If My Commercial Makes Fun of My Political Opponent, Do My Race and My Gender Make a Difference?

William N. Swain, Gary A. Copeland and Karen S. Johnson-Cartee [WJMCR 3:4 September 2000] Sections:  Abstract|Introduction|Hypotheses|Methodology|Findings|Discussion Abstract An experiment tested the effects of the race and gender of the sponsor of a humorous negative political commercial on perceptions of the sponsoring candidate, the commercial itself, and a white male political opponent. Five groups of participants read […]

The Press and Public Relations: An Exploratory Study of Editors’ Perceptions of Public Relations Specialists

Lee Bollinger [WJMCR 3:3 June 2000] Sections:  Abstract|Findings|Significance|Conclusion Abstract The relationship of editor/reporter with a public relations representative can be tenuous, at best, when the latter cannot supply the former with certain information. This same relationship, at other times, can be highly rewarding when the two parties work together in getting news out to the public. […]

Lead Length and Voice in U.S. Newspapers

Gerald Stone [WJMCR 3:2 March 2000] Sections:  Abstract|Introduction|Literature Review|HypothesesMethodology|Results|Conclusions and Readability Abstract Do U.S. newspapers still adhere to the principle of writing short, active-voice leads? Leads in a large sample of staff-written articles averaged 23.5 words regardless of publication frequency, circulation size or whether the story was written on deadline, and about 70% were active-voice. While […]

Wag the Press: How Changes in U.S. Foreign Policy Toward China Were Reflected in Prestige Press Coverage of China, 1979 vs. 1997

Dennis T. Lowry and Zaigui Wang [WJMCR 3:1 January 2000] Sections:  Abstract|Introduction|Theoretical framework and hypothesesMethod|Results|Discussion Abstract This study used content analysis to compare the news coverage of four U.S. prestige newspapers of the state visits of Chinese Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping in 1979 and Chinese President Jiang Zemin in 1997. The results showed that news coverage of Deng’s visit […]