U.S. Government information and the Nicaraguan revolution 1979–1989: An assessment of bias

The internal effects of the Nicaraguan revolutionary reconstruction, 1979–1989, are compared and contrasted with the portrayal of these effects in a sampling U.S. government documents. Special attention is given to U.S. Department of State documents aimed at influencing public opinion. That the revolution had some clearly positive effects on Nicaraguan society is concluded, but weaknesses and contradictions in the ideology and the programs of the revolution are exposed. It is suggested that much contemporaneous U.S. government information on the topic served a propagandizing function.     

U.S government information and the Nicaraguan revolution 1979–1989: An assessment of bias

The internal effects of the Nicaraguan revolutionary reconstruction, 1979–1989, are compared and contrasted with the portrayal of these effects in a sampling U.S. government documents. Special attention is given to U.S. Department of State documents aimed at influencing public opinion. That the revolution had some clearly positive effects on Nicaraguan society is concluded, but weaknesses and contradictions in the ideology and the programs of the revolution are exposed. It is suggested that much contemporaneous U.S. government information on the topic served a propagandizing function.     

Self-Dealing or Market Transaction?: An Exploratory Study of Vertical Integration in the U.S. Television Syndication Market

This study explores the programming relationship between vertically integrated station groups and their affiliated syndicators in the context of two frameworks associated with the advantages of vertical integration: the transaction cost and vertical foreclosure theories. The programming sources for various stations that are vertically integrated with syndicators were assessed. The results indicated that leading television station groups had purchased relatively more products from their vertically integrated syndicators. The pattern of internal transfer through vertical integration was especially apparent in the acquisition of newer first-run products that are associated with uncertain quality and less audience information. The findings generally support the transaction cost theoretical perspective. However, the data did not paint a picture of market foreclosure in this industry.     

A survey of programming on the central studios of television Moscow,U.S.S.R. January–June 1960

It is highly possible that international television programs will become a substantial part of American television fare within the next few years. The example of Eurovision and the promise of Echo I are before us. Under these circumstances, familiarity with the programming and production practices of other nations is to the American broadcaster's advantage. In this issue of the Journal we have coupled this study of programing (Tuber) with a study of production methods (Howell) in one country, the Soviet Union. The similarities as well as the differences in programming provide interesting reading.     

Teaching Civil Procedure in the 21st Century: An Annotated Bibliography of U.S. Books and Articles, 2000–2019

Abstract

An annotated bibliography of articles and books on teaching civil procedure published in the United States from Winter 2000 through Spring 2019.     

Should the U.S. Adopt a First to File Patent Rule?

No abstract available for this article.     

Who benefits from Twitter? Social media and political competition in the U.S. House of Representatives

Many researchers have assumed that social media will reduce inequalities between elite politicians and those outside the political mainstream and that it will thus benefit democracy, as it circumvents the traditional media that focus too much on a few elite politicians. I test this assumption by investigating the association between U.S. Representatives using Twitter and their fundraising. Evidence suggests that (1) politicians' adoptions of social media have yielded increased donations from outside their constituencies but little from within their own constituencies; (2) politicians with extreme ideologies tend to benefit more from their social media adoptions; and (3) the political use of social media may yield a more unequal distribution of financial resources among candidates. Finally, I discuss the implications of these findings for political equality, polarization, and democracy.     

A structural analysis of market competition in the U.S. TV syndication industry, 1981–1990

The author explores how the structure of the national television programming market has changed during the past decade and finds that the market has become highly concentrated and is increasingly being dominated by foreign owners. The author argues that the trends provide support for relaxation of prohibitions on television networks’ participation in syndication     

Universal values structure and individualism — collectivism: A U.S. test

In re‐evaluating the theory of universal value structure as developed by Schwartz and the Individualism‐Collectivism syndromes as proposed by Triandis and others, this study, using university students in the United States, concludes that both concepts have acceptance in an intercultural setting. The majority of the value types proposed by Schwartz were found compatible by the sample. The Individualism‐collectivism concept finds a qualified support as American, on the whole, opt for Individualist vales. However, results reveal several anomalies which need further investigation. This investigation also has found the importance of social and cultural structures in analyzing values preference.     

U.S. federal government CIOs: information technology's new managers— preliminary findings

The Clinger-Cohen Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 (Clinger-Cohen Act) had the potential to change the dynamics of how U.S. federal government agencies view and manage their information technology. The mandated provision for chief information officers (CIOs) was intended to provide agencies with information change agents and technology “watchdogs.” To observe how agencies are reacting to employing CIOs, the author conducted field studies via e-mail with eight agencies to discover the successes and the challenges of this new information initiative. The Clinger-Cohen Act mandated four of the agencies contacted and four were non-mandated. The results of this study depict varying levels of agency compliance and commitment to the Clinger-Cohen Act as it relates to the agency CIO position.     

The presuperhighway politics of U.S. government printing and publishing, 1917–1960

This article examines the practices of, and the policies governing, U.S. executive agency publishing and printing for the period covering 1919–1950s. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the congressional Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) of the 67th Congress, as well as advancements in the graphic arts. Attention is also paid to the inherent, and sometimes bitter, institutional tensions that resulted from the publishing activities of the executive branch. This article further examines the emergence of the Printing Industries of America (PIA) as a player in the sphere of U.S. government printing.     

ImaginOn,The First Twenty‐First Century Public Library Building in the U.S.

This article presents a portrait of ImaginOn, a combined children's library and theater building in Charlotte, NC. Unlike so many modern library buildings intended primarily as warehouses for materials or as civic icons, this structure is designed to encourage visitors to experience the joy to be found in stories of all kinds. The author conveys the excitement of ImaginOn and, using photographs, highlights the principal features of the structure.     

Reality Bites: An Investigation of the Genre of Reality Television and Its Relationship to Viewers’ Body Image

Utilizing a unique methodological approach, this study investigated subtypes of reality television (RTV) to study the influence of exposure to RTV on body image (body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness) as compared a more traditional weekly report of RTV viewing. Young adults (N = 472) completed online surveys measuring their exposure to RTV and perceptions of their own body image. Four types of RTV were uncovered. Regression analyses using these 4 factors demonstrated that exposure to competition-based RTV shows (e.g., Dancing with the Stars) predicted increased body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. On the other hand, the weekly self-report of RTV viewing did not reveal any relationships between weekly exposure to RTV and body image. These findings underline the need for cultivation-based media studies that include program-based measures of genre-specific media exposure, especially when seeking to capture media effects related to RTV.     

Bridging the Partisan Divide? Exploring Ambivalence and Information Seeking Over Time in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election

Research has shown that holding conflicted attitudes (ambivalence) about political decisions may lead people to act as ideal citizens. One example of this normatively ideal behavior is seen in research linking ambivalence to information seeking. To expand on this line of inquiry, this study examines the over-time relationship between ambivalence and information seeking. We use three-wave panel data collected during the 2012 election to determine whether over-time relationships exist between these variables and test the causal direction of these relationships. We find that use of counterattitudinal information increases ambivalence, which leads people to seek out more counterattitudinal information. We also find that use of pro-attitudinal media decreases levels of ambivalence.