The pulpit in time of crisis: 1865 and 1963

Researchers have ignored the role of mass communication in the process of political socialization. Research on the media's influence in the election process stem from classical studies largely reported prior to the political use of television. Recent evidence suggests that mass communication may have direct effects on political behavior. Though the literature fails to resolve the question of media's influence in the election process, previous pronouncements of “limited effects” need to be re‐assessed. Suggested hypotheses for that assessment are presented.     

Implicit theories of communicative competence: The semantics of social behavior

Observers evaluating the competence of communicators use both observed behaviors and traits inferred from these behaviors in their evaluation. In order to understand the process by which these evaluations are made, the manner in which the beliefs about trait/behavior relationships that underlie this process must be understood. Based on analysis of judgments of prototypical “communicators” of different skill levels and of actual people, trait/behavior relationships are, with one exception, similar across competence level and communicative situation.     

Directions in television and aging research

Following from a summary review of television and aging research studies, methodological difficulties of past investigations and needed directions for future mass communication and aging research are discussed.     

How families select television programs: A mass‐observational study

Mass observation and survey data reveal how family position and family communication patterns influence the selection of television programs under naturalistic conditions at home.     

VCR attitudes and behaviors by length of ownership

A random sample telephone survey of 579 VCR owners revealed that length of VCR ownership was related to attitudes, behaviors, and communication technology ownership. The longer the VCR presence, the more likely respondents were (a) to express positive altitudes about watching and recording network television; (b) to record television shows; (c) to perform higher level recording behaviors (e.g., recording a program while watching another); (d) to record sports programs, news magazines, and public television shows; and (e) to seek particular tapes at the video store. The results support the contention that VCR adopters are not a monolithic group and that familiarity may cause the newest adopters to reinvent the way they use the VCR.     

Interpersonal communication: A conceptual framework

A conceptual framework based on the fundamental psychological needs of recognition and belonging, permits a classification of communication situations which puts into clearer perspective the relationship of these psychological needs to favorable and unfavorable attitudes in communication.     

Impact of the VCR on control of television viewing

Familial control of television viewing in light of the introduction of the videocassette recorder (VCR) was examined by: asking sets of parents and children about their use of VCRs and television, determining differences in these perceptions, and relating family demographics to use and control. In‐home interviews with 110 families found agreement on who chooses the programs to be watched. Some differences were noted, however, between parents’ and children's perceptions of how the viewing situation is controlled.     

Examining the quality of social support messages produced face-to-face and in computer-mediated communication: The effects of hyperpersonal communication

ABSTRACT

The hyperpersonal communication model was used to investigate the implications of the reduced social cues in computer-mediated communication (CMC) for the production of social support messages. Participants were randomly assigned to interact with a confederate seeking help about a problem for which the confederate was or was not responsible. The interactions took place either face-to-face or in one of two CMC conditions. The results were partially consistent with the intensification effect proposed in the hyperpersonal model. Participants evaluated the confederate most negatively, but produced the highest quality support messages, in the CMC condition with visual anonymity followed by the CMC condition and face-to-face condition. Participants’ evaluations of the confederate were also influenced by the confederate’s responsibility for their problem.     

Making Sense of “Views” Culture in Television News Media in India

ABSTRACT

The initiation of economic reforms in the 1990s led to major recastings in the media-state-market relationship in India. Looking specifically at the television news media space, the age-old monopoly of the state broadcaster Doordarshan was challenged by the mushrooming of a host of private television news media. Private participation in the television news sector was in sync with the logic of market capitalism. Market-based news model radically altered the nature of production, representation and consumption of news. This paper makes an inquiry into one such predominant aspect of news production, the ascendancy of views/opinion based prime time programming in television news media, in contemporary India. Through a series of semi-structured interviews with journalists, the paper attempts to make sense of the reasons, the nature and significance and the likely impact of such programming on the nature of public discourse in India.     

Virtuality and the Television Audience: The Case of Futurama

This essay examines the impact of Internet-based discourse on television audiences by examining the specific case of the recent program Futurama. Futurama has inspired the development of a vast and diverse virtual community dedicated to discussions of the program and the production of a variety of secondary discourses. .     

The Alternative Platform: Kenya’s Television Stations Navigation During the Switch Off of Raila Odinga’s “Swearing-In”

ABSTRACT

The role of communication technologies in Kenyan newsrooms particularly from print media perspective has been investigated. However, how these technologies aid television journalism practice in Kenyan context is understudied. Using the government ban of selected television stations in Kenya during and after the symbolic “swearing-in” of opposition presidential candidate in the 2017 general election, this study investigated the influence of communication technologies by the affected television stations to circumvent government crackdown. Interview was used as the primary method for data collection. The findings of the study revealed that throughout the switch off period the newsrooms remained operational but forced to develop alternative strategies fundamentally buoyed by new media technologies to disseminate contents. Though the strategies produced unintended and unexpected effects as the findings indicated. The main challenge with technology, was news verification, since the stations were using guerrilla tactics to source news which was not easily forthcoming. In addition, there was economic implication, some advertisers demanded for a refund and potential advertisers refused to patronise the stations which according to one of the editors was hinged on fear of being targeted by government.     

Attitudinal effects of selected types of concluding metaphors in persuasive speeches

In an experimental study, closed‐circuit television was used to test whether visual and/or audio responses from a listener increased communication accuracy. Thirty‐two dyads were drawn randomly from the male and female populations of the basic speech course at Florida State University, Analysis of covariance was used to adjust for the influence of interaction time. The findings suggested that the audio channel carried the information necessary to improve communication, and the visual channel provided auxiliary feedback which was inefficacious without the audio. A secondary finding indicated that within feedback conditions accuracy is independent of times.     

Television viewer types: A Q analysis

One week of primetime network television from 1989 was content analyzed with a coding scheme previously used to examine sex on television in 1979. At a time when AIDS and high rates of teenage pregnancy call for sexual responsibility, the study found that sexual behavior and language have not diminished over the 10‐year period. Instances of suggestive sexual displays and noncriminal sex acts declined, while sexual touching increased. Explicit intercourse, not in evidence in 1979, was shown in 1989. Issues of safe sex, sexually transmitted disease, and contraception are rarely addressed. Sex in primetime occurs predominantly among the unmarried, and white males typically initiate sexual acts and words.     

Black ownership of broadcast stations: An FCC licensing problem

The development of minority (in this case, black) ownership of television stations as a factor in licensing is analysed through discussion of the Orlando, Florida TV 9 and Hunts‐ville, Alabama Garrett cases. The author, part of the department of communication at Florida Technological University (Orlando), contends that Appeals court actions have forced the FCC to more carefully consider minority ownership aspirations—but that many basic questions need to be clearly answered prior to any definitive rule‐making on the subject.     

Different paths: A comparison of the introduction of digital terrestrial television in Australia and Finland

Abstract

Australia and Finland provide contrasting case studies of the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television transmission. The experiences of these two countries help identify the policy choices available to governments and provide lessons for other countries planning their digital terrestrial television systems. Overall, the digital policies adopted in Finland are much more liberal than those in Australia. The Australian experience serves to confirm the deficiency of the high definition model for digital television, and to indicate that a wider range of programming and services offers viewers a greater incentive to invest in digital reception equipment than high‐resolution picture quality. Shortcomings in policy decisions have resulted in problems for both countries since their launch of digital transmissions. There have been delays in the availability of some digital services, and the take‐up of digital equipment by viewers has been poor. The experiences of Australia and Finland suggest that the transition to digital terrestrial television broadcasting represents a situation of market failure and that governments may need to consider intervening in the market for digital reception equipment. .......     

Candidates’ use of informal communication on social media reduces credibility and support: Examining the consequences of expectancy violations

ABSTRACT

This experiment (N= 476) investigates how individuals evaluate political candidates who use informal communication on social media. We use expectancy violations theory (EVT) to predict that informal communication will lead to negative evaluations. Our results suggest that politicians’ use of informal communication on social media leads to expectancy violation, which decreases perceived credibility and lessens intention to support a candidate. This effect was not moderated by sex (male versus female) or age (young versus old) of the candidate, nor of participants being the same sex as the candidate. These findings suggest that political figures should use informal communication on social media with caution.     

Making Sense of Intractable Multiparty Conflict: A Study of Framing in Four Environmental Disputes

Ironic statements function rhetorically as evaluations. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to extend our understanding of irony by examining the pragmatics of ironic evaluation in the larger context of the pragmatics of evaluation per se; (2) to argue that the study of irony makes an important contribution to the general epistemology of evaluation insofar as the conditions of knowledge underlying ironic communication serve as standards against which claims of knowing (relevant to the understanding of) conventional evaluations should be held.     

The loudness of side‐tone∗

"Communication” is examined as a cultural term whose meaning is problematic in selected instances of American speech about interpersonal life. An ethnographic study, focusing on analysis of several cultural “texts,” reveals that in the discourse examined here, “communication” refers, to close, supportive, flexible speech, which functions as the “work” necessary to self‐definition and interpersonal bonding. “Communication,” thus defined, is shown to find its place in a “communication” ritual, the structure of which is delineated. The use of the definition formulated, and of the ideational context which surrounds it, is illustrated in an analysis of a recurring public drama, the “communication” theme shows on the Phil Donahue television program. Implications of the study are drawn for ethnography as a form of communication inquiry.     

The rules of viewing television in public places

Naturalistic methods were employed in studying television viewing in a variety of public places. The behavioral regularities that emerged included adjustment to the setting, to other viewers and to the television set, as well as an openness for television‐related interaction.     

“Localism”; in Chinese media context: An examination of a closed circuit community cable system

The ongoing reforms in the Chinese media system have offered greater latitude for the development and operation of closed circuit community cable television. This research describes the structure and program content of one community system. Although similar to the national media model, the addition of a community channel offers a functional alternative. Local newscasts contain themes and production values similar to China Central Television (CCTV). Feature entertainment and music video request programs provide alternatives to the national and regional television channels. Increased access available through such systems has the capacity to expand the ideological range possible in Chinese life and exert pressure for further structural, operational, and ideological reform at the national level.