GET THE APP

..

Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism

ISSN: 2165-7912

Open Access

Volume 4, Issue 10 (2014)

Editorial Pages: 1 - 1

Listening: The Forgotten Communication Skill

Christa L Arnold

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000e155

Share this article
Research Article Pages: 1 - 7

Conversion Aversion: Environmental Learning and PBS Viewer Preferences

John Fraser, James W Baxter, Jeffrey White, Rupanwita Gupta and Victor Yocco

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000225

Public Broadcasting System (PBS) television plays a unique role in informal learning for the US public. The network is generally perceived as one of the most reliable sources for information and has established itself as a primary distributor of natural history documentaries. Despite this long history, there is little survey data on what motivates viewership or how nature documentary viewing relates to environmental values, lifestyle choices, and learning outcomes. This article reports on a study of Californian PBS viewers’ environmental identity, values, patterns of visiting parks, reactions to the desirability of a series of nature program scenarios, and their reasons for these reactions. Results revealed that viewers who had visited a park or viewed another nature program in the past two years were more likely to watch PBS programs on environmental topics irrespective of the scenario, and were more likely to feel that their identity is interconnected with nature. However, analysis of comments suggested that there were a handful of priorities that may present challenges to attracting these viewers, such as a mistrust of science and political motives for producing nature documentaries. The paper suggests that nature program viewing is an identity reinforcing behavior where information is used to elaborate on existing values and beliefs. By understanding these priorities, environmental educators may be able to strategically shape programming and promotion to broaden and diversify audiences for nature documentaries.

Review Article Pages: 1 - 4

New Media in Interpersonal Communication

Ngugi Peter Kibe and Charles Kinyua Kamunyu

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000226

Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is literally altering the norms of interpersonal interaction and creating a new system of messages by which people attempt to understand one another both verbally and nonverbally. It’s rare to look around and not see people texting, processing their email, or checking their Facebook status using smart phones, laptops, or iPads and in some of the most unusual places. Technology has changed the way we understand and handle our interpersonal relationships. Little research has been done to evaluate the impact that computermediated technology has had on the theoretical view of relational closeness. In social networking like Facebook, the user is constantly using social penetration theory by displaying self-disclosure. Annie McCarthy posits that: a Face book user can set their privacy settings to determine their levels of self-disclosure. This paper attempts to explore these perspectives in relationship development.

Research Article Pages: 1 - 4

Application of Social Media to Organisation Branding in Nigeria

Christiana Shade Ade-Johnson and James O Ajayi

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000227

This paper looks at the application of social media to organization branding. The business environment is speedily becoming highly competitive; it takes good corporate identity which makes a brand conspicuous in the minds of the customers, for an organization to have a good portion of the market share. This is a function of consistent, well circulated effective communication readily being offered by social media. Using two companies from the Nigerian insurance sector, survey was adopted for this study. Findings revealed these organizations, like many others, do not make use of social media as constant means of communication with their clients and potential clients. The study, therefore, recommends that corporate organizations should concentrate on their branding campaigns through the social media, which have robust audience base.

Perspective Article Pages: 1 - 6

A Perspective on Teenage Magazines and their Continued Focus on the Superficial

Natalie Ryder Redcross and Tresmaine Grimes

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000229

Teenage magazine content, after decades, continues to complicate decision making in the communication of the young, impressionable girls who read them. Previous research has indicated that teenagers can be negatively influenced by the media, including teen magazines. These magazines are created for teens, so they will read them, believe what they read, and in some cases, base their decisions on the advice of certain articles. Why do editors continue to, despite what the research purports, produce this type of material? The response has been that it is what the consumer wants, and the more modern response is that it is what the consumer “needs” in a world in which girls are more mature today. While both online and print publications have attempted to address this issue by going outside of the norm publishing content that balances education and entertainment, few have survived. Most popular in the teen world are topics focusing on celebrity gossip, appearance-oriented articles, dating and socialization. Our paper will explore the case of teenage magazines that to this day, remain largely unchanged in a nation in which young girls are desperate for healthy media guidance. Teenage magazine editors are in a powerful position to influence and impress upon teenage girls their value and worth. The authors wonder when they will accept this challenge. Mass Communication professor Dr. Natalie Redcross and Psychology professor Dr. Tresmaine Grimes work out of different departments, but share a common interest and deep concern for young girls. As mothers of daughters, we have personal experience as to the impact of media on girls’ impressionable minds. With backgrounds in the effects of media on attitude and behavior, and the psychological effects of media content, this article delves deeper into the subject of media targeted at young girls today, specifically girl magazines.

Research Article Pages: 1 - 6

Underlying Meanings of the Hitler Metaphor in Western Media

Eugenia Kuznetsova

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000230

The present research aims to analyse the metaphorical use of Hitler’s personality in the Russian context in contemporary mass media published in English. The brief analysis of the metaphor’s use was also conducted for media published in German and Spanish. The research encompasses 13 years, from May 1st 2001 to May 1st 2014. The first part of the research deals with the dynamics and frequency of the metaphor’s use, exposing the growing popularity of the Hitler metaphor in shaping the ideology of contemporary Russia in media discourse. The second part includes a critical metaphor analysis that involves 268 articles from The Times (UK), 176 articles from The Wall Street Journal (USA) and 265 articles from Die Welt (Germany) in the time range from May 1st 2001 to May 25th 2014. The analysis attempts to discover the underlying meanings of the Hitler metaphor and identify the purposes and ideologies conveyed by this particular metaphor.

Research Article Pages: 1 - 6

Political Visuals Dominate in the Vernacular News Papers: "A Content Analysis of Front Page Political Visuals of Leading Indian News papers"

Pradeep Kumar Tewari

DOI: 10.4172/2165-7912.1000231

India is world’s largest democracy with 81 crore electorate for the 16th Lok Sabha out of 1.27 billion population. This study examines the representation of political visuals from the leading English Newspapers and vernacular Newspapers in 2011 on the front page. In the process of this study, 355 political visuals out of the 2,394 total visuals from the 336 front pages (editions) of eight selected newspapers of Chandigarh editions were examined. The results of the study indicated that vernacular news papers published more number of political visuals as compared to English newspapers in India and there was a greater significance attached to visuals in Language press/vernacular newspapers. All the selected vernacular newspapers have published more than 10% political visuals on the front page and Punjab Kesri carried 23.9% political visuals. Majority of the political visuals, 71.5%, were used along with a story on the front page while 28.5% visuals were published without a story attached to it and as a stand-alone picture symbolizing an event or certain circumstances. The Tribune, a prominent English newspaper of North India, was the only English newspaper which used 100% visuals with story.

arrow_upward arrow_upward