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Journalism 614: Relating Media & Opinion

Journalism 614: Relating Media & Opinion. Presentation Overview. Presentations for Weeks 14 and 15: Four 15-minute presentations each day Strict time limit Attendance: Attendance in required (penalty is 5 points off ) Technology: Copy of presentation due Sunday 4/24 by 6pm

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Journalism 614: Relating Media & Opinion

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  1. Journalism 614:Relating Media & Opinion

  2. Presentation Overview • Presentations for Weeks 14 and 15: • Four 15-minute presentations each day • Strict time limit • Attendance: • Attendance in required (penalty is 5 points off ) • Technology: • Copy of presentation due Sunday 4/24 by 6pm • Email dvshah@gmail.com

  3. Basic Presentation Outline • I. Introduction • II. Theoretical Framework • III. Methods • IV. Results • V. Discussion

  4. I. Introduction • Lead-in • Purpose Statement • Why is this study important? • Total time: 2 minutes

  5. II. Theoretical Framework • Introduce concepts (conceptual definitions) • Formulate argument about expected relationships • Theory • Past research • Logic • State prediction/expectation • Total time: 4 minutes

  6. III. Methods • Omit most methodological details • Focus on wording of opinion items • Operational definitions • Method of content analysis • Discuss scope of content analysis and coding system • Total time: 3 minutes

  7. IV. Results • Tables and charts • Statements about support for predictions • Total time: 3 minutes

  8. V. Discussion • What do the results mean for theory? • What do the results mean for public opinion? • What do the results say about media effects? • What do the results say about democracy? • Why should we care? • Total time: 3 minutes

  9. “The Bright Sun and the Bleak Moon”: Untangling News Effects on Opinion about Clinton’s Competency and Integrity Dhavan V. ShahMaier-Bascom Professor

  10. A Puzzle of Public Opinion Divergent trends in Clinton’s job approval and honesty evaluations after Lewinsky Scandal • Early 1993 • 72% approve of his job performance • 80% think he is honest and trustworthy • Early 1996 • 50% approve of his job performance • 45% think he is honest and trustworthy • Early 1999 • 69% approve of his job performance • 21% think he is honest and trustworthy

  11. Press Influence on Mass Opinion • Mass opinion is influenced by press coverage • Elite Cues - Highlighting policy performance • News Frames - Emphasis on certain aspects of an issue • Citizens rely on cues and frames • Form attitudes “on the fly” • Cues and frames activate aspects of memory • A range of content shapes public perceptions • Discrete influences on presidential evaluation

  12. Dimensions of Presidential Evaluation • Evaluate politicians along two dimensions • Competency - Leadership and Intellect • Integrity - Honesty and Morality • Range of topic areas may contain relevant cues • Economic coverage - favorable or unfavorable • Character coverage - moral or immoral • General coverage - negative or positive • Scandal coverage…

  13. Framing Scandal Coverage • Three dominant frames • Conservative Attack • Critiques of Clinton and Actions Against Him • Starr and House Republicans • Liberal Response • Suspicion about Conservatives’ Motives and Tactic • Democrats and Clinton Supporters • Clinton Behavior • Disclosure of Clinton’s Conduct and Evasions • Wide Range of Sponsors

  14. Modified Models of Media Effects • Liberal responses to conservative attacks • A cycle of argument and evidence • Support view of partisan motives • Recoiling, cynical reaction to strategic framing • The combination of conservative attack and liberal response work together to support his job approval • Character coverage will drive honest evaluations

  15. Predicted Effects • Clinton Job Approval and Honesty Evaluations = f [(pro-economic + pro-policy + pro-character + conservative attack + liberal response) - (con-economic + con-policy + con-character + Clinton behavior)]

  16. Data • Computer-aided content analysis of Presidency • Randomly sampled over 26K stories from NEXIS • Drawn from 32 leading broadcast and print outlets • Filtered then coded using computer decision rules • Scored paragraphs for all validated cues and frames • Two different public opinion time series • Surveys from Roper Poll database • Ask if approve of “job handling” – 913 polls • Ask if “honest and trustworthy” – 35 polls

  17. Explaining Opinion Change • Assumes news has some persuasive power • Max value on published date • Four categories influence divergent trends • Econ, Policy, Character, and Scandal • Same content predicts competency and integrity • Differential effects of cues and frames

  18. Discussion • Sustained by conservative attacks and liberal responses • Consistent with some “spiral of cynicism” arguments • Cycle of argument and evidence, one reframing the other • Economic cues matter for job handling but not honesty • public weigh the economy heavily in their sustained support • Character coverage matters selectively: compartmental • “good” character for job approval • “bad” character for honesty ratings • A media-based explanation of divergent trends • Framing and cueing explain media effects on opinion

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