Minorities and Communication 2008 Abstracts
Minorities and Communication Division
Faculty
Addressing health disparities of African Americans through direct-to-customer pharmaceutical advertising: A content analysis • Jennifer Ball, Angie Liang, and Wei-Na Lee, University of Texas at Austin • While direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical drug advertising has been the center of controversy, proponents argue that these advertisements offer educational value for consumers. This study explores the potential of these ads to impact racial health disparities, particularly for African Americans. A content analysis was conducted on DTC television commercials assessing the presence and portrayal of African Americans. Findings revealed that African Americans were well represented but may serve a token role.
Need for cognition and race or gender based judgments of political candidates from an online news excerpt • Carl Bishop, Ruthann Lariscy, Krinstin English, Kaye Sweetser, and Spencer Tinkham, University of Georgia • This experimental study of voting age young persons was initiated to examine the importance of race and gender cues in political communication using a lens that’s been scantly applied to these important issues: the individual receiver’s need for cognition.
Over-indexed and over valued: The Asian audience’s struggle for legitimacy in the U.S. media marketplace • Amy Jo Coffey, University of Florida • U.S. Asians continue to lack the advertiser recognition and investment levels enjoyed by other ethnic groups. Given U.S. Asians’ greater purchasing power and growth rate, this exploratory study seeks to understand how their income, language, and other audience traits are valued by U.S. television advertisers, and compares these perceptions to those for Hispanics.
Race and gender of journalists and framing of the Iraq issues in the 2004 election • Arvind Diddi, State University of New York at Oswego • A content analysis of six major newspapers showed that newspapers published more segregated slice-of-life photographs than photographs with racial and ethnic diversity. Almost seven-tenths of the photographs included whites only; 10% showed blacks only; and 8% of the photographs had Latinos only. As more people were shown in the photographs, there was a greater chance that a person of color would be included.
“I’m a Black girl with a nose job!”: An analysis of race/ethnic values in “America’s next top model!” • Michele Foss-Snowden, and Amanda Hamilton, California State University, Sacramento • As reality television’s influence grows, the study of its communicated messages and values becomes increasingly important, especially if one wishes to understand global cultural communities and subcultures. This study examines an episode of reality-based television program “America’s Next Top Model” for these communicated values. What does the program say (through its participants and its creator, Tyra Banks) about the values of conformity/noncomformity and the statement and/or enactment of individual values about race and racial stereotypes?
Frame and blame: An analysis of national and local and national newspapers framed in the Jena Six controversy • Lanier Holt, Indiana University-Bloomington and Lesa Hatley Major, Indiana University • Research shows that media frames can promote a particular understanding of events and people. This has been particularly problematic for African-Americans who have traditionally been typecast by the media as criminals. This study looked at coverage of the Jena Six to see if the national or local press broke from stereotypical frames that plagued previous coverage. It found the local press most frequently broke from traditional frames by putting the issue in larger context.
Ethnicity, internet adoption and use of online services • Randy Jacobs and Terri Albert, University of Hartford • The goal of this study was to extend our understanding of ethnic audiences’ adoption of Internet access, range of online activities, consumption of online news and news sources, and the degree to which the Internet facilitates the pursuit of individual work and life goals. Data collected for the Pew Internet & American Life Project were analyzed. Ethnic differences were identified, many of which reflected culturally-based preferences and strategic gratification seeking.
Fair share or fair play? A content analysis of food advertisements in minority-targeted and mainstream magazines • Hobin Kyung, Sun-Young Park, Jung Lim, and Wei-Na Lee, University of Texas at Austin • A content analysis was conducted to examine food advertisements in minority-targeted and mainstream women’s magazines. To compare types of food products and advertising claims, we investigated 632 food ads of high circulation magazines which target different racial readerships: African-Americans, Hispanics, and Whites. Our result revealed that ads for high-calorie products and fast food were more likely to be shown in minority-targeted magazines, whereas weight loss claims were prevalent in mainstream magazine ads.
Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe: An examination or press Coverage on their pioneering grand slam victories • Pamela Laucella and Erin McNary, Indiana University • Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe made history as the first black woman and black man to win Grand Slam titles in tennis. Gibson won the French Championships (now the French Open) in 1956, and the ensuing year she won both the U.S. Nationals (now the U.S. Open) and Wimbledon. Arthur Ashe won the U.S. Open in 1968 and then went on to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 1970 and 1975, respectively.
Effects of African American breast cancer survivor testimonies on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral outcomes • Glen Leshner, Paul Bolls, Elizabeth Gardner, Jensen Moore, Sara Peters, Bailey Rachel, and Anastacia Kononova, University of Missouri • This paper reports on the impact of narrative and emotion on processing of breast cancer survivor messages, based on the self-report data of 46 African American women, 40 years of age and older, who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer. The study is part of a larger program of research, The Story Telling Project, which assumes that storytelling is deeply rooted in the culture of African American women.
An examination of religion and spirituality in information processing of breast cancer among African American women • Crystal Lumpkins, Educator/Reviewer • Religiosity and spirituality are two components that have often been overlooked in health communication research (Egbert, Mickley & Coeling, 2004). The growing interest of spirituality and religion among patients when coping with cancer and disease has prompted physicians, psychologists and public health personnel to consider these constructs when designing and communicating health messages to these audiences in not only coping but in communicating prevention and risk as well.
Roughing the passer: The framing of Black and White quarterbacks prior to the NFL draft • Eugenio Mercurio, Ball State & Vincent Filak, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh • An examination of 4,745 attributions used to describe black and white National Football League quarterback prospects over a ten-year period revealed data patterns that emphasized racial stereotypes. Black quarterbacks were primarily described with words and phrases that emphasized their physical gifts and their lack of mental prowess. Conversely, white quarterbacks were described as less physically gifted, but more mentally prepared for the game and less likely to make mental errors.
Race in National versus local news coverage of Hurricane Katrina: A study of sources, victims, and negative video • Andrea Miller and Shearon Roberts, Louisiana State University • Using a national and local television news sample, this content analysis compared the sourcing and visual experience of Hurricane Katrina based on race. Results showed even in a crisis situation in which the number of African-American victims exceeded by far the number of white victims, television coverage gave dominance to the white victims.
Touchy or taboo: News framing and interracial intimacy • Kimmerly Piper-Aiken, Wayne State University • This research examined coverage of a Monday Night Football promo featuring Terrell Owens and a Desperate Housewives star. Although scholars have examined interracial relationships in entertainment media, news hasn’t been studied. This study of 183 newspaper stories examined how journalists framed stories with an interracial component. Results showed that journalists were more likely to frame the story as an indecency issue rather than an interracial issue, were not likely to use race-relevant frames or racial stereotypes.
Race and ethnicity in newspaper photographs that communicate a slice of everyday reality • Paula Poindexter and Renita Coleman, University of Texas at Austin • A content analysis of six major newspapers showed that newspapers published more segregated slice-of-life photographs than photographs with racial and ethnic diversity. Almost seven-tenths of the photographs included whites only; 10% showed blacks only; and 8% of the photographs had Latinos only. As more people were shown in the photographs, there was a greater chance that a person of color would be included.
Assessing the diversity of news voices in the Latino-Oriented broadcast media in central Texas • Federico Subervi, Texas State University • The purpose of this study is to assess the level of diversity in the Latino-oriented broadcast media in Central Texas, a region highly populated by Latinos. Using the Diversity Metric (DM), an index developed by Lloyd and Napoli (2007) that accounts for common ownership and presence of local news content, the examination revealed that the concept of media diversity is highly problematic even in this specialized market.
Right before your eyes: Photo coverage of African Americans in major college newspapers • Max Utsler and Vincent Edwards, University of Kansas • This study examined four Midwestern university newspapers and their photo coverage of African Americans. Content analysis showed African Americans overrepresented in photos at each university newspaper. An under-representation of African Americans exists in feature and breaking news photographs while an overwhelming overrepresentation exists in sports photographs. This suggests editors and reporters do not consciously seek to include African Americans in their daily array of photographs. These findings are similar to those found in professional media.
Student Papers
A Fish Out of Water: New Articulations of U.S.-Latino Identity on Ugly Betty • Guillermo Avila-Saavedra • Through discourse analysis of the first season of the ABC primetime show Ugly Betty, this essay explores new articulations of U.S.-Latino identity in mainstream, English-language television. The essay makes two claims based on the analysis. First, American television is becoming hybridized through the influence of Latin American television genres. Second, new articulations of U.S.-Latino identity in mainstream television defy stereotypes and traditional conventions in terms on language and cultural norms.
Constructing Racial Groups’ Identities in the Diasporic Press: Internalization, Resonance, Transparency, and Offset • Sang Y Bai, University of Texas at Austin • Abstract not available.
Diasporic Media and the Identity of Immigrants • Sangmi Lee • This paper has explored the interaction between diasporic media and the national and global identity of immigrants. For immigrants, diasporic media are a tool that connects them to their country of origin. New media technologies have aided ethnic media in delivering more information regarding national issues to these immigrant populations.
Do You See What I See?: Portrayals of Diversity in Newbery Medal-Winning Children’s Literature • Anthony Nisse, Brigham Young University • Children’s literature plays a significant role in society because it reflects values and attitudes that will be passed to children as they read. One of the most prestigious awards for children’s literature is the John Newbery Medal, which is presented annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution to literature for children. Newbery books have a large readership, and are consistently among the most requested books in bookstores and libraries.
From Asian Media to Asian Identity: An Analysis of Impetus and Determinants of Ethnic Media Use • Hai Tran, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • This article is probably among the first to document the purposes for and antecedents of ethnic media use among Asian Americans. The author utilized the Pilot National Asian American Political Survey to examine usage of Asian ethnic media as vehicles for sustaining attachment to ethnic identity.
Hispanic immigrant backlash and welcome: “Official English” and the birth of a bilingual weekly in southwest Kansas • Michael Fuhlhage, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • This paper uses historical research methods, including interviews with journalists, archive research, and textual analysis, to examine how the Garden City (Kan.) Telegram, a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 9,000, covered Kansas’ debate in the early 1990s over whether to make English the official language of the state.
Internet Use, Group Identity, and Political Participation among Taiwanese Americans • Taofang Huang, Wei-Ching Wang, Szu-Chi Huang, University of Texas at Austin • Though being surrounded by the immediate American society, many Asian Americans maintain ties with their countries of origin through the Internet. However, whether such ties prevent ethnic groups from fully integrating into the host society or provide better learning opportunities to hasten the assimilation process into the host society is still unclear. This article intends to explore the role of the Internet use in Taiwanese Americans’ socialization, identity construction, and political participation.
Malcolm X and the Media: A Comparative Analysis of how the Mainstream and Black Press Portrayed Malcolm X’s Transformation • Cristina Mislan, Louisiana State University • Media framing has been shown to have a large impact on how the public receives salient issues from the press. Therefore, media framing may have an impact on how the public views minority issues, specifically news about prominent minority figures such as Malcolm X. Generally, the mainstream press observed Malcolm X’s messages with specific themes in particular, using words such as “extremist” and “violent,” overlooking an important transformation in his life.
Unconventional Disaster, Conventional Coverage: Hurricane Katrina and News Coverage of Poverty, Race and Class • Shenid Bhayroo, Louisiana State University • The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans is described as the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in recent US history. But, the tragic loss of life, the extensive damage to property and the destruction of communities have causes deeply rooted in poverty and social inequities. Storm damage data show that flooding in New Orleans disproportionately affected the elderly, African Americans, people who rented homes, the unemployed and the poor.
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