Many typographers have already decided that sans serif type is more pleasing to readers and more functional than traditional roman type. The findings of this study, which was designed to assess the readability of, and reader preference for, these two styles, lead to the opposite conclusion. To determine preferences, 200 subjects of various ages…

In addition to factors analyzed in previous media research, the following three new validity checks were examined in a study of the audience's perceived uses and gratifications: the effect of time differences between administrations in a study, a comparison of respondents who claim to be gratified with those who do not, and the link between media…

Analysis indicates that the appropriate time lag between cause and effect--between presentation of a press agenda and learning of issue saliences--is from two to six months, with a four-month lag being generally acceptable for newspaper agenda-setting. A shorter lag appears more appropriate for television agenda-setting. Within the framework of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in agenda setting of public issues in terms of their relative importance when two separate frames of reference were present in question formation. Specifically, 302 sophomore males from Syracuse University were asked to order issues in an intrapersonal context ("Which of these…

Found that (1) neighborhood leaders' agendas and definitions of issues compared highly with those of residents, especially the most educated residents, while (2) neighborhood papers' agendas and definitions were much less related to those of residents. (PD)

Reports results of a survey of students' opinions of their school newspaper. Lists four changes that were based on the survey results: (1) added emphasis on meeting students' personal interest needs, (2) increase in short feature and humorous stories, (3) more persuasive editorial and opinion pieces, and (4) increase in advertising benefits for…

A content analysis of prestige press articles about the Middle East between 1966 and 1974 reveals a shift toward a more favorable image of Arabs, which is paralleled by a decline in public support for Israel and a slight increase in support for the Arab states. (GT)

Presents a case study of the media coverage of the 1992 presidential campaign of Larry Agran. Explains that there are three ways of thinking about whether a candidate should be covered or not: national journalistic logic, local journalistic logic, and public logic. Suggests that the three ways are not always in agreement. (TB)

On a daily basis, American television and radio audiences are subjected to a stream of broadcast Public Service Announcements (PSAs), each promoting "some kind of social or economic action deemed beneficial" (Stridsberg, 1977). Often, these announcements employ humor as a presentational device to help stimulate the behavioral change…

A study used disproportionate exemplar distributions to create a spiral of silence effect for a morally loaded issue. The effect of perception of public opinion on willingness to express an opinion was also examined. Three video news stories were created that would represent either a supporting, balanced, or opposing stance on the prayer in school…

Preliminary data from a study-in-progress support the view that public information campaigns may have greater efficacy than shown by previous research. To evaluate the public impact of the Advertising Council's "Take a Bite Out of Crime" campaign, which was aimed at promoting greater citizen involvement in crime prevention activities,…

An earlier phase of a research project proposed a theoretical model linking the key concepts of community commitment, media use, knowledge about community, community evaluation, and community pride as well as a series of social locator variables. The present phase of the study concerned itself with the central part of the model, ignoring the…

A study investigated whether newspaper mug shots are perceived by readers as being positive or negative in tone and whether the mug shots that are selected match the roles of their subjects in accompanying stories. Twenty-three news and feature stories with associated mug shots were clipped from seven daily newspapers. Pictures and stories were…

A secondary analysis of data from two Indiana Polls, the first carried out in January 1983 and the second in November and December 1983, was conducted to compare respondents' reports of their viewing of network television news and local television news, and their reading of local newspapers. The intent was to use respondents' preferred source for…

Drawing data from a variety of sources, a study was undertaken to place China's propaganda activities in the United States during World War II into a historical perspective. Results showed that China's propaganda efforts consisted of official and unofficial activities and activities directed toward overseas Chinese. The official activities were…