Kyle J. Holody

Race in Media Coverage of School Shootings A Parallel Application of Framing Theory and Attribute Agenda Setting

This study investigated news media coverage of the race of the perpetrator in the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, using agenda-setting and framing perspectives. More than one-third of newspaper articles contained racial information. The agenda-setting analysis enabled comparison with coverage of the Columbine shootings, in which race was virtually absent; framing analysis revealed that the media framed the VT incident around the perpetrator’s ethnicity and generalized criminal culpability to his ethnic group. Racial and ethnic references were also sometimes displayed in prominent positions.

RACIALIZATION OF THE VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS

This study investigated differences between how local and national newspapers framed race in their coverage of the 2007 Virginia Tech (VT) shootings. The results showed a local newspaper, with geographic and social ties to the VT community, published more stories about the shootings than did national newspapers and continued to publish articles well after the national newspapers had stopped. Further, national newspapers mentioned the shooters race more often than did the local newspaper, despite having published fewer articles. The results also showed that national newspapers racialized the shooter more often and more prominently than did the local newspaper, but that the two newspaper types did not differ according to the levels of racialization each used (i.e., attributing the crime to the shooter himself rather than attributing it to his race), according to how racialized discussion of the shooting was, or in their use of implicit racialization.

Stimulating dialogue: measuring success of the "Smoke Free Horry" campaign.

Smoke Free Horry was an anti-secondhand smoke media campaign that ran in Horry County, South Carolina in 2011 and 2012. The present study assessed the campaigns ability to stimulate interpersonal dialogue about the campaign—specifically its four television public service announcements (PSAs)—as well as about other smoking-related topics, among a sample of 285 Horry County young adults. Survey data suggested talking about anti-smoking PSAs was related to subsequent discussion about smoking-related topics and positive perceptions of the campaigns effectiveness. PSAs using emotional appeals and that discussed the negative health effects of smoking/secondhand smoke were related to the most interpersonal discussions about smoking, secondhand smoking, and smoking bans. Implications for future anti-smoking campaign design are discussed.

Selective Moderation, Selective Responding, and Balkanization of the Blogosphere: A Field Experiment

The idealistic view that the web can function as a public sphere for crosscutting discussions has been met with much skepticism. In the current study, a field experiment was conducted to assess the openness of abortion-related weblogs to input made by new users of the weblogs. Consistent with the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE), existing weblog users selectively responded to new user comments by refuting incongruent comments more frequently than responding to either congruent or neutral comments. Furthermore, they exhibited contrast bias by refuting rather than supporting neutral or even congruent comments made by new users. On the other hand, weblog administrators employed moderation systems on a very limited basis and did not selectively moderate comments, incongruent or otherwise, made by new users. Theoretical and social implications of these findings are discussed.

Inside the blogosphere: A taxonomy and framing analysis of abortion weblogs

Abstract This study analyses weblog abortion-related content sampled via a search and snowball method. When weblogs located inside of established media Web sites and other weblogs are compared, they are equivalent in the use of advocacy versus objectivist frames. Media weblog posts contain a political frame more frequently than non-media weblog posts do. In terms of diversity of frame, media weblogs employ more frames in their stories. Various explanations for these findings are offered in the context of current abortion-related content patterns.

“Drunk in Love”: The Portrayal of Risk Behavior in Music Lyrics

The current study investigated the prevalence of multiple risk behaviors in popular music lyrics as well as the contexts within which they occur. We conducted a content analysis of the top 20 Billboard songs from 2009 to 2013 in the genres of rap, country, adult contemporary, rock, R&B/hip-hop, and pop, coding for the presence of alcohol, marijuana, nonmarijuana drugs, and sex as well as the contexts intoxication, binging/addiction, partying/socializing, disregard for consequences, and emotional states. The contexts relationship status and degradation were also coded for when sex was present. Of the 600 songs, 212 mentioned sexual behaviors, which were most frequent in rap and R&B/hip-hop. Alcohol was the next most frequent risk behavior, again with greatest mention in rap and R&B/hip-hop. Alcohol, marijuana, and nonmarijuana drugs were most often associated with positive emotions, and sex was most often described within the context of casual relationships. Alcohol and sex were associated with disregard for consequences most often in 2011, when the “you only live once” motto was most popular. These findings are concerning because exposure to popular music is associated with increased risk behaviors for adolescents and young adults, who are the greatest consumers of music.

Interpersonal Attraction and Religious Identification: A Comparative Analysis of Muslims and Hindus in India

This study compared whether an individual is more likely to perceive interpersonal attraction toward a member of his/her own or a different religious group. Self-identified Hindus (N=526) and self-identified Muslims (N=301) in India participated in the study. Results indicate members of a religious group (Hindus and Muslims) are significantly more likely to perceive physical, social, and task attraction for members of their own religious group than for individuals from another religious group. These results support an ethnic group vitality and in-group/out-group dichotomy.

Attributes and Frames of the Aurora Shootings: National and local news coverage differences

The present study examined frames and second-level agenda-setting attributes used by national and local newspapers to cover the 2012 Aurora, Colorado shootings. Unlike research examining coverage of school shootings, this study examined a mass shooting that did not occur at a school. Both newspaper types published a similar number of articles—though national articles tended to be longer—and virtually stopped coverage after 18 days. While previous coverage tended to focus on shootings’ societal implications, Aurora coverage focused more on individuals involved in the time immediately surrounding the shootings. National papers focused on the gunman, while the local press tended to focus on victims. Mass shootings in general tend to be salient news items, but the present study further shows news outlets may now focus on incidents’ specifics instead of common characteristics they might share, perhaps because audiences have an existing understanding of them. The shootings were framed in terms of gun control; national newspapers used this frame more often than did local newspapers. Both newspaper types tended to discuss gun control as directly related to the Aurora shootings, rather than as a societal or continuing need. Results offer further evidence that second-level agenda-setting and framing are distinct concepts.

Name Dropping and Product Mentions: Branding in Popular Music Lyrics

ABSTRACT Product placement provides a unique advantage over traditional advertising as it can be integrated into program content through a symbiotic relationship. A content analysis of the Billboard year-end top 20 songs for Rap, Country, R&B/Hip-Hop, Adult Contemporary, Rock, and Pop over five years (2009–2013) was conducted to determine the use of celebrities, product placement, and nonbranded product mentions in song lyrics. Results found male artists used celebrity mentions and product placement more than females, Rap contained the most mentions (73% of songs), clothing and shoes was the most prevalent product category, musicians were the most common type of celebrity mentioned, and nonbranded product mentions were in 54.5% of songs. The paper concludes by discussing practical implications of utilizing branded, nonbranded, and celebrity mentions in song lyrics.

An exploratory evaluation of the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the mental fitness disordered eating program in schools

ABSTRACT The present study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a tiered professional development disordered eating prevention program. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design assessed elementary and junior high school faculty and staff’s disordered eating knowledge and attitudes. Findings indicate participants experienced increased awareness of students’ susceptibility to and the severity of disordered eating, increased self-efficacy about referring students to appropriate resources, and overall perceived acceptability of the training. Improved knowledge and attitudes suggest faculty and staff are better equipped to identify at-risk individuals at an early stage, increasing the likelihood of recovery from disordered eating behaviors or disordered eating.