Theses/Dissertations - Journalism, Public Relations and New Media
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Voting the Bible, the Texan way : a comparative analysis of how megachurch pastors framed the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential election.
(2021-08-11)Rooted deep in the southern United States, Texas has played a role in moving the needle in various election outcomes, particularly concerning conservative issues. Stereotyped by many as a conservative and biblically focused ... -
North Korean female defectors' gender roles portrayed in South Korean media.
(2021-07-14)This study analyzed how North Korean female defectors were depicted in South Korean media through a content analysis of the reality television show “South Korean Men, North Korean Women.” Among the episodes (N=142), 14 ... -
Dig yourself! The ascent of Stokely Carmichael, Black Power and the death of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
(2020-04-14)In his role as chairman, Stokely Carmichael helped usher in a dramatic change for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a five-year old civil rights organization that had organized voting drives and schools for ... -
Brand community practices of the BMW Electronauts.
(2020-04-27)Drawing from practice theory, this study examines the online brand community comprised of BMW ActiveE electric vehicle field trial drivers, dubbed the Electronauts. In-depth interviews were also conducted to explore the ... -
Baylor in black and white : a study of desegregation at a Texas University as it played out through the student newspaper.
(2019-11-20)As social spaces began to desegregate, media organizations across the nation covered the process. This reporting left behind what we now use as the first draft of history. At Baylor University, the messy process of ... -
Apology : a content analysis of public school district apologies in race-related incidents and crises.
(2019-04-04)The need for crisis communication for public school districts is at an all-time high as school shootings and other such crises occur at a high frequency (Gainey 2009).1 Incidents relating to racism are rarely studied in ... -
Framing Flint : comparing mainstream and black newspaper coverage in the wake of environmental racism.
(2018-11-28)Flint, Michigan, has been in a water crisis for four years now after the predominately black community was lead-poisoned following the decisions of government officials they should have been able to trust. The city’s ... -
Creating vocal advocates on Twitter : examining the importance of purpose in social media communication.
(2018-11-13)Social media is a powerful tool for organizations to build relationships, promote services and encourage community activism. Through content analysis, this study investigates which types of messaging on Twitter are effective ... -
Selling a university : a content analysis of NCAA Division I colleges’ featured YouTube videos using the Spirituality in Advertising Framework.
(2018-11-13)American universities are using social media outlets to reach audiences; moreover, the collegiate YouTube channels included in this study had more than 1.5 million subscribers as of August 31, 2018. Past studies have ... -
An analysis of cultural appropriation in fashion and popular media.
(2018-04-25)Fashion is an outlet for creative expression and a reflection of personal and cultural identity. Fashion designers increasingly use cultural artifacts as inspiration for clothing. Previous media studies looked at cultural ... -
Intimacy issues : a content analysis of intimacy levels and engagement rates between celebrities and influencers.
(2018-04-30)The development of social media marketing has amplified the value of peer recommendations, leading brands to utilize the inclusive nature of Instagram to employ celebrity endorsement and/or influencer techniques. Though ... -
What does it all meme? : a look into gender stereotypes and traits in the 2016 presidential primary campaign.
(2017-03-16)This content analysis examines how social media memes portrayed presidential primary candidates during the 2016 United States presidential election. In the wake of Internet and social media evolutions in communications, ... -
A polysemic exploration of stereotypes and racial humor in Tosh.0.
(2015-07-22)This case study uses content and rhetorical analyses to address the neutralizing effects of performance strategies used in the racially charged humor of “Tosh.0.” Selected clips were analyzed and discussed through the lens ... -
Traditional and interactive documentaries : an exploration of audience response to September 11 documentaries in different formats.
(, 2013-09-24)On September 11, 2001, two planes crashed into the two tallest buildings in the New York City skyline, the most horrific act of terrorism on U.S. soil to date. A country devastated, the United States began the long road ... -
The use of new media in professional sport image repair theory : a case study of Michael Vick, Brett Favre, and Reggie Bush.
(, 2012-08-08)Broadening the application of Benoit’s image repair theory, this case study compares and contrasts crisis management strategies of three NFL athletes, Michael Vick, Brett Favre, and Reggie Bush, to determine which methods ... -
Creating a foundation for media literacy education : a content analysis of higher education syllabi.
(, 2012-08-08)Using a Constructivist theoretical learning approach, this study examines syllabi from higher education media-related departments to develop a uniform foundation for media literacy courses by finding common objectives and ... -
Get rich or die tryin’ : a semiotic approach to the construct of wealth in rap music.
(, 2011-09-14)For the past 30 years, rap music has made its way into the mainstream of America, taking an increasingly prominent place in popular culture, particularly for youth, its main consumers. This thesis looks at wealth through ... -
No women in the press box : a case study to compare the experience of women in print sports journalism from the 1980s and 2000s.
(2011-05-12)This case study examines women sports writers in the 1980s and 2000s. The purpose of the study was to describe the perceptions of women sports writers’ in relationship to their professional and personal experiences in ... -
The influence of media use on religious individuals' attitude toward and knowledge of science.
(2011-05-12)Research indicates that mass media depictions of morally controversial scientific applications and new technologies have increased in frequency during the past decades. Therefore, researchers have become increasingly ... -
Informative humor : The Daily Show's emergence as a credible news source.
(2010-06-23)By all accounts, America's dependence on traditional news media as a vital part of the democratic process is waning. With new media and outlets fighting for audiences, traditional broadcast and print media are suffering ...