Minorities and Communication 2007 Abstracts
Minorities and Communication Division
Faculty
Anglo and African American Portrayals and Characterization in Primetime Food Commercials • Shu Chuan Chu, Sara Kamal and Wei-Na Lee, University of Texas at Austin • This study examined the differences found in frequency and race characterization of African Americans and Anglos in primetime food commercials during 2004 and 2006. A content analysis was conducted to examine how African American and Anglo characters in food commercials differ in terms frequency, types of food products, setting, and appeals during this two year period.
Effects of Race-Specific Testimonials and Vividly Presented Online Information on Consumer Attitudes • Troy Elias and Osei Appiah, Ohio State University • This study seeks to examine the effects of race-specific testimonials and vividly presented online information on Black and White consumers. In this study, Black and White product endorsers in high, moderate and low level vividly presented ads are evaluated as predictors of consumer product and web attitudes. Findings show that Black Internet surfers respond more favorably to testimonial ads that utilize Black character testimonials than they do to testimonials that use White characters.
Segregated Survivors: The “Charatestant” and Race-Based Content in Survivor: Cook Islands • Michele Foss, California State University-Sacramento • If one accepts that the CBS reality television program “Survivor” is a story, and the Survivors are the characters, one must ask how the story changes when the characters are allowed to discuss the narrative in which they belong.
Diversity On-Air: Racial/Ethnic Images in Local Television News • David Free, University of Texas-Austin • This study compares minority representation on the local television newscasts of two adjacent Southern cities with different demographic profiles. The results show the stations in the Latino/Hispanic majority city tend to exhibit more racial/ethnic diversity, while in the White dominated city, whites are seen most often. However, African-Americans tend to be overrepresented as alleged perpetrators of crime in comparison to the African-American populations in both cities.
The Role of Perceived Threats in Attitudes toward Immigrants: How Caucasian and African Americans Respond to Media Images of Latino Immigrants • Yuki Fujioka, Georgia State University • A survey of 326 Caucasian and African American respondents examined the relationship among media images of Latino immigrant, perceived threats, and attitudes toward Latino immigrants. Based on the literature on intergroup threats stemming from social identity processes, the study hypothesized and found that negative media portrayals of Latino immigrants predicted perceived threats, which were related to black and white respondents’ negative attitudes toward Latino immigrants. Theoretical and practical implications of these results were also discussed.
Hispanics and the Digital Divide: An Analysis of the Adoption Rates of Communication and Entertainment Devices • Robert Anthony Galvez and Norman E. Youngblood, Texas Tech University • Participants, in a recent survey, reported their adoption of technologies (Internet, computers, DVD players, and mobile phones). Analysis revealed that predictions about rate of adoption could be made based on a person’s income and race. Hispanics were slower to adopt communications technologies than Whites. The study also looked at use of self-checkout counters, ATMs, etc. where cost was not a factor. Results indicated Hispanics were more likely, or as likely, to adopt technologies as Whites.
Arthur Ashe: An Analysis of Newspaper Journalists’ Coverage of the USA Today’s Outing • Pamela Laucella, Indiana University • Arthur Ashe made history as the first black man to win a Grand Slam title in professional tennis. More important than his 33 singles titles, however, was his commitment to education and social justice. As only the second prominent professional athlete to publicly admit having HIV (after “Magic” Johnson), Ashe’s indefatigable strength of spirit endured despite the forced outing of his announcement.
Bridging Gaps in AIDS Communication: Complementing the Sense-making Approach with a Survery for Better Targeted Health Messages • Lesa Hatley Major, Indiana University and Renita Coleman, University of Texas-Austin • In 2004, the CDC named the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, metropolitan area, in a tie with Miami, the second highest for new cases of AIDS per capita in the nation. The report showed the majority of new cases were among African Americans. This study uses the Baton Rouge case to suggest improvements to sense-making theory.
Not Just a Pretty Picture: Multicultural celebration news stories as space for non-elite political perspectives • Regina Marchi, Rutgers University • News coverage of multicultural celebrations has been categorized as stereotypical – portraying minorities in non-threatening ways that appeal to Anglo audiences without challenging the political system that oppresses people of color.
Source Diversity within a Reporter’s In-Group: Metropolitan Daily Newspapers and sourcing within Asian Pacific American Communities • Paul Niwa, Emerson College • This study examines source diversity through a content analysis of newspaper bylines and sources. The paper studies how a newspaper journalist’s racial in-group affects sourcing when reporting within an ethnic neighborhood. The study found that reporters of the racial group Asian Pacific American (APA) were 139% more likely to quote APA sources in stories about APA neighborhoods than non-APA reporters, indicating that a journalist’s racial status can benefit them when reporting within an ethnic community.
Use and Trust of Media Choices for Health News and Information Among Rural Hispanics • Alex Ortiz, Todd Chambers and Kent Wilkinson, Texas Tech University • Obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus are interrelated health problems which affect the U.S. Hispanic population at twice the rate for non-Hispanic whites. This paper reports and discusses survey data from a funded study focused on health literacy, media practices, and language use among rural Hispanics. The long-term goal is to improve the effectiveness of diabetes-related media messages targeting rural Hispanic populations.
Pitching Products or Selling Stereotypes: Contextual Cues in Television Advertising Aimed at Children • James Rada, Howard University and K. Tim Wulfemeyer and Mueller Barbara, San Diego State University • This research examined the content of television advertising aimed at children in an effort to determine whether racial and ethnic stereotypes were contained in the ads. Results showed that while some of the stereotype ridden portrayals of the past have abated, others have appeared. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Risk Framing in News Coverage of the Environmental Justice Movement • Kristin Swain, University of Kansas • This content analysis examined 480 environmental justice stories that appeared in 88 U.S. newspapers during the Clinton-Gore administration. Victimization, conflict, and risk emerged as dominant themes. Nine specific frames were activism, disparity, harm, anger, dispute, problem, outrage, toxicity, and comparability. The typical story was short, local, issue-oriented, and highlighted the struggles of African Americans.
Stereotypes of African Americans in China and Media Use • Alexis Tan, Lingling Zhang Yungying Zhang and Francis Dalisay, Washington State University • A dearth of research has examined stereotypes of American racial minorities held by people living abroad. To fill this gap, this study analyzed the influences of mediated information sources on stereotypes of Africans Americans among Chinese high school students. Results showed mixed stereotypes of African Americans. Use of Chinese media sources lead to positive stereotypes, and use of American media sources lead to negative stereotypes. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
The discovery of Dolores del Rio • Raul Tovares, Trinity University • Dolores del Río achieved Hollywood stardom at a time when discrimination against Mexicans and Mexican Americans was intense. This paper examines del Río’s life before her Hollywood career in order to understand how a woman from the desert region of Northern Mexico was able to impress producers and secure a contract as a screen actor.
Student
Americans in Brown Bodies: An Analysis of Journalistic Performances of Whiteness • Sonya Aleman, University of Utah • Drawing from cultural studies and performance theory, this project contends that as cultural workers, journalists play a role in legitimating U. S. citizenry. The identity of a journalist has been normalized to a white ideal, enabling the question—Are you an American citizen? asked live on cable news networks—to represent a performance of whiteness and white privilege, which have both historically marked brown bodies as undesirable members of the greater politic.
Using Critical Race Theory to Investigate Major U.S. Newspaper Discourse on Affirmative Action • Terri Ann Bailey, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill • Critical race theory was used as the basis of this content analysis of discourse on affirmative action that occurred in major U.S. newspapers during a one year period (April 1, 2005 – March 30, 2006). One hundred and twelve articles were investigated for elements of discourse that could be considered as promoting, or countering/resisting, institutionalized racism from the lens of critical race theory. In addition, the article tone in regard to affirmative action was also analyzed.
I’m A Reality TV Junky:” West Indian Women, Television, and Diasporic Identity • Kamille Gentless, University of Michigan • Using in-depth interviews, I explore the role of dominant U.S. media in the development of first generation immigrant West Indian women’s diasporic identity. I found that these women engaged with programs that depicted people in situations that resonated with their own experiences, and that their selection criteria for television programs, as well as their post-viewing discussions of shows, reinforced West Indian cultural norms, countering the mainstreaming effect of television.
The Influence of Visual Exemplars in Poverty News Stories on College Students’ Judgment on Welfare and Perceptions of African Americans • Jae-Hong Kim, Pennsylvania State University • This study examines Caucasian college students’ attitudes toward the U.S. welfare policy and perceptions of African Americans as a function of different conditions of visual (Caucasian vs. African American vs. neutral) and news text (Caucasian vs. African American vs. neutral) in terms of poverty news story.
Imaging a Worldwide Church: Character Depictions and Artifacts in LDS Missionary Videos 1980-2001 • Anthony Nisse and Jonice Hubbard, Brigham Young University • This study is intended to aid the reader in understanding the development of visual depictions of race, gender, and age groups within a specific religious group. An analysis looking at religious artifacts displayed in connection with framing of a specific religious culture is included. This study will examine character depictions of race, gender, and age along with specific religious artifacts displayed in missionary-based video films of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Central Ohio Latino Immigrants Concerning Health and Media Use: Persuasion, Opinion Leaders and Uses and Gratification • Gary Snyder, Ohio University • This study of 71 Ohio Latino immigrants’ health practices and media use revealed demographics similar to other U.S. regions. A heavy preference for Spanish-language media was found, and language, costs and time were all barriers to staying healthy and receiving care. Findings reinforced the Latino value of collectivismo (collectivism) which supported the Hofstadter model for Latino cultural values, and the importance of opinion leaders and trusted sources to delivering health messages and promoting healthy behaviors.
Protecting the southern border: Framing Mexicans in a post-9/11 media • Audrey Wagstaff • This study is a qualitative frame analysis of how Mexican immigrants were portrayed in 2006 in three United States newspapers: The Columbus Dispatch, The Houston Chronicle, and The San Diego Union-Tribune, in a census of N=462 articles. Frames of Mexican immigrants discovered include: [threat to the] status quo, criminal, desperate, alien, pathetic and cash cow. The author also discovered that a small number of articles related Mexican immigrants to potential terror threats.
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