Douglas M. McLeod

The Manufacture of `Public Opinion' by Reporters: Informal Cues for Public Perceptions of Protest Groups:

This study examines how conceptions of `public opinion are embedded within news-coverage of social protests at two levels: the micro-level in terms of informal characterizations of public opinion and the macro-level in terms of general conceptions of public opinion. At the micro-level, public opinion is brought into news stories in a variety of ways, including: statements about public opinion, depictions of compliance with or violation of social norms and laws, and portrayals of bystanders as symbols for public reaction. At the macro-level, coverage may have an underlying conception of public opinion as (1) aggregated individual opinion, (2) attempts of various groups to affect public policy and (3) a mechanism of social control. This case study of mainstream and alternative media coverage of three anarchist protests reveals differences at both the micro-descriptive and macro-conceptual levels.

Communicating deviance: The effects of television news coverage of social protest

Past research raises concern that media coverage may unfairly bias the audience against social protesters by portraying them as deviant. Furthermore, negative treatment of protest groups may discourage protest as a form of democratic participation. To examine whether such concerns are indeed warranted, an experiment was conducted exposing 266 subjects to one of two television news stories about the same protest. Results indicate that subtle differences in the news stories led to significant differences in subjects’ perceptions of the protesters and police, but no differences in perceptions of the utility of social protest in general.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Public Affairs Knowledge.

This study investigates the impact of socioeconomic status (SES), perceived utility indicators, and news media use on public affairs knowledge. A LISREL model was used to evaluate various theoretical arguments that have been used to account for public affairs knowledge. Results reveal that SES was significantly linked to knowledge through each of the aforementioned factors. In addition, we located a strong direct SES effect on public affairs knowledge.

Profile: Gender stereotypes in MTV commercials: The beat goes on

This study examines gender portrayals and stereotyping in a sample of commercials on MTV. The findings revealed that characters in MTV commercials, like those in music videos, are stereotyped. Female characters appeared less frequently, had more beautiful bodies, were more physically attractive, wore more sexy and skimpy clothing, and were more often the object of anothers gaze than their male counterparts.

Reporters vs. undecided voters: An analysis of the questions asked during the 1992 presidential debates

For the first time in the history of televised presidential debates, organizers in 1992 used undecided voters to query the candidates, a significant deviation from the traditional practice of using experienced journalists. The present study uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to compare the questions asked by undecided voters and reporters. Results indicate reporters used more successful question types and asked questions more concisely, however they were equally if not more likely to jeopardize question clarity. Reporters were also more likely to ask more argumentative, accusatory, and leading questions. Both groups did reasonably well addressing topics considered important in making vote decisions.

A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Corporate Advertising in the United States and Japan

This analysis compares US and Japanese corporate advertising to refine a framework for classifying corporate advertising, and to highlight differences in the corporate-society environment which influence advertising content. Hypotheses are based on the assumption that cultural indicators, such as corporate advertising, reflect the social system which produced them. Important systemic differences include: conflict vs. consensus-based public policy making; the distribution of power; and the corporate ownership structure. This study analyses 529 advertisements from US and Japanese newspapers and concludes that corporate advertising generally reflects structural differences in the corporate-society relationships of the US and Japan.

Conflict and Public Opinion: Rallying Effects of the Persian Gulf War

This study examines the dissipation of “rally effects” in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War using data from a panel of 167 New Castle County (Delaware) respondents interviewed during the war and one year later. Public support for the war and confidence in the president, Congress, and the military declined significantly. Hostility toward antiwar protesters also diminished. The study combines the “rally around the flag” literature from political science and functional conflict theory from sociology to explain the impact of this major external conflict on support for government institutions and intolerance for elements perceived as a potential threat.

Print Media and Public Reaction to the Controversy Over NEA Funding for Robert Mapplethorpe's “The Perfect Moment” Exhibit

In 1989, Robert Mapplethorpes photographic exhibit The Perfect Moment toured the country with the support of a

The Evil Empire Revisited: New York Times Coverage of the Soviet Intervention in and Withdrawal from Afghanistan:

30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibit, which included several sado-masochistic and homo-erotic photographs, drew the ire of the Reverend Donald Wildmon, who turned to Senator Jesse Helms (R- NC). In the summer of 1989, Congress debated policy toward the funding practices of the NEA, sparking a major controversy in Congress and in the arts community. This study examines media coverage of the controversy and the reaction of the public in terms of museum attendance and the value of Mapplethorpes art.

Community Structure and Editor Opinions about Planning

This study examines the New York Times coverage of the Soviet intervention and withdrawal from Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989. Changes in coverage are examined in the context of easing tensions between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. Findings indicate that the treatment of major story elements was consistent with Herman and Chomskys propaganda framework. However, changes in the tone of coverage may imply a slight weakening in the explanatory power of the propaganda framework as anti-Soviet ideology diminished.