A Comparative Content Analysis of the Editorial Positions of the Christian Century and Christianity Today on Selected Social and Moral Issues (open access)

A Comparative Content Analysis of the Editorial Positions of the Christian Century and Christianity Today on Selected Social and Moral Issues

This study compared the editorial positions of two magazines, The Christian Century and Christianity Today, on seven social and moral issues, then compared each magazine's positions with the opinions of their intended audiences. A directional content analysis was conducted that determined the editorial positions. On all four issues for which comparison was possible, the magazines demonstrated a marked difference in direction. These positions were compared with the published opinions of those social groups identified as representative of each magazine's intended audience. There was marked disagreement between each magazine and its intended audience on three of the five issues for which comparison was possible.
Date: December 1985
Creator: Warner, Gregory Dann
System: The UNT Digital Library
Evaluating the Efficacy of Engagement Journalism in Local News: An Ethnographic Study of the Dallas Morning News (open access)

Evaluating the Efficacy of Engagement Journalism in Local News: An Ethnographic Study of the Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Morning News is a leader in using engagement journalism to increase and retain digital subscribers. This ethnography examined the efficacy of the engagement journalism work by the News in rebuilding trust and forming relationships with its audience. This research is exceptionally timely as more newsrooms are erecting paywalls to their content and asking their audiences to offer monetary support in exchange for greater access and engagement by journalists. This work is examined through two mass communications theories: functionalism, which says a society can be viewed like an ecosystem as a "system in balance" consisting of complex sets of interrelated activities, each of which supports the others in maintaining the system as a whole; and the dual responsibility model, which says that companies should operate in the best interests of all in the community who depend on them, not only those who benefit financially. Additionally, the work is considered from a human-interaction design standpoint to evaluate whether the News has created affordances that enable the journalists and the readers to communicate, and whether the journalists are effectively practicing service design when publishing news and information for the audience.
Date: May 2019
Creator: Wise, Hannah Marie
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oprah and Her Book Club: More than Mass Media Money-Maker (open access)

Oprah and Her Book Club: More than Mass Media Money-Maker

With her Book Club, talk show host Oprah Winfrey has used the relatively new technology of television to revive literature. Despite the odds against her--selecting hard-to-read, quirky books by generally unknown authors--Winfrey has successfully created women's spaces for the 1990s, not so different from the American women's social clubs from the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the French salons of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This study will show how Oprah's Book Club allows readers, especially women, to use the psychological processes of transference and transactional reading by using fictional literature from the Book Club to discuss sensitive areas of their lives.
Date: May 1999
Creator: Jones, Carrie S. Lilly
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Readership Survey of the Denton Record-Chronicle (open access)

A Readership Survey of the Denton Record-Chronicle

The purposes of this study were to determine the characteristics of the subscribers to the local community newspaper, to determine what the subscribers read most and what they read the least in the local publication, and to determine the role of the small newspaper within the metropolitan area.
Date: December 1973
Creator: Jones, Gregory Morgan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Personal stories go worldwide: the ritual of storytelling through Weblogs. (open access)

Personal stories go worldwide: the ritual of storytelling through Weblogs.

The once private traditional written diary is shifting to an electronic storytelling tradition. Online diaries or weblogs are a growing phenomenon that scholars have ignored until recently. This qualitative project uses narrative and rhetorical analysis to focus on storytelling themes in weblogs, rituals in storytelling and the similarities and differences from traditional written diaries. In this study, 30 weblogs were chosen from three web domains: livejournal.com, blogger.com and diarest.net. The findings show that weblogs are filled with rich storytelling that emulates many qualities of traditional diaries. In general, weblogs authors are communicating stories online to an interactive mass audience and forming new rituals in a new electronic forum.
Date: August 2004
Creator: Johnson, Janet L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Media and Corporate Social Responsibility: How Leading Business Magazines Frame a Controversial Concept (open access)

Media and Corporate Social Responsibility: How Leading Business Magazines Frame a Controversial Concept

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an emerging concept that continues to play a controversial role in the business world. Different CSR theories and ethical foundations inform different approaches to embedding socially responsible behavior into today's business functions. As technology, globalization, and economic challenges change the corporate world, the meaning and application of CSR also changes. While no empirical evidence of CSR's impact on performance exists, many corporations operate under the assumption that CSR holds significant value. This study examines the framing of CSR in stories published by leading business magazines between 2008 and 2012. By examining the presentation of CSR concepts, the resulting analysis can provide important conclusions for corporations, public relations practitioners, mass media, and consumers. This study resulted in a hierarchical pyramid of frames that organizes the framing of CSR in business magazines into three layers: category, motivation, and classification as either responsible behavior or irresponsible behavior. These results lead to recommendations for future CSR research, including the need for quantitative evidence of a connection or disconnection between CSR and profitability.
Date: August 2013
Creator: Riddell, Brad
System: The UNT Digital Library
News Magazine Use Of and Attitudes Toward Leaks in their Coverage of the Decline and Fall of Spiro T. Agnew (open access)

News Magazine Use Of and Attitudes Toward Leaks in their Coverage of the Decline and Fall of Spiro T. Agnew

This study is a content analysis of the coverage in Time, Newsweek, and U. S. News & World Report on Spiro Agnew from August 13 to October 22, 1973, and is concerned with the use of leaks as determined by analyzing the levels of attribution and the attitudes of the magazines toward leaks. All three magazines used approximately equivalent amounts of material from concealed sources. Time and Newsweek defended the use of leaks; U. S. News & World Report attacked their use. The perils inherent in using information from concealed sources make it necessary to consult as many sources as feasible when following a controversial story.
Date: August 1977
Creator: Fredd, James B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Development of Business Week Magazine (open access)

The Development of Business Week Magazine

This study explains the development of Business Week from its beginning in 1929 to 1975 and its changes over this forty-five-year period in format, content and editors. The study shows how Business Week developed, reflecting the history of American business, industry, labor, and the rise of the consumer, and recorded the growth and changes in the magazine's format, news departments, services and features, and staff. The study traces the development of Business Week in three periods, 1929, 1930-1950, and 1955-1975; and concludes that Business Week is the leading magazine publication in the business press. The sources of data for this study primarily include the executives of Business Week and the magazine itself.
Date: December 1977
Creator: Stockard, Krista Lynn
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Iconoclast: a Readership Survey and a Study of the Historical Evolution of an Underground Newspaper (open access)

The Iconoclast: a Readership Survey and a Study of the Historical Evolution of an Underground Newspaper

The problem of this study was an audience analysis of Dallas' weekly underground newspaper Iconoclast. A readership survey was mailed to 200 randomly selected subscribers to Iconoclast. Data were taken from the ninety useable questionnaires of those returned. The study is organized into four chapters. Chapter I discusses problems, procedures, introductory material and recent and related studies. Chapter II is a history of Iconoclast. Chapter III is an analysis of data. Chapter IV presents summary, conclusions, and recommendations. The data revealed the typical subscriber as having a mean age of 28.7, some college education, and higher than $10,000 yearly income. He obtains both exclusive and supplementary information from Iconoclast, and considers it an important but biased news source.
Date: May 1976
Creator: Wells, Richard H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Francophone Baptist Publications: Its Organization and Operation (open access)

Francophone Baptist Publications: Its Organization and Operation

The problem of this study was to describe the operation and organization of Francophone Baptist Publications and to learn the publication needs of missionary personnel in the six countries served by the organization. Information for the study was gathered from Baptist history books, minutes from organizational meetings, questionnaires, and personal interviews with office and missionary personnel. The study revealed that although 47 per cent of those receiving questionnaires responded, only 28 per cent knew the materials and the organization sufficiently to evaluate them. This led to the conclusion that a lack of communication between the center and the missionaries exists and that the center should keep the market informed of materials available. The responses indicated that the present publications priorities do not reflect the real needs of the missionary personnel.
Date: May 1982
Creator: Land, Floyd M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
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
The Second Armored Division's Public Affairs Office: Its Operation and Organization (open access)

The Second Armored Division's Public Affairs Office: Its Operation and Organization

This study described the operation and organization of the United States Army's Second Armored Division's Public Affairs Office, with emphasis on the differences between garrison and field operations. The study found that the function of the division, public affairs office is to keep both the internal and external public(s) of the division informed concerning the activities of the division. The office is organized into three branches: command information, public information, and administration. During garrison operations, all members of the office operate from a building at Fort Hood, Texas. During field operations, office personnel organize into teams in order to provide information to all public(s), internal and external.
Date: December 1980
Creator: Donnelly, Robert T.
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