Masters Theses

David Hefner

Date of Award

5-2000

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

James Crook

Committee Members

Benjamin Bates, Barbara Moore

Abstract

In this study, five leading national publications were reviewed for their treatment of the Million Man March on October 16, 1995. The study examines newspapers (The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today) and two news magazines (Time and Newsweek). The analysis considers such factors as when the publications began coverage of the event and such variables as article placement, time frame of coverage, content, element of newsworthiness, tone and type of coverage. The analysis reveals that the five publications gave equal voices to both sides of the issue. No correlation was found between placement and tone, that is, negative articles were not given more or less prominent attention than positive ones. The research also found that the five publications did a fair job of interpreting the news, although not as good as they did reporting it. Newspapers, predictably perhaps, did a poor job of situating the news than did news magazines. The five publications did a poor job of situating the news for readers by not including much context surrounding the Million Man March

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