The recent increase in short messaging system (SMS) text messaging, often using abbreviated, non-conventional "textisms" (e.g. "2nite"), in school-aged children has raised fears of negative consequences of such technology for literacy. The current research used a paradigm developed by Dixon and Kaminska, who showed that exposure to phonetically…

A sample of 118 U.S. 6th and 7th graders was used to examine early adolescents' views of whether video games negatively influence themselves, others of the same age, and younger others. Six specific games ranging in rating from E for Everyone to M for Mature were listed for the early adolescents to respond to, with questions asked about both…

Points out some of the mutually illuminating relationships that offer an astringent challenge to communication/community research. Argues that community mass media campaigns can be very successful when they are part of an integrated program that uses local celebrities, live meetings, and easily measured finite goals. (RAE)

"Text and Performance Quarterly" (TPQ) is the new name (beginning 1989) of a journal that started in 1980 under the name "Literature in Performance." This partial (promotional) issue of "TPQ" consists of a single article from the January 1989 issue that briefly explains the background and scope of the re-defined…

Tests the promise and limits of computer-mediated politics and the actual destabilizing/restructuring of political practices and relations which the Internet has brought to the British system. (RS)

Investigates the use of the term "family" by Earvin "Magic" Johnson, his peers, and the media in their rhetorical efforts to defend Johnson after his announcement that he had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Discusses the power of key words such as "family" to influence attitudes in the American culture. (RS)

Defines the major theoretical influences on interpretive approaches in mass communication, examines the central concepts of these perspectives, and provides a critique of these approaches. States that the adoption of interpretive approaches in mass communication has ignored varied critiques of interpretive social science. Suggests that critical…

Offers a historical analysis of continuity and change in China's media reform. Discusses the interaction among ideologies, structure, and operation as well as reform's relationship to the political economy. Shows that the present reform has had the unintended effect of liberalizing China's media system, which contributes to the further erosion of…

Examines work of two communication and media studies scholars, Joshua Meyrowitz and James Carey. Suggests their studies represent media ecology with analyses of the dynamic interaction between communication, consciousness, and culture. Highlights how their work embodies a North American cultural studies approach to media studies (moving away from…

Surveys three issues which focus on the deterministic relationship between electronic media and communicative behavior, and suggests how literate biases may hinder the mastery of oral and video media. Uses two examples of contemporary rhetoric to illustrate this assertion. Concludes that literacy inhibits the use, teaching, and study of rhetoric…

In her model of opinion formation, Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann postulates a spiral of silence: to avoid isolation, people holding minority views either alter their ideas to conform to the majority's stance or remain silent, thus increasing the impression of the majority view's dominance. While providing a helpful integration of disparate ideas in…

Argues that cultural studies imported to the United States often lose much of their critical edge. Contends that their misleading affirmation of the power and independence of media audiences is derived from several factors, including (1) overestimating the freedom of audiences in reception; and (2) confusing active reception with political…

A study looked at an agricultural extension project in south India to examine comprehension of the extension team's intentionality by the poorest farmers. Subjects, 50 farmers in the village of Porandla in the state of Andhra Pradesh, were interviewed and measured to see if their knowledge and comprehension approximated a constant across all…

Public information campaigns have become a staple of contemporary crime prevention efforts. While formal research on such campaigns has been limited, some important lessons may be learned from evaluation of the national "Take a Bite Out of Crime" or "McGruff" crime prevention campaign initiated in 1979. A large-scale formal…

Argues that courtroom trials observed face-to-face are distinct from televised mediated trials and the different rules result in very different things being communicated to an audience. Cautions that televised trials should be approached as a media event that represents a discrete genre of television programing. (KEH)