To investigate the role and portrayal of women in newspapers and to determine trends emerging from this portrayal, a study examined 15 published quantitative research studies (content analyses) on the portrayal of women in newspapers, dating from 1973 until 1988. Studies were gathered primarily from "Communication Abstracts," the…

The Sunshine Act, designed to encourage open meetings to increase public understanding of the governmental decision-making process, went into effect in March 1977. A total of 50 agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), are subject to the provisions of the Sunshine Act. The act lists 10 exemptions, any of which can result in…

The first of two articles in this report offers a survey of how community ties lead to various psychological needs that are the motivation for newspaper reading. It identifies three distinct audience segments: the traditional audience, with permanent bonds to the community, whose need for information, guidance, and community surveillance leads to…

Argues that the doctrine of presumed harm, which was not addressed in "New York Times Co. v. Sullivan," remains a major problem in libel law. (FL)

Examines major episodes in the reporting career of Paul Y. Anderson, Washington, D.C., newspaper correspondent and magazine columnist, to see how he helped maintain the practice and standing of enterprise journalism in the 1920s and 1930s. (FL)

Discusses how the media portray alcohol and drinking and how to change media performance. Presents some findings in abbreviated form for several media and suggests a model for working with the media in the interests of alcohol education. (Author)

Describes a test of student reaction to viewing a film dealing with mass communications laws. Results indicated the film had a substantial impact on student opinion. (AEA)

The effectiveness of color cuing strategies is analyzed in terms of learner aptitudes, the type of learning required, the category of color cuing employed, and the relationship between color cues and other feature cues. (Author/JEG)

Research has done little to advance understanding of who accesses the violent imagery in popular culture. The narrow perspective provided by mass-produced media violence must be broadened by critical viewpoints that provide information people need to participate in the democratic process. (Contains 85 reference notes.) (SK)

Describes an explosion in Port Chicago (California) that a journalist later ascribed to a nuclear weapon, explains how his conclusions can be refuted, discusses the sociology of publishing such spectacular claims, and suggests how historians might better assist journalists in evaluating such claims. (40 references) (LRW)

As literature designed specifically to help young adults make appropriate career decisions, vocational guidance books explain what background, experiences, and personal traits are necessary to succeed in various careers. They are of interest to researchers because of the attitudes they reveal about journalism as a field. A review of 30 journalism…

The right of publicity is based on an individual's right to be free from the appropriation of his or her name or likeness by another for the other's financial benefit. As the courts' conception of the right of publicity was exapnding, so was the development of newsworthiness as a defense for media defendants. In "Zacchini v.…

In assessing the validity of Clark's (1983) argument that media have no real effect on learning, the fourth of four symposium papers identifies five aspects of media which might affect learning: (1) the technology used; (2) the symbol systems employed; (3) the content conveyed; (4) the setting in which the media are encountered; and (5) the…

Scientific researchers traditionally have held that the use of data represents a test of hypotheses or theories. Social psychologist William McGuire has developed a contrary position, arguing that instead of testing hypotheses and theories, research merely specifies their limitations, generality, and assumptions. McGuire's contextualism suggests…

Twenty-six American Newspaper Publishers Association research reports published since 1978 are reviewed in this paper. The paper analyzes each of the reports in order to provide an overview of what their findings really say and what newspapers can do in their own market areas to use the findings to improve their product. Among the topics covered…