Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1993

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Dhyana Ziegler

Committee Members

Dwight Teeter, Herbert Howard

Abstract

This research examined the news values of the noon and 6 p.m. newscasts of WATE (ABC, channel 6), WBIR (NBC, channel 10), and WKXT (CBS, channel 8) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Through content analyses conducted in October and November 1992, the research showed the differences among these stations. The differences included the amount of time allocated to various program elements within the news casts and the variations in the topic, geographic area and timeliness of the news-oriented elements that were aired. The research reflects composite findings over a four-week study and provides breakdowns of the results found during the November ratings period and during a non-rat ings period. Average running times and story counts of the stations' first blocks were also calculated. The research found WATE's newscasts had a significantly greater emphasis on crime/legal actions, fires and accidents than its competitors. WBIR generally devoted the most time to the more proximate geographic areas. WKXT devoted less time to news, especially at 6 p.m. when it aired significantly longer sports and weather segments. The research found the news values of the 6 p.m. newscasts were more similar than during the noon newscasts. The stations appeared to make significant news judgment changes during ratings when viewers were given less crime/legal action, education and public service oriented news and more breaking news and news from the designated market area. It is evident the stations used varied strategies during the ratings period by altering their products in distinct ways.

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