Explores three legal implications of news councils: (1) the effect of the councils on the frequency of libel suits, (2) the validity of the waiver complainants must sign, and (3) the potential impact of news council decisions in determining standards of press performance. (FL)

Reports that middle-level Chinese government officials are given almost verbatim translations of selected news stories and commentary from around the world in a publication called "News for Reference," which is widely distributed in China by the Hsinhua news agency. (FL)

Notes that despite recent United States Supreme Court decisions that have been unfavorable to the press, a First Amendment-based conditional privilege protecting the editorial process against governmental intrusion survives. (FL)

One issue each of "Time" and "Newsweek" from each month of 1982 was selected at random and content analyzed to determine the use of anonymous attribution. Stories from the "National/Nation" and "International World" sections were analyzed for use of anonymous sources, that is a direct or paraphrased quote…

A study was conducted to investigate the theory that the more finished a television commercial is when tested, the more soundly it can be evaluated. In an experimental design for a health maintenance organization, four commercials were tested in both storyboard slide show and finished commercial formats in a controlled laboratory environment.…

This paper contends that the failure of the St. Louis "Globe-Democrat" raises questions not only about whether the United States Justice Department's Antitrust Division should have worked harder to keep the St. Louis joint operating agreement (JOA) alive, but also about the efficacy of the Newspaper Preservation Act in preserving…

Noting that advertising agencies have not been examined as a collective industry, this paper looks at the development and structure of the advertising agency industry. The first portion of the paper discusses the development of the agency. The remaining two sections deal with trends in and the structure of the industry including: (1) the growth of…

Based on case studies of 15 all-news radio stations, this report isolates major factors contributing to the all-news format's frequent failure and assesses its potential for success. The history of the News and Information Service (NIS), which the NBC radio network operated between 1975 and 1977, serves as a backdrop for the information presented…

Surveys the relationship between historical inquiry and mass communication research. Argues that historically grounded inquiries into mass communications have focused on three areas: apparatus-centered criticism, social history, and textual interpretation. Contends that challenges from inside and outside the discipline have encouraged historians…

Critiques different historical conceptions of mass communication research. Argues that the different conceptions of the history of mass communication research, and of the hypodermic model (viewing the media as an all-powerful and direct influence on society), influence the theoretical and methodological choices made by mass media scholars. (MM)

Discusses how the use of unregulated mass media to convey the health risks of smoking is severely limited by the tobacco industry's power, via advertising dollars, to minimize the coverage of the negative health aspects of smoking in the editorial content of these media. (JD)

The paper identifies theoretical constructs and shows their application from 1955-1980 in media developments for teaching hearing impaired students. Changes are traced to such events as technological developments, social forces, and the advent of new theories, including behaviorism. (CL)

Notes that the percentage of daily newspapers that also produce a weekly or semiweekly edition has dwindled since 1876; outlines reasons for the continuance of the approximately 50 daily-weekly combinations in existence in 1978. (GT)

Reviews the past five years of community ties research. Examines recent research for evidence of progress in resolving important conceptual issues, and discusses problems that still persist despite previous cautions. (RAE)

Argues that scholars from other communication disciplines could learn much from public relations research. Discusses public relations research at the micro level (individual public relations programs), the meso level (managerial), and the macro level (what makes excellent public relations possible). Offers an integrative theory explaining the…