International Communication 2003 Abstracts
International Communication Division
Comparative Critical Analysis of Advertorials and Articles in Nigerian Mass Media During the Fourth Republic • Emmanuel C. Alozie, Governors State • This study uses textual analysis to explore the messages embedded in Nigerian mass media advertorials to determine if their contents agree or contrast with articles dealing with the prevailing economic, social and political conditions in Nigeria. The themes in the selected articles contradict those in the selected advertorials. While the advertorials extol the achievements of the civilian administrators, the articles dispute those claims and blame politicians for their failure to improve the welfare of Nigerians.
Online Journalists in Germany 2002: The First Representative Survey On German Online Journalists • Klaus-Dieter Altmeppen, Thorsten Quandt, Thomas Hanitzsch and Martin Loeffelholz, Technical University Iknenau, Germany • This paper presents the key findings of the first representative survey of online journalists in Germany. It focuses on the most important aspects of online journalism, such as the basic demographics of online journalists, their working conditions, job satisfaction and structural factors (e.g. business models). The findings support the conjecture that online journalists are facing economic and professional pressure. Nevertheless most of the respondents still show some fascination in online journalism.
Hungry For News And Information: Instrumental Use Of Al-Jazeera TV Among Viewers In The Arab World And Arab Diaspora • Mohamed M. Arafa, Georgia DOT, Philip Auter, Louisiana-Lafayette and Khaled Al-Jaber, Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs • Over 5000 Arabic speakers who access Al-Jazeera TV and website responded to a survey of their uses and motivations. Responses were consistent with some predictions regarding instrumental vs. ritualistic use of TV, while others were not upheld. Education was a positively correlated factor in usage, but age was negatively correlated. Implications for understanding how Al-Jazeera fits into the global media mix as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
Audience Involvement and Its Antecedents: An Analysis of the Electronic Bulletin Board Messages about an Entertainment-Education Drama on Divorce in Korea • Hyuhn-Suhck Bae, Yeungnam University and Byoungkwan Lee, Michigan State • No abstract available.
Media War Between Israelies and Palestinians: Uses of news sources in four mainstream U.S. Newspapers • Kuang-Kuo Chang, Nanyang Technological University-Singapore • No abstract available.
The Analysis of National Images of South Korea and Japan in the News Coverage of The New York Times & Los Angeles Times • Jinbong Choi, Minnesota • The purpose of this research was to examine how two major American daily newspapers, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, represent South Korea and Japan and what the differences are between South Korean and Japanese national images in these two newspapers. “National image” is socially constructed largely by mass media. In short, mass media affect the audience’s image of countries and their understanding of reality of the countries.
A Functional Analysis Of Online Debates On Political Candidates: An Application Of Functional Theory To Online Forum Messages About 2002 South Korean Presidential Election • Yun Jung Choi, Cheolhan Lee and Jong Hyuk Lee, Missouri-Columbia • This study examined how online users used three functional utterances – acclaim, attack, and defense – in supporting their favorite candidates and criticizing counter-candidates during the 2002 presidential election campaign in Korea. With approval rates of candidates at nine different points, this study observed how online users in favor of a strong candidate and a weak candidate had reacted to approval rate changes of their favorite candidates.
Entertainment East and West: A Comparison of Prime- Time U.S. and Asian TV Content Using the Methodology of the National Television Violence Study • Anne Cooper- Chen, Ohio • The three most TV-saturated countries in the world all have advertising-based, entertainment-heavy TV content: China (370 million receivers); the United States (233 million); and Japan (91 million). This paper compares U.S./China/Japan domestic programming, as well as pan-Asia satellite services, by replicating in Asia the National Television Violence Study. The Hofstede (2001) research on cultural dimensions can elucidate differences in nations’ tolerance for violent TV content.
Preparing For The Future: The Level Of Journalism Skills In South African Media – A Reason For Concern? • Arnold S. de Beer, University of Stellenbosch and Elanie Steyn, Potchefstroom University • This paper draws on results of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) 2002 journalism skills audit. The research purpose was to conduct a national situation analysis of journalism skills among reporters. The research followed on on-going efforts by Sanef to re-position journalism skills training at tertiary level. Results showed a lack of reporting, writing and accuracy skills among reporters as highlighted both by reporters themselves, and news editors’ evaluation of these skills.
Operation Iraqi Freedom: Interrogating the Objectivity of Objective U.S. Journalism • Mohan J. Dutta-Bergman, Purdue • The ideas of a free press and objective journalism inform the practices of Western media. These ideas are in fact held as ideals for judging the rest of the world and for justification on Western interventions (persuasive or coercive or some combination of both). Using a grounded theory analysis of the coverage of Operation Iraqi Freedom, this paper demonstrates the biased frames that are present in American war coverage.
New News For A New South Africa? The Possibilities Of Public Journalism And Development Journalism As Interventionist News Models • Margaretha Geertserna, Texas-Austin • As post-Apartheid South Africa is going through immense change, a necessary debate about the role and function of the press is taking place. Should the press be completely free or should some limitations be in place in terms of its responsibility to nation building and reconciliation? The aim of this paper is to inform this debate from a theoretical perspective and to discuss the possibilities of the interventionist models of public and development journalism in this context.
The Determinants of International News Coverage: A Contextual Approach • Guy Golan, Louisiana State and Ryan Bakker, Florida • The current study investigates key country based determinants of international news coverage. A content analysis of the ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN networks from 1999 reveals a disparity in network coverage of 190 nations. The current study analyzes 190 nations for more than a dozen variables that previous research found to be highly associated with coverage. A generalized linear model that identified several key country based variables as highly associated with television network news coverage.
Thank You Newton, Welcome Prigogine ‘Unthinking’ Old Paradigms And Embracing New Directions • Shelton A. Gunaratne, Minnesota State-Moorhead • The premises and propositions of the Newtonian-Cartesian model associated with classical science-determinism, linearity, reversibility, timelessness, equilibrium, etc.-are applicable primarily to closed systems. Prigogine’s theory of dissipative structures has affirmed that nonlinearity, irreversibility, unpredictability, chaos and far-from-equilibrium conditions characterize interdependent open systems. Because closed systems are rare in nature, the linear findings of empirical studies tied to the presumptions of classical science face potential challenge.
German and American Students’ Perceptions of Social Values as Depicted in Magazine Advertisements: A Copy Testing Approach • Frauke Hachtmann, Nebraska-Lincoln • This study explores, through a copy-testing procedure, American and German consumers’ recognition of social values as depicted in print advertisements. Respondents’ identification with situations depicted in the advertisement with different value content were also explored. Results indicate that both German and American respondents did recognize the social values as depicted in the advertisements, but their identification with the situations shown in the advertisements was complex, indicating both similarities and differences between the two groups.
Media and the Crisis of Democracy in Venezuela • Eliza Tanner Hawkins, Brigham Young • The mass media have been integral players in the conflict dividing Venezuela since Hugo Chavez took power in 1998. This paper explores how the public sphere is shaped by Chavez’s use of the mass media, the government- owned and alternative media, and the increasing politicization of the private media. The paper also highlights the status of press freedom and the challenges facing media organizations with the implications this has for democracy.
Globalization through Global Brands: Purely an American-Made Phenomenon? • Daniel Marshall Haygood, North Carolina-Chapel Hill • Globalization is a highly controversial issue among many in academia, business, and government. It has been faulted for a number of problems afflicting societies and credited for the benefits it bestows upon others. Those opposing globalization usually place blame on America as the primary force behind the phenomenon. This paper looks at global brands, a potent symbol of globalization representing a country’s economic and cultural might, to determine if America is the driving force behind globalization.
On the Eve of Conflict: How Five News Agencies Handled the US-Iraq Story • Beverly Horvit, Texas-Arlington • No abstract available.
What Sustains the Trade Winds? • The Pattern and Determinant Factors of International News Flows • Youchi Ito, Keio University at Shonan Fujisawa • This paper describes the pattern of international news flows and analyzes the determinant factors of flows using the content analysis data provided by 46 country teams, As a result, it was found that the top seven countries that are covered on a worldwide scale are five UN Security Council members and two economic powers, Germany and Japan.
Mexican Presidential Elections and Inaugurations Through the Lens: U.S. Television Coverage 1970-2000 • Melissa A. Johnson, North Carolina State • This qualitative content analysis examines U.S. network coverage of Mexican presidential elections from 1970 through 2000. President-elect characterizations were simplistic and reflected networks’ captivation with election contests. Verbal narratives often didn’t align with visuals. Networks embraced glastnost themes to describe political shifts. While cheerleading for political reforms, networks were quick to suggest that changes could lead to violence. Networks did little to inform U.S. policy makers and other U.S. viewers about Mexican campaign issues.
A Complex National Mind, Contested National Justices: A Frame Analysis Of The Koreans’ Vietnam War Debate In Cyberspace • Nam-Doo Kim, Texas-Austin • South Korean weekly Hankyorch21 ran an apology campaign after it uncovered the Korean army’s alleged civilian killings in the Vietnam War. This paper examines Korean citizens’ Vietnam War online debate during the campaign period. Through a two-level frame analysis, the researcher analyzes how a diverse of pros and cons over the apology campaign were linked to various applications of socio-political values and national identities.
The Demise Of Nicaragua’s Barricada Newspaper: Slipshod Journalism Or Political Sabotage? • Kris Kodrich, Colorado State • Barricada, a daily newspaper in Nicaragua, closed suddenly and without warning in 1998. The editor said his newspaper was a victim of a government policy to pull state advertising from Barricada, which was the official newspaper of the opposition Sandinista political party and had been highly critical of the government. This study examines the role of state advertising as a means of governmental control of the news media in Nicaragua.
Korean Immigrants’ Viewing Patterns of Korean Satellite Television and Its Role in Their Lives • Changho Lee, Texas-Austin • This research is based on in-depth interviews with 10 Korean immigrants who watch Korean satellite television. The paper analyzed their program preferences, viewing time, and the extent of satisfaction in relation to their demographic characteristics. It also examined the role of satellite television in Korean immigrants’ lives. The results showed that Korean satellite television contributed much to the reinforcement of the viewers’ ethnic identity. In addition, satellite television replaced other Korean ethnic media due to its real time news delivery.
Enhancing Inoculation Strategy In The Spiral Of Silence- Public Opinion Changes On Taiwan’s Political Future With The PRC • Wei-Kuo Lin, Fu-Jen Catholic University-Taiwan • This study explored inoculation strategies in the process of spiral of silence, especially focusing on resistance to counter attitudinal attack, willingness to speak out, fear of isolation, and change of attitude. A two-wave survey was employed in a context regarding the issue of Taiwan’s political future with the PRC. Results show that inoculation treatments enhanced people’s resistance to attitude change whereas decreased their fear of isolation. The decreased fear of isolation, furthermore, elevated people’s willingness to speak out in public.
Democratic and Non-Democratic Framing in Foreign News: An Analysis of Effects of International Perceptions • Jensen Moore, Giovanna Dell’Orto, Dong Dong and Adina Giurgiu, Minnesota • This study seeks to join research into media framing with research into image formation and investigates whether, in fact, media frames do affect readers’ images of foreign realities, Does framing of a country as democratic engenders positive readers’ images of that country, its government and its people (and vice versa) Findings show that even a subtle framing in news stories had an effect on readers’ perception of a foreign government and people, though not on the overall evaluation of a country.
Women in Advertisements Across Cultures • Pamela K. Morris, Syracuse • There are few cross-cultural studies that investigate women’s representation in advertisements. As a powerful force, advertising influences women’s identity and relations with others. Cross-cultural comparisons can help identify factors determining depictions of women. Using content analysis, this study reviews magazine advertisements over 24 different countries for the presence of women. It focuses on the visual and on bodies within advertising space. Findings link social system dimensions of individual countries to the presence of women in advertising.
The New World Information and Communication Order, A Sequel: The Many Models of Media Development in Arab Gulf Countries • Orayb Najjar, Northern Illinois • The study reviews some highlights of the NWICO and the “free flow of information” debates to assess how four satellite stations in some Gulf Arab countries have responded to Mustapha al-Masmudi’s call for change in the direction and content of information in the Middle East. The study answers Gardner and Stevenson’s question: “What would a developing nation do if it had the economic and political resources to implement some of the proposals that have emerged from the global debate?
Representation of China: A Longitudinal Analysis of Coverage in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times • Zengjun Peng, Missouri-Columbia • This study examined the coverage of China in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times between 1992-2001. Across time comparison were made both within and between the two newspapers in terms of total number of stories, media frames used and favorability differences. Findings show that coverage on China has increased significantly over time, but the overall tone remained negative. Political frames and ideological frames were more likely to be unfavorable. No significant differences were found between the two newspapers.
Job Satisfaction And Professionalism Among Private Radio Station Employees In Bulgaria • Gregory Pitts, Bradley • The fall of the Berlin Wall resulted in political and economic changes in 28 countries once part of the former Soviet Union. Bulgaria has taken steps to establish democratic governance and a market economy. A quantitative study of employees at private radio stations in Bulgaria found a young, highly educated and generally satisfied workforce. A distinct professional orientation among employees, who place high value on developing professional expertise with less concern about job permanence, is emerging.
Selling the Shortwaves: Commercial Shortwave Broadcasting to Latin America and the Limits of the “American System” • Robert A. Rabe, Wisconsin • This paper examines the development of commercial shortwave to Latin America and the role of propaganda in the 1930s and 1940s. American broadcasters attempted to establish an advertising-supported schedule of programming that had the dual function of generating revenue and promoting the American image and message through the hemisphere in the absence of an official government radio service. As World War II approached, this programming was increasingly viewed as insufficient and the US government gradually assumed control.
Nepalese Journalists: Idealists, Optimists, and Realists • Jyotika Ramaprasad, Southern Illinois-Carbondale • This paper studies Nepalese journalists using a convenience sample from the major cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara, representing all the major newspapers, radio stations and the government television station. Despite reports of the dismal condition of the press in Nepal, Journalists in Nepal appear optimistic about their freedoms and idealistic in the reasons for which they join the profession.
Images of Islam: Exemplification as Elegance in the Post-9/11 Works of Thomas Friedman • Lisa Rodgers, Ohio • This paper provides a close analysis of the exemplars of Arab peoples in Thomas Friedman’s works since the 9/Il Twin Towers attacks. The paper argues that the skill Friedman uses to convey the complexity of the Islamic world directly calls into question many of the basic assumptions and premises behind Dolf Zillmann’s exemplification theory.
Business News Channels In Asia: Strategies And Challenges • Seema Shrikhande, Oglethorpe • This paper examines the strategies adopted by international business channels, Asia Business News and CNBC to enter the Asian market. The analysis focuses on market entry timing, content customization and the role of strategic alliances. I find that audiences prefer regional content, the competitive advantage of being first in the market is difficult to sustain and that strategic alliances are critical. The implications for other content providers and for the audience of these channels are considered.
Punch And Counterpunch: Jurisdiction Over International Libel Suits In The Internet Age • Robert L. Spellman – Southern Illinois-Carbondale • In Berezovsky v. Michael and Gutnick v. Dow Jones, Inc. the high courts of the United Kingdom and Australia have conferred jurisdiction for their courts over American magazines that published stories primarily for American readers. Small numbers of printed copies of the magazines and their Internet editions were available to readers in the United Kingdom and Australia. Application of the common law of libel poses a threat to transnational media.
Location of Foreign Reporting • Denise St. Claire, Paul Hampton, Jessica Miller and Erin Rushmer, Wisconsin-Madison • This paper addresses the need to examine the media’s dedication to foreign correspondents and their commitment to diversified sources and voices. We focused on the Iraq-US conflict in our study of ten international papers from six countries. We then recorded the location of reporting and compared it to the frequency of specific sources in the story. Our analysis showed that reporting from the location of conflict provided more variety of voices and less reliance on US official sources.
Globalization or Alienation?: A Comparative Study of News Coverage Between AP and IFS • Eunjung Sung and Won Yong Jang, State University of New York at Buffalo • This research is to examine how concepts of globalization has developed and changed during the last decade by analyzing news articles that were reported from 1995 to 2000. Within the framework of the ‘World-Systems theory, this study provides who has occupied a central position in the globalization process, and what issues have emerged and facilitated the globalization. The computer-based content analysis, CATPAC, is used for analyzing news articles from The Associated Press (AP) and Inter Press Service (IPS).
Construction of “Supporting” versus “Opposing” War Framings: A Cross-national Analysis of Newspaper Coverage on War with Iraq • Atsushi Tajima, Andrea Falkenhagen, Lam Tao, Eric Bain, Diana Wu and Chelsea Ross, Wisconsin-Madison • By specifically focusing on the recent on-going debate about war with Iraq, this paper analyzes 14 different newspapers across the world to reveal how “supporting” and “opposing” war frames are constructed. It quantitatively analyzes 523 articles over a three-month period to determine the proportions of each frame. It then performs an in-depth textual analysis on 11 articles from 9 different papers covering the same issue to explore how various elements, such as value words, rhetoric, and types of sources quoted, were utilized construct certain frame.
Gen Zeds: Arab Women Speaking With “Still Small Voices” • Timothy N. Walters, Zayed University, Stephen Quinn Ball State, Lynne Masel Walters, Texas A&M • The “Gen Zeds” of the title are female Emirati students in their early twenties at Zayed University who oscillate between the traditional Islamic culture of their families, and the highly mediated global culture they experience at university and on the Internet. In a typical week these women spend as much time on the Internet as they do in the combined activities of reading magazines, newspapers and books. They spend twice as much time on the Internet as they do watching television.
E-Governance And E-Publicanism • Preliminary Perspectives On The Role Of The Internet In South African Democratic Processes • Herman Wassarman, University of Stellenbosh • The role of the internet in democratic processes in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on South Africa is discussed in terms of the use of the internet (a) for e-governance, and (b) to protest against government policy. To frame the discussion an overview is given of recent trends and developments. The authors conclude that while serious impediments remain, the internet’s potential for democratic purposes in South Africa is being realized.
Acculturation and Media Usage Among the Chinese Students In the US • Cui Yang, Huaiting Wu, and Ma Zhu, Minnesota • The purpose of this study is to extend the Uses-and-Gratifications approach to a cross-cultural context, focusing on the relationship between need for acculturation, the acculturative motives and the media use among Chinese students in the US. Eight-four Chinese students have been chosen as the subjects. The data show’ that need for acculturation is correlated to motives of acculturation in both TV watching and Internet use.
Press Freedom in Asia: New Paradigm Needed in Building Theories • Jiafei Yin, Central Michigan • Four theories of the press are well established in journalism education and research and arguably do a good job of describing media systems in the West. However, it is hard to fit Asian media systems into the existing theories. This paper does a review of the existing press theories and tries to identify the difficulties in using the theories as a guide to understand media systems in Asia.
Cultural Profiles of Global and Local Advertising on Primetime Chinese Television: A Comparative Content Analysis • Yuan Zhang, North Carolina-Chapel Hill • A comparative content analysis explores the cultural profiles of global and local advertising on primetime Chinese television by examining manifest cultural values in advertising themes and cultural symbols and icons in advertising executions. The purpose is to test the explanatory power of three theoretical perspectives on the outcomes of global cultural interactions: globalization, localization, and glocalization.
Who Gets Hurt by Pretty Faces? The Impact of Makeup Ads on Chinese Female College Students From a Social Comparison Perspective • Peiqin Zhou, Alabama • This paper investigated the interaction effect of self-efficacy and exposure o pretty faces in ads in China. Results indicated that the hypothesized negative effects of upward comparison on inefficacious individuals existed. Specifically, exposure to pretty faces increased individuals’ state of depression and decreased their self-esteem. However, the study failed to get the evidences to support the predicted positive effects on efficacious individuals. Neither positive impact nor negative impact was found on efficacious individuals.
Perception of Romanticism and the Ideal Spouse Among Chinese Youth • Shuhua Zhou and He Zhu, Alabama • This exploratory study investigated perceptions of romanticism and the ideal spouse among Chinese youth. Results suggest that gender was strong predictor of romanticism and opposite sex preferences. However, television exposure did not seem to have much impact in shaping these perceptions. But the individualism/collectivism index, when used on the individual, proved to be a reliable predictor of many of the outcome variables. Implications were discussed.
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