, and that future study is possible in the role of the prison press in influencing rehabilitation, its contact with the outside public, and in inmate-produced magazines and journals.
Date: May 1977
Creator: Hadeler, David A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Study of the Sources of Power Demonstrated by Houston Harte, Texas Newspaper Owner (open access)

A Study of the Sources of Power Demonstrated by Houston Harte, Texas Newspaper Owner

In fifty years, Houston Harte guided an organization that grew from one afternoon daily to a chain of nineteen newspapers in six states, and one television station. Much of the civic activity in San Angelo, his hometown, revolved around Harte from 1930 until 1970. He knew many politicians, such as Lyndon Johnson, and was willing to ask their help. Harte's major contributions were retaining Goodfellow Air Force Base's active status, helping San Angelo College attain four-year status, and influencing General Telephone Company of the Southwest to locate its headquarters in San Angelo. His numerous other projects were of lesser magnitude. This study probes Harte's sources of power, examining why he was successful in getting the projects he wanted for his community.
Date: August 1978
Creator: Straach, Kathy H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Evaluation of the Contributions of the "Wichita Falls Times" in the Development and Progress of Wichita Falls, Texas, from 1907 to 1976 (open access)

An Evaluation of the Contributions of the "Wichita Falls Times" in the Development and Progress of Wichita Falls, Texas, from 1907 to 1976

The purpose of this study was (1) to trace the contributions of the newspaper to the civic improvement and economic growth of Wichita Falls; (2) to trace the contributions of the publishers; and (3) to trace the development of the Wichita Falls Times from 1907, when it began as a daily, to 1976, when it sold to Harte-Hanks Communications Inc.
Date: May 1979
Creator: Zajac, Patricia
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Survey of Award-Winning High School Newspapers in Texas (open access)

A Survey of Award-Winning High School Newspapers in Texas

This study identified the common characteristics of the adviser, the journalism program, and the newspaper of the high schools consistently winning awards. The purposes of this study were to identify the award-winning newspapers, to examine and describe the characteristics and elements (those rated by ILPC) of the newspapers, the attitudes and opinions of the principals, the qualifications, the attitudes, and the opinions of the advisers. Based on the results, there was no pattern that indicates a given high school newspaper will receive awards.
Date: May 1980
Creator: Scattergood, Kathy
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Oak Cliff Tribune Under the Leadership of Ray Zauber (open access)

The Oak Cliff Tribune Under the Leadership of Ray Zauber

This study evaluates the influence of The Oak Cliff Tribune under the leadership of Ray Zauber, from late 1946 to August, 1978. The study shows the contributions of The Oak Cliff Tribune for the area, its influence within the community and with community leaders, and determines what gives the paper its particular character. The study traces the history and development of the newspaper in four periods, 1903-1946, 1946-1959, 1959-1969, and 1969-1978; and concludes that The Oak Cliff Tribune has had a great effect on the development of Oak Cliff. The sources of data for this study include community leaders, current and former employees of The Oak Cliff Tribune, Ray Zauber, and the newspaper itself.
Date: August 1980
Creator: Babb, Judith Killen
System: The UNT Digital Library