Media dependency was examined as a complex construct involving the interactions of exposure to television news, exposure to newspapers, and expression of reliance on one medium or the other. A weighted sample of 2,402 respondents was used, representing the United States national population in 1976. A questionnaire assessed each subject's political…

This study was designed to explore two questions: do a listener's reactions differ by media; and do variables such as credibility, saliency, and recall function independently in realistic rhetorical situations? The study was designed to investigate listening variables as they function in field communication situations through the use of…

Investigates and compares events following two nuclear accidents in the United States and the Soviet Union. Considers that the accompanying flow of information shows that the optimistic bulletins of official sources provided too few facts and weakened credibility with both journalists and the public. (NKA)

Concludes that perceptions of causes of crime vary markedly depending on which news medium is used most. (FL)

Concludes that the smallest daily newspapers and television stations in the country report little direct effect from the court decision, and that the prediction of a chilling effect for a vast majority of small and large media is unsubstantiated. (FL)

Investigated assumption that those most concerned and knowledgeable about the environment (as well as those most active) tend to use specialized media rather than mass media for environmental information. Results indicate that persons environmentally active do not necessarily use mass media differently from those not environmentally active, except…

Examines the process of media supplementation in the Stanford Five-City Multifactor Risk Reduction Project, a long-term trial of communitywide cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Indicates that accessible awareness media disseminated early in the education campaign promoted use of information-rich depth media later. Suggests that information…

The Media and Politics section of this collection of conference proceedings contains the following 11 papers: "Characteristics of Readers of Religious Publications for Political Information" (Judith M. Buddenbaum); "Is 'Nightline' Biased?: A Content Analysis of the Issue of Gays in the Military" (Chuck Hoy and Terry Scott);…

A follow-up panel study investigated whether a knowledge differential based on individual educational differences develops in a community, and additionally, whether media use is associated with differential gain in knowledge across education levels. It was hypothesized (1) that education would have a positive effect on public affairs energy…

A study examined mass media use and ability to predict public support for two heavily publicized Florida referenda--casino gambling and a statewide lottery. It was hypothesized that (1) voters who read newspapers that publish election public opinion poll stories will be better able to predict support for the issues than voters who rely on friends…

Data from 83 Minnesota newspapers support the hypothesis that as communities become more pluralistic, their newspapers will report more conflict. Between 1965 and 1979, Minnesota saw an increase in population and proportionate increases in income from manufacturing and agriculture. During this period of growing pluralism, the amount of newspaper…

To discover the components of a trustworthy source, a study evaluated the credibility of health-related news stories. Subjects, 192 college undergraduates, read one of four random versions of a one-page newspaper story about aspirin's ability to ward off heart attacks. They were told that the sources for the articles were: a medical journal (high…

Using a revised theoretical model of newsworthiness, a study investigated the prominence with which world events are covered by the United States news media. The model differs from previous newsworthiness studies by adding two measures of the deviance of events and by including several country-based social significance predictor variables. Two…

To gain a perspective on the kinds of people who find newspapers and television to be high or low in credibility, a two-phase study combined demographic and other characteristics, media behavior, and attitudes toward the media. The first phase involved a series of focused group discussions, while the second was a national, representative sampling…

A study explored the use of seven political information channels available to eligible voters during the 1986 off-year elections. Specifically examined were (1) the degree to which various political information channels were used during this election, (2) which of these information channels respondents depended upon most for information about the…